Fifteen years ago, a teenage girl found an ancient gold medallion on a small island off the Florida coast. Soon she was having nightmares and later was found hanging from a tree. Although the death was ruled a suicide, the girls's mother, Della, is now sure there was foul play. Her trailer has been vandalized, and her daughter's coffin raided. When Della comes to Doc Ford for help, the mysterious gold medallion plunges the Florida marine biologist into a perilous search for answers