Ladonis Washington thinks that success means discarding her past in the Magnolia Housing Project and making it in the New Orleans business world. But after her mentor, Tim Ganen, dies a grisly death in the paddlewheel of the companys prize steamboat, Ladonis is caught in the churning of family relationships, her own objectives and the depths of corporate corruption. Lucky for her, her brother HeartTrouble understands the underbelly of New Orleans business. Buthe doesn't understand his sister's ambitions. Soit's up to Ladonis to meet her bosses demands and determine what happened to Tim without getting herself or HeartTrouble killed.