Summary

Chapter 1 opens in July in Key West, Florida. A fisherman and his wife have reeled in a human arm with its middle finger sticking up. Andrew Yancy gets a call at his house on Big Pine Key, where a monstrous house is being built next door. Yancy goes to the medical examiner’s office where Dr. Rawlings explains about the arm. Yancy takes the arm home in a cooler with him. He goes to meet with Sonny Summers, the new sheriff, who explains to Yancy that he wants the arm and investigation turned over to the Miami police. Yancy asks whether Sonny is going to lift his suspension. Sonny tells him that it will not be lifted until after the trial and suggests Yancy speak to Bonnie about what happened.

Chapter 2 finds Yancy sitting in traffic eating a popsicle. He goes to see...