She didn’t face him, but she didn’t flinch. She was caught in the memories. “Yes. Yes, he tried to hide his irritation, but I watched his hands. Big hands. Strong hands. Long fingers. He would clench them like he wanted to grab me and...hurt me. That’s why I asked Ryan to help me.”

Of course Elle would recall more details now, details of the events leading up to the night of the storm. Adam supposed that was good. The details would unnerve her, and fear would help her maintain vigilance. “You were already a little afraid of Penderghast.”

“A little. Not enough. Simply worried that he would call in his helicopter and I’d leave, and the treasure would remain at the bottom of the ocean, and my great-grandparents’ loss would be all for nothing.” Elle glanced at Adam, and self-derision clouded her usually clear gaze. “He was so intent on finding the treasure, I thought he’d dismiss my indiscretion with Ryan, maybe lament the time we’d wasted by not bringing him in. But when I told Penderghast, he went—”

“Mad,” Adam supplied. She’d said this before, but she needed to put it all together, one event at a time.

“Yes! He choked me and choked me. Then he loosened his grip, and I thought for a moment I was mistaken. I thought he didn’t mean to hurt me like that. But all he did was adjust his grip and...smile.”

Adam slid his arm around her and brought her close.

She leaned her head against his chest. “The Pacific may have taken the last sparks of life, but Penderghast murdered me, murdered me.” She sat up and settled back into her seat. “It’s okay, Adam. Don’t worry. I know that I hurt him badly, maybe killed him back.”

“No regrets?”

“None. I’d do it again if I could.” She was calm and cold.

Good girl. But Adam was wise enough not to say that. “Penderghast has people working for him in any capacity he might need. In the case of the captain, I suspect someone on his team laid out the situation and the possible repercussions of investigating your whereabouts. Dismissal or violence.” He scanned the horizon again. It was one thing to know Stephen Penderghast had attacked Elle with the intent of killing her. It was another to know the details, that he’d taunted her with the possibility of life, then gleefully denied it. The man had people covering up his crime and possibly his own death. As always, Adam’s own surveillance was as thorough as possible, but Elle’s story served as a reminder that no surveillance was impregnable, especially out here.

He started up the road, intent on getting them home.

“Anyway,” Elle said, squaring her shoulders, “Mom said if she didn’t hear from me within the next few hours, she was going to call the coast guard.”