Withdrawn and depressed after an accident which cost her both her hearing and her marriage, archaeologist Veronica Coleridge is desperate for something to make her life worth living. When her father tells her of the mask of the Storm Mother, the very same ancient Meso-American mask that her mother died searching for, Veronica devotes herself to vindicating her mother's quest. But she can't do it alone. She needs the help of Dugan Gallagher, the owner of the kind of boating and salvage business that can reclaim archaeological wrecks, because Veronica's research indicates the mask was lost at sea on an 18th century vessel, The Alcantara. From the start, Dugan admires Veronica's strength, especially in the face of the challenges her hearing disability causes her, and he quickly becomes engrossed in both Veronica and her quest. Together, they race to recover the mask before the mysterious man who hounded her mother gets his hands on it first. When they find themselves caught in a maelstrom at sea, they learn that far more than an ancient mask is involved--and only the love and trust they have come to share can save them.