River of Dreams — Sharon K. Garner

Gabrielle O'Hara, a bush pilot in Brazil, enlists a childhood friend, Nicolao Hamilton, to help her return a conquistador's gold sunburst medallion their fathers had stolen from a shrine in a rain forest. Gabby believes that act put a curse upon their lives. When Nic balks, saying the trip would be suicide, Gabby shanghais Nic.