Deena Powers' life has come apart at the seams. Her father has been killed in an auto accident and her aunt is under suspicion for a murder. Convinced that her aunt is innocent, Deena intends to prove it. And who better to ferret out the truth? After all, Deena's a private investigator. When she arrives in Four Creeks in California's San Joaquin Valley where her aunt lives, she's in for several surprises, the first being that her former high school sweetheart, Avis "Buzz" Walker, is the police lieutenant investigating the crime. Past feelings stir and sparks fly when Deena starts asking questions and sticking her nose into his investigation. Although the burglary of her office in Southern California is an unwanted distraction, Deena continues doing what she does best, and soon learns that the eccentric dead woman, Lottie Weston, was about as popular around town as a summer dust storm. When she realizes she is being followed by someone in a white pickup, she questions whether it is related to the murder or to the burglary of her office and an unfinished case left behind in Southern California. Deena is sure she knows who killed Lottie Weston, but proof is elusive and she is forced to enlist the help of Buzz Walker in order to delve into the dead woman's colorful past. The trail leads back fifty years where a secret is uncovered, one that involves her aunt. Deena's efforts put her aunt and herself in danger and when seemingly unrelated events converge, Deena is brought face-to-face with a killer.