Nick Smith (1972-)

A stubborn clue surfaces in the bustle of a late-evening market, drawing Juno into a corridor of whispers where every stall vendor has a half-truth ready and every gesture hides a motive. She follows a thread that tangles with her own past—an old rival’s name stitched into a scarf, a street shrine that echoes someone she once believed safe, a pattern that recurs in the strangest places. The trail spirals through alleys stacked with old debts and new betrayals, where the line between protector and hunter blurs and the case becomes a mirror of who she is under pressure. As the rain keeps time with the city’s heartbeat, Juno must decide how far she’s willing to go to uncover the truth—and what she’s willing to lose to keep it hidden.