Page 136 of Hidden Depths

No explosives.

Only three things.

A brass compass.

Its glass cracked.

Its needle frozen.

A faded newspaper clipping.

And one folded sheet of waterproof paper.

Storm opened the note.

Only one sentence had been written.

In careful block letters.

YOUR GRANDFATHER SHOULD HAVE STOPPED LOOKING.

The world seemed to go silent.

Hazel covered her mouth.

Willow's eyes filled with tears.

Ivy stared at the cracked compass.

Calle whispered,

"Oh... my God."

Storm couldn't look away from the words.

Someone hadn't just threatened her.

They'd confessed.

Almost a mile away...

Nathan lowered his binoculars.

His face turned pale.

"They've made contact."

The younger man beside him looked toward Sea Whisper.

"What now?"

Nathan's jaw tightened.

"Now..."

He reached for the radio.

"...we stop reacting."