Darker Than Amber

Travis McGee and his friend Meyer are fishing under a bridge when a bound young woman is dumped into the water. Travis dives in to pull her to safety and discovers she is Vangie. The rescue plants the seed for a dangerous connection between them.

Vangie begs Travis not to contact the police and to keep what happened quiet. He is taken aback by her plea and finds himself increasingly drawn to her, even as danger surrounds them. Their fragile trust grows as they navigate this escalating threat.

Vangie gradually opens up and admits involvement in a prostitution ring and a murder scheme. She explains that teams worked in male/female pairs on cruise ships, drugging rich men to rob them and that the male partner, Terry, dumped the victims overboard. The more Travis learns, the deeper the danger becomes.

Vangie details the gang’s method: lure men on ships, drug the drinks, and have Terry drown the victims. She says she objected to the murders, having been led to believe only robbery would occur. The revelation confirms the real threat behind the crew’s quiet smiles.

Despite their efforts to protect her, Terry tracks down Vangie and murders her. Her death galvanizes Travis and Meyer into taking down the gang. The loss personalizes the fight and sets the plan in motion.

Travis and Meyer resolve to protect any other victims and dismantle the operation. They begin gathering information, following leads, and building a counterstrike against the team. The mission shifts from rescue to active investigation and confrontation.

They locate Merrimay, a woman who bears a strong resemblance to Vangie. Merrimay is brought into the plan as a new face to lure Terry and his partner. The ruse aims to draw out the killers and expose the network.

Travis travels as a wealthy man traveling alone, serving as bait for Terry and his new partner Del. He uses the cruise setting to bait the criminals while Merrimay and Meyer position themselves for the confrontation. The risk heightens as the ship sails and the stakes grow.

Del invites Travis to her room, knowing the scheme but trying to get close. He refuses to drink the drinks, aware of the danger, and warns that Del’s life could be in jeopardy. The moment tightens the trap around him as suspicion deepens.

Terry lies in wait in an adjoining room and ambushes Travis, leaving him gravely wounded. The confrontation spills into the corridor as Terry becomes more ruthless in his pursuit. Travis fights back despite the injuries.

Terry flees the cruise ship while Meyer and Merrimay await him at the pier. A tense pursuit builds as Terry tries to escape the net closing around him. The confrontation moves from ship to shore as reinforcements close in.

Merrimay signals the pursuit as security tries to stop Terry on the gangplank. Travis arrives and delivers a decisive blow with a wooden 2x4, knocking the killer off balance. The threat is finally neutralized as the ship's tensions ease.

The story ends with Travis and Merrimay on his houseboat, The Busted Flush. Merrimay asks if he still loves Vangie and hints at a possible relationship, but Travis says he needs time to decide if he’s ready for a new love. The ending leaves his heart open to new possibilities while honoring Vangie’s memory.