The time is 2018 and the South is out of fresh water. In a bold move of desperation, Madame President orders the diversion of Lake Michigan water to the thirsty southern states. Only one person stands between the president's plan and its execution. Sixty year-old Winnie Anne Holmstead owns an acre of prime beach on Lake Michigan, just north of Muskegon and she will do almost anything to preserve the lake for future generations. She uses her knowledge of science and human nature to try to sabotage the Chicago-based diversion. In 2039, Winnie, at age 80, dictates a letter to her four grandchildren. She is a wanted felon for sabotaging a federal facility and she wants to set the record straight. Eleven years later, her grandson, Jackson Holmstead, sets out to prove to his satisfaction the truth of her narrative. The investigation leads him to some memorable Michigan characters and in the process of investigating his Gram Winnie, he discovers a great deal about himself.