Faye Longchamp-Mantooth and her husband Joe just consider themselves normal archaeologists until, on a research mission to find sites soon to be wrecked by oil at the mouth of the Mississippi in Louisiana, their voodoo mambo babysitter becomes unable to work due a major injury. Babysitterless with a toddler that can potentially slow their plans of getting any work done, they hire treasure-hunting, school-loving Amande. They suddenly find themselves thrusted into her life where relatives are battling for Amande's miniscule inheritance due to her grandmother's death, including a rundown houseboat, some shares of stock, and an inhabitable island soon to be swamped by oil. Will Faye and her family be able to protect Amande from her greedy relatives, and possibly, even death?