In a Marseilles prison cell, Jason Ricardo’s prospects are shrinking fast. The French authorities take a dim view of smuggling, and an extended stay seems unavoidable—until his brother Hugh, upstanding head of the family shipping firm, turns up to bail him out. However, Hugh’s gesture is not entirely selfless. Their widowed mother, May, has fallen under the spell of Hungarian entrepreneur Charlie Seker, who’s siphoning off Jason and Hugh’s inheritance at an alarming rate. Hugh wants Jason to find out if there’s more to Seker than meets the eye. As Jason infiltrates Seker’s business dealings, he uncovers a horrifying world of depravity and corruption, and soon he’s wondering just what kind of bargain he’s made with his brother—and whether he might not be safer behind bars. Especially when Hugh’s alluring wife, Rosie, gets involved.