After fighting in the Korean War, Elmore Caudill works on a seismograph rig off the coast of Louisiana. Elmore is haunted by an atrocity he witnessed when his company sent him to drill in the Latin American jungle. After the local Indians attacked the drillers with arrows, a geologist named Hamp Rieber and a mysterious second man dropped satchel charges from a plane, decimating the Indians' village. When Elmore walked through the wreckage, he rescued a lone toddler who survived the blast, but the little boy died during the long walk to a makeshift hospital. Back in Louisiana, Elmore struggles with the lingering trauma of this memory, and he can't stand to be around Hamp.

Elmore meets an alluring married woman named Lorene Walters on his day off. Despite warnings from Elmore's friend Lizard that Lorene's husband is a dangerous man, Elmore is drawn to her. One day, they run into each other again in a club, where Elmore learns that Lorene's husband abuses her. He notices a revolver in her purse and warns her that she could get in trouble for carrying it. Lorene goes back to Elmore's motel room, where they have sex.

Lizard reveals that Lorene's husband, Charles, is Hamp's friend who helped destroy the Indian village in Latin America. Lizard warns Elmore that Charles is looking for both of them. Elmore and Lorene go on the run, and Lorene reveals that Charles' whole family works as cops and prison guards. Afraid of the consequences of getting caught, Lorene decides to stay with her sister. At the same time, Elmore asks to remain with Lizard, who is nervous that Lorene is playing Elmore.

One day, two policemen randomly stop Lizard and Elmore. They destroy Lizard's car and arrest him. Elmore returns to the motel, where Lorene finds him after she's been beaten by her husband again. Elmore gives her some money and directs her to find safety in California. She gives him Charles' gun and warns him that Hamp is coming after him. Elmore drives to Hamp's house, intent on killing him. But once he arrives, Elmore faces his own guilt over never going to the police about Hamp's crimes in Latin America. Elmore angrily confronts Hamp and Charles but does not shoot them. Instead, he sends a package to the FBI with Charles' gun and a note explaining the crimes of Hamp and Charles.

In the aftermath, Elmore loses his job, and Lizard exits jail. Lorene leaves Charles and asks Elmore to marry her. Elmore meets with an FBI agent to explain what happened in Latin America. Still, the story never goes public because the news is dominated by the devastating Hurricane Audrey, which killed hundreds of people.