Leyla James, a Washington, D.C. lawyer who quietly practices regulatory law in Washington, D.C., has had two near-death experiences in as many years at the hands of a shadowy character and his cohorts. Weary from these encounters, and feeling adrift in her relationship with her lover, she takes a sabbatical and heads to an island off the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico to assess her life and the direction it has taken. Settling in, she warily agrees to help her grieving friend, a hotel employee whose son was kidnapped and killed. Because no action has been taken by the local police to solve the murder and, out of pity, Leyla starts her own investigation. Another guest, a handsome undercover police detective, is her reluctant sounding board. With every step toward discovering the killer's identity, the risks become more dangerous.