Carl, a fisherman in the waters off Washington state, has been found dead, drowned in own nets, but with a serious head wound. Was he murdered? Post-war anti-Japanese sentiments are still running high, and the local Japanese community provides a murder suspect in the form of Kabuo, another fisherman, who had a grudge against Carl's family. Ishmael, the small town's newspaperman, may have the information that would acquit Kabuo, but can he ever put his jilted love for Hatsue (Kabuo's wife) aside?