"Stay away from the south jetty." Growing up near Heron Bay after the war, Billy and his girlfriend Squirrel had heard that warning often enough. But the murder that supposedly happened there was ancient history to them, and the isolated beach was a perfect spot for teenagers who wanted to spend time away from their parents.

Fifty years later, Billy revisits the beach and finds a clue to what really happened there in 1945. Together, he and his wife Squirrel unravel the mystery and learn there was a lot more to that story than they were told.

Drama from the end of WWII mixed with a love story, violence against Native Americans, growing up "Indian" and just growing up in rural America. The likable, decent, and interesting characters deal with mystery, love troubles, farming, and farming education all the while working on elucidating a tragic and covered-up incident out on the south jetty of Heron Bay.

The team of amateur detectives works together to piece together the puzzle of a reclusive woman whose mansion stands in the center of town. Along the way, they participate in the resurgence of Native knowledge, Native practices, and the history of Native tribes in the Northern California coastal lands.