This book is really a continuation to "Blind Alley" as the Cira legend is back.  Eve Duncan's ward, Jane MacGuire, is now at Harvard and is 21 so 4 years have passed since the last book.  She is close to Mike who is a ward of Eve's mom.  Jane is always helping people out of scrapes and feels particularly responsible for Mike.  His roommate calls her that Mike is drunk and morose at a bar.  Jane goes to get him and take him home but on the way to the car they are attacked and Mike is shot and killed.