Dipping your pen in the office ink can spell - MURDER. The Ballinger Law Firm had one longstanding rule: no one could dip their pens in the office ink. The rule was never a problem until Gemma Marshall walked into a job interview. From the instant she entered, both Ballinger brothers were interested in much more than her legal aptitude. When Gemma walked in for her interview Mark Ballinger had just hired his associate, a candidate Jed would have hired as well. The brothers' parents, the Senior Partners in the family firm, promised that in exchange, Jed could pick his associate from any of the remaining candidates. And Jed chose Gemma. The conflict between the brothers for the girl both wanted - and neither could have, thanks to that rule - would be trouble aplenty, even without Jed's reputation and the Esquire Club complications.

Jed was the Club's official damsel delighter, and he had the notches on his gavel to prove it. Jed's obsession with Gemma began to eclipse his legendary notch gathering, much to the dismay of his family and his Esquire Club brothers. And Gemma is much more than a notch - she might even be a motive for murder. Mark's corpse is found on his office floor after a night when he'd fought with Jed, who is discovered next door passed out on his office sofa. Did Jed kill his brother to win the tender battle he never intended to fight?.