The land beyond O'Hare -- Infant baptism -- The proud father -- Ten o'clock news -- Station break -- In the archives -- The lions' den -- Needle work -- Police at the bar-b-q -- Doctor in mourning -- Artistic license -- House call -- Open clinic -- Carnage on Damen -- Amazing who you meet in night court -- Who is Rosemary Jiminez -- The Ickpiff files -- Messing about in a boat -- Uptown blues -- Family ties -- Well-connected -- Public health -- Connective tissue -- Garbage disposal -- Medical supplies -- A matter of records -- The fading trail -- Falling to the bottom line -- A good wine with dinner -- Voice from the grave -- Midnight projectionist -- Mortality conference -- Retriever in mourning -- Preliminary hearing -- Last swim of the summer.

Chicago private eye V.I. Warshawski knows from the start that Consuelo Alvarado's baby is trouble. Consuelo is sixteen. Diabetic. And the daughter of a friend. When she goes into labor too early, even V.I.'s wild drive to get her to the hospital can't save either Consuelo or her child. Soon V.I. is investigating possible malpractice at the emergency room -- and falling for a doctor who works there. Mixing business and love is always bad medicine, but V.I. finds herself listening to her heart, not her head. And when a brutal murder and the violent destruction of a women's clinic put her at the center of a very dirty conspiracy, justice may be the only remedy for a hurt that cuts deep... and chills right to the bone...