Darkness clouds the weekend of Mother's Day 1930 in Fullerton, and it has little to do with the unseasonable hail storm and lightning bolts striking the neon sign on the local theater. In this rapidly growing Southern California town, better known for its oranges and oil fields, residents are vanishing, and it's up to Ruby Ray to discover why. As an inquiry agent, she usually conducts her investigations without police involvement. After all, her typical cases involve helping women escape abusive husbands, especially when law enforcement has turned a blind eye. Her current probe appears to be a straightforward matter of theft where the victims want to keep the situation quiet. However, when her cousin (a high school honor student) goes missing along with other teenagers, Ruby finds herself longing for the assistance of the local police, the very ones who refuse to take the situation seriously. Will feelings of powerlessness compel her to accept help from family and friends despite her inclination to go it alone? And amidst the chaos, can a budding relationship with a dashing young doctor open her heart to the possibility of love once again?
While the clock on the newly built auditorium ticks on, the clues catapult her into a quagmire of shady schemes and violence that extends from the historic center of this bustling town to the vast orchards nearby. Can Ruby solve the mystery of the disappearances and find the victims before it's too late?