The Last Pirate — Cynthia Sterling

Alida Richardson knows she's destined for bigger things than life in the port city of Indianola, Texas. When the ghost of pirate Philippe Severin promises buried treasure to help finance Alida's dreams, she sets out to seduce sea captain Jack Sabine and help Philippe exact revenge on an old enemy. But Captain Jack, grandson of a pirate himself, has his own plans for the treasure. As a killer hurricane bears down on the town, Jack and Alida race to recover the buried loot, but their fight for the gold becomes a fight for their lives. When the storm clouds clear, they realize they've uncovered a greater reward than they'd bargained for.