Famed author Brian Mallory gives three people free tickets to a Caribbean cruise. He then presents each of them--and Gopher--with gold coins. He explains that they are among the last people to have spent time with his nephew; and offers them $100,000 if they can track down the young man, who is believed to be on one of the islands the ship will be visiting. One of the passengers taking part in the quest is about to donate a kidney to his brother. A young woman follows him around and seems to take a special interest in everything he does. Mallory's wife finally grows tired of his aloof and cruel behavior toward her. She leaves him, and seeks comfort with Doc. An old friend asks Capt. Stubing to leave the ship to help him run his business. A jealous woman accuses Julie of trying to steal her fiancé, a man who was a casual acquaintance of Julie's in college.

As the search for Mallory's nephew continues, a mysterious man begins following Gopher, Marvin, Peter and Marcia and trying to thwart their efforts. Peter grows suspicious, and forces Mallory to come clean about his real reasons for wanting to track down his nephew. A suddenly repentant Mallory tries to make amends with his wife. Peter and his brother's fiancée grow attracted to each other. Capt. Stubing considers taking the job offer so that he can set aside more money for Vicki's college education. Julie's college friend and his crazy girlfriend continue to make her life difficult.