For Ricky Hackworth, a summer job to save money before he leaves for college is a necessity. When he lands a job as a lifeguard at the Mermaid Inn in Latona, Alabama, on the beautiful Gulf Coast, it's like a dream come true. But once he moves into the Inn, he starts hearing stories about the lifeguard from the previous summer...and how he vanished without a trace right in the middle of the summer. Before long, Ricky realizes the Inn and the town are hiding some dark secrets...secrets someone is willing to kill to protect, and Ricky has to find out the truth before he, too, vanishes without a trace.