"Your country needs you, Hawkin." When the voice of authority calls, Tony Hawkin assumes there is a glitch. After all, why would the nation possibly require the services of a man who runs the gift shop in the FBI Building? But there's no mistake, and soon Tony finds himself in the middle of Mexico, pursued by a ruthless killer, and hot on the trail of a priceless work of art. He has to find the painting, determine its authenticity, and return it safely to Washington. There's only one problem: everybody wants this particular painting. Now Tony must summon all his wits and courage to outsmart the forces of international espionage - tracking down the painting was easy, escaping the clutches of the KGB, the Mafia and the Mossad is more than he bargained for. And then there's the man, the one with a predeliction for guns and sharp knives. Suddenly all Tony can think of is the warm comfort of his shop in D.C., and the sound of small voices: "Hey, mister, how much for the chocolate handcuffs?" Will he ever see those little faces again...

"Hawkins, there's two million in there...". Tony Hawkins wasn't really made for the FBI. He rarely hit what he aimed at, forgot his own code name, and had a tendency to panic at the slightest hint of trouble. Now he's gotten himself handcuffed to an attache case with two million dollars inside, and stuffed aboard a hijacked DC-10, bound for Scotland. where he's being chased through the countryside by the hijackers, Scots patriots, a crazy Cuban colonel and half the police force. All of them want only two the money and Tony's head in a noose. (excerpt from back cover).