Dire Means

Can terror breed love? What if a ruthless vigilante ended homelessness in one of America's most affluent, coveted beach-side cities in a matter of days? In Dire Means this phenomenon occurs in an unforgettable way. The ambitious mission isn't accomplished by any persuasive appeal to public benevolence or by relocating the homeless. The ingenious method aims carefully-targeted fear at the public's apathy toward the impoverished. The bodies of people from all walks of life begin to show up in random places, one per day. Each victim has suffered a common, horrific fate that makes the vigilante's demands clear. Citizens quickly learn that engaging in flagrant, public displays of kindness is the only way to feel safe outside their homes. 

Mark Denny, a computer technician who does the right thing at the wrong time, is lured and then trapped in the vigilante's scheme to maintain the public's fear-fueled generosity. Matching technological wits is the only way Mark can end the city's terror and save his own life.