A young reporter, Joe McDonough is set out to do an article on a man always seen on the beach with a metal detector and has become known to the locals as, “Metal Detector Man.” His editor makes it clear that Joe must find out the man’s real name. On the beach, Joe meets the “Metal Detector Man” and discovers the grim reason that he is there. Joe then finds himself in a difficult position to print his real name, or not.