While leisurely navigating his skiff through the tranquil, copper-hued waters of Southwest Florida in search of sea anemones, marine biologist and former secret operative Doc Ford stumbles upon the body of Marvin Rios, the most reviled man on Sanibel Island. When the island's most gentle and innocent resident is unjustly charged with the crime, Doc plunges into the shadowy depths of Sanibel's criminal underworld. His mission is to clear his friend's name and defend the island from a wave of land-grabbing schemes, corruption, and escalating violence.