George and Grace O'Bannion are comfortably retired in Virginia's very rural Northern Neck, a rolling land laced with many creeks and small rivers. Grace is a retired Army Intelligence officer and George is a retired history professor. Author of a successful series of historical novels, George is working on a second series. Grace is involved in the local community. They become involved in murder when, late one night, alerted by their burglar alarm, they find young Cameron Trilby dripping wet at their door. Son of Virginia Senator Harry "Bing" Trilby and CEO of a small tech company, CamTanAI, specializing in Artificial Intelligence, Cameron had survived an attempted murder and hijacking of his boat. Fearing what might follow if the hijackers learn he'd survived, he swam almost two miles to the O'Bannion's dock seeking asylum and advice for he knew the O'Bannions and their reputation. The challenge is to discover who and what is involved without disclosing their effort or young Trilby's survival.