The year is 1857. The people in the coastal town of Valda Bay are facing ruin due in part to the greed of Mr. Nash, the wealthiest man in town. When he is discovered brutally murdered, Chief Johnson, the local magistrate delves into the investigation. Everyone is suspect and some fear discovery of dark secrets better left alone. One person, Erik Johansson, the town lighthouse keeper, has nothing to hide; at least not out in the open. For years rumors of a lost fortune with a history of disparate owners have surrounded his family. There is much to gain by its discovery and some will do anything to possess it