SYNOPSIS:

Ocean City is governed by fear, hypocrisy, and politics led by their Director of Public Safety. When a motorcycle gang threatens the town’s security, their fears escalate. Police officer, BB Hanley, and her partner, Jack Warner, are beginning a love relationship. Jack tries to help BB recover from the death of her father. She blames the city’s Director for killing him and is determined to seek revenge by proving his guilt. Melissa Clark and Betsy Sharpe vacationed in Ocean City for Memorial Day weekend. After meeting some males and drinking beer, they stop at a diner for a quick meal before getting on the Parkway to return home. Twenty minutes later they were dead. BB and Jack want to find the killer. They are told it’s not their case. The Parkway is not their jurisdiction. BB disregards the warning. Ocean City mayor, Fred Gillis, and his assistant, Duke Helms, worry about their director, John Stecher. They know murders have occurred under his leadership…BB’s father and Larry Anglestand (THE FUDGE KING, first part of the trilogy.) They also know BB has the potential to expose their involvement. They fear Stecher may want her killed in order to preserve the city’s peace.

BB follows the trail the girls took before their death, interviewing those who had met them. She discovers they had stopped at a bar on the Somers Point strip, before eating at the diner. BB goes to the bar and confronts two men who were seen talking to the girls. She finds their behavior suspicious and baits one of them, faking her willingness to follow him to his home. BB incites the killer when she questions him. As he tackles BB, Jack appears after following her trap. The killer is arrested. But is he the right one? The state trooper responsible for checking abandoned cars on the Parkway, drove past Betsy’s car three times that morning without stopping. Why?

Duke also seeks revenge against John Stecher. He was in love with Larry Anglestand and now his life is lost. When the director finds out that the motorcycle gang is returning to Ocean City, he arms everyone, positioning them on the roof of a bar, on a road leading into the city. The mayor’s assistant uses this opportunity to shoot the director instead of a motorcyclist. Duke claimed his life was over and so should the director’s. BB returns to her parents’ grave to re-state her love and belief that they are keeping an eye on her.

The Parkway leads home for some.