San Fransisco, 1906. Two women hoping to change their fortunes, have their paths cross, when they are drawn into the orbit of Henry Thornton, whose collection of Chinese antiques include the legendary Phoenix Crown and whose patronage changes the women's lives. When Henry disappears, their lives are thrown into chaos. But when the crown surfaces five years later, the women are brought together in one last quest for justice.

This time Ranger, the time-traveling Golden retriever, finds himself in San Francisco in the middle of the great 1906 earthquake, and his mission is obviously to get a young Chinese immigrant, Lily Chen, to safety, but as they make their way through the ruined and burning city Ranger finds that he must also accomplish something else--finding Lily, who was sold as a servant by her parents, a new family who will care for her.