Returning to her houseboat, Hannah Hill is met by a high school student she’s never seen who hands her a letter simply reading ‘Protect Her.’ Her husband, Owen, then disappears leaving his daughter Bailey in her care. Why did he run away? Why is a US Marshall poking around? Did Owen commit corporate crimes? Bailey and Hannah travel from Sausalito, CA to Austin, TX in search of answers. When a shadowy figure emerges with ties to dangerous people, Hannah and Bailey are stunned to find he is Bailey’s grandfather. You’ll have to pick up this page-turner to get your questions answered about these characters. Sausalito, where our story begins, is in the Central Valley region of California, which runs east to west (instead of north to south) or sideways in order to funnel the cool, moist, foggy air from the Pacific Ocean. We are sipping a wine from this area, a 2021 Au Bon Climat Pinot Noir from Santa Barbara County. The first thing you will notice is the scent of black cherries, berry jam and cloves, and then tartness will hit your palate. Do yourself a favor and pair this vintage with this thriller!