An antique steam tractor pull removes a stump at the Whistling River Resort and Golf Course, revealing a skeleton in the root ball of a man who has been both shot and hung. Glenna McClain, general manager and part owner of the resort fears the assortment of police, FBI, ATF, and potential suspects descending on the golf course will prevent her one and only chance to have the course reconfigured by a top designer from Scotland. She needs to find the killer before she loses the land to a Japanese developer.
Violent protestors from the Viet Nam War era and IRA agents all seem involved and return to Whistling River. Every one of them has a different agenda, and a motive.
Fortunately, Glenna's security Chief, Craig Knudsen, a former police detective, has a hobby of investigating conspiracies and unsolved crimes. Craig and Glenna grow closer as they uncover clues to the truth of old conspiracies and new crimes caused by gun-running forty years ago.
Miles Sinnot, an ATF agent with a huge stake in the outcome of the investigation, and a growing attraction with Glenna, takes over the investigation when local authorities fail.
But can any man compete with the lodge for Glenna's love?