Page 245 of Hidden Depths

"We didn't find the captain Charles Ashford."

The room went silent.

"He vanished before we boarded."

Thomas closed his eyes.

"I was afraid of that."

The lieutenant continued.

"There's something else."

He looked directly at Storm.

"We found a message in the captain's cabin."

My pulse quickened.

"A message?"

The lieutenant nodded once.

"It was addressed..."

"...to the Sinclair sisters."

46

STORM

"The most dangerous men aren't always the loudest. They're the ones who make everyone else

whisper."

— James Sinclair

No one moved.

The Coast Guard lieutenant held a clear evidence bag in his hand.

Inside was a single cream-colored envelope.

My heart pounded.

"It's addressed to us?"

The lieutenant nodded.

"It was sitting in the middle of the captain's desk."

He handed it to Ward.

"There wasn't another piece of paper in the room."

Ward studied the elegant handwriting on the front.

In dark blue ink, it simply read: