Stacking the Deck

A famous writer of mystery novels is absorbed in developing his latest manuscript when he discovers that a gorgeous blonde, who closely resembles his lead character, has broken into his apartment and is studying him at gunpoint from his office doorway. She turns out to be a currier of special briefcases who assists him as natural curiosity leads him to dig into the contents. The beautiful currier is beaten badly and they find themselves in the middle of a Government swindle where bidders for wealthy proposals are 'stacking the deck' to increase their odds of winning a disproportionate amount of awards. The plot weaves through twists and turns as a woman from Thom's past re-emerges and then mysteriously disappears. They live in permanent danger but a relationship develops between the currier and the writer. He ends up in the Potomac fighting the current and snipers for his life as she lies in a hospital bed in a coma. The only way to be safe is to win the bid and expose the fraudulent manipulators.