A shadow in the night : Adam larsen mystery series, book 1

Denver lawyer Adam Larsen is always an easy target for damsels in distress. When he undertakes to help the sister of a missing woman accused of a high-tech embezzlement scheme, he quickly discovers she hasn't told him the entire story. Larsen encounters an arrogant CEO with a habit of stretching the truth, a hostile security chief who bitterly resents Larsen's interference, a quirky young programmer dreaming of establishing his own internet dynasty, an obsessive opera aficionado, and more. An anonymous phone call leads Larsen on a bone-chilling trek through the mountains near Georgetown, Colorado, where he finds the body of the missing suspect, Alice Bryant. Why would anyone want Larsen to find her body? And why did someone ransack the apartment of Bryant's beautiful assistant #8212; rumored to be having desperate financial problems #8212; using a key stolen from her key ring? After someone tries to electrocute the CEO, Larsen thinks he knows some of the answers; but the meddling of Larsen's nemesis, police sergeant Joe Stone, wreaks havoc on Larsen's well-laid plans. And then there's the matter of the missing money.. The Denver Opera Company's production of Carmen has an unplanned finale when a member of the audience plunges to his death from the top balcony — nearly landing on Denver lawyer Adam Larsen and his paralegal, former Denver Bronco Maurice White. What appears to be a mere accident quickly becomes far more complicated. What was this happily married man doing at the opera with another woman? And why has she disappeared? Much to the irritation of Larsen's nemesis Sergeant Joe Stone, the victim's wife hires Larsen to represent her in a dispute with her husband's ex-wife and his business partners. But questions continue to arise. Why was the deceased maintaining a secret post office box — and what is so important about it that someone would assault Larsen's significant-whatever-she-is, private investigator Jana Duncan, outside the Cherry Creek Mall? The matter grows more confusing when an ex-cop who had been trailing Larsen is found bludgeoned to death. Larsen's nimble brain and quick sense of humor will sort it all out. If only he can do it in time to save Jana's life..