Page 156 of Hidden Depths

Nathan nodded once.

"We always believed there were three men who walked away."

Rose squeezed Frank's hand tighter.

"And there were?"

Nathan's expression darkened.

"No."

"There were four."

Silence settled over the bridge.

Even the steady hum of the engines seemed distant.

I felt my heartbeat quicken.

"The fourth man..."

Nathan looked directly at me.

"...betrayed us."

Scott's voice was low.

"He sold whatever James was protecting."

Nathan nodded.

"We think so."

"We never proved it."

"By the time we realized what had happened..."

"...he'd vanished."

Ben frowned.

"Dead?"

Nathan looked at him.

"I wish."

Willow whispered,

"So Grandpa spent twenty years hunting one man."

Nathan slowly shook his head.

"No."

"He spent twenty years hoping he wouldn't have to."

I stared at the cracked compass lying on the chart table.