Ashes in a Coconut

Laura Harrison arrives in Jakarta with her husband Jack who is to take over as president of a troubled bank. She expects their new home to be a romantic hideaway, like something out of a classic Bogart movie. Instead she walks into a house of horrors. White sheets cover Gothic furnishings, and black garments hang in the closets. It’s as if the former occupants had fled from some danger. Despite feelings of doom and worrisome premonitions, Laura is determined to make things work. At the market she’s appalled to see a baby orangutan for sale, its mother having been killed by loggers. Her heart goes out to the poor creature and she discovers her passion—saving endangered species. She becomes a conservationist and with village seamstresses forms a co-op to make casualwear featuring batik rainforest designs. When the business lands a big order, she envisions women all over the world wearing garments bringing attention to the plight of the tropical birds and animals she has come to love. Laura attempts to grow closer to her husband, yet they become at odds over his shady business dealings. When events spin out of control, Laura finds herself alone and responsible for her own destiny.