Marine biologist Meredith Cavallo's life unravels after she finds a plastic-wrapped bundle floating on the waves off Key Largo. Curious, she pulls it onboard and finds herself sucked into a maelstrom involving an obscure legend, an 18th century shipwreck and a modern pirate who'll resort to murder to claim the booty first. Thrust into the hunt for a ship with no historical record, Mer plunges into the world of nautical archaeology. But for a woman accustomed to dealing with facts, deciphering secrets proves difficult--and everyone she encounters harbors their own skeletons. A sinister betrayal sends her reeling, and even with the help of a crusty former marine salvager, a fiery professor, and her friends on the island, Mer realizes she's in over her head. Determined to outwit the man who wants her dead, she's certain of only one thing--treasure is trouble.