More than any other cop in Acapulco, Emilia Cruz has reason to be shaken by the execution-style murders of three law enforcement officers in as many weeks. When her partner Franco Silvio's wife is killed, it's obvious to Emilia that the murders are connected and she could be the cop killer's next target. She expects to join a task force to investigate but is reassigned instead. Her new police unit is a political time bomb championed by Acapulco's ambitious mayor and overseen by a shady union strongman. Corruption and paranoia rule the day. Home is no refuge for Emilia; hotel manager Kurt Rucker has a shocking secret that could tear their relationship apart. A falsified report leads Emilia to conduct a private investigation, even as a fifth victim is left as a stark message on Emilia's doorstep. Unexpected help comes from a frightened attorney and a famous movie star, but each new clue unravels the one before. Meanwhile, Emilia's ongoing hunt for a missing girl leads to the infamous El Pharaoh casino, a place she and Silvio know only too well. When the chips are down, Emilia has only two choices: hold or fold. Either could cost her life. Which would you choose?