Young doctor Gina Panzella has known her boss， plastic surgeon Dr. Duncan Lathram， almost her entire life， and respects him deeply. Charming and brilliant， Duncan has invented a dissolving implant that allows incisions to heal without scarring. Duncan s artistry in the operation room is the salvationof Washington s biggest power players whenever they need touch-ups for C-Span. But there are a few things about Duncan that Gina can t quite figure out. Why did he trade vascular surgery for the more profitable but less vital plastic surgery， and why won t he accept his patients medical insurance? What caused his daughter s death and the breakup of his marriage? Why do his tirades agains the new congressional medical ethics committee have such a bitter personal sting? And what is his connection to two committee members who died in accidents not long after Duncan operated on them?Soon Gina s curiosity about Duncanis replaced by suspicion and fear. With the help of Gerry Canney， a high school classmate now working for the FBI， Gina determines to find out what ruined Duncan s personal life and aroused his wrath against the congressmen. She find a man much more complex and mysterious than the sharp-tongued but kindhearted physician she though she knew. Then two more congressmen fall ill after Duncan s surgery. And Gina discovers another kind of implant in Duncan s arsenal. . . .