Page 368 of Hidden Depths
“Don’t touch it.”
“I wasn’t planning to.”
“You jumped into a flooded cavern ten minutes ago.”
Nathan looked toward Mom.
“That was different.”
Ward’s mouth tightened.
“Everyone who falls in love with a Sinclair woman apparently loses the ability to recognize danger.”
Silence dropped over the chamber.
Ward froze.
I looked at him.
Ben suddenly became fascinated by the old control panels.
Mom’s eyebrows lifted.
Nathan almost smiled.
Ward cleared his throat.
“That isn’t what I meant.”
“It sounded like what you meant,” Mom said.
“It was a general observation.”
“Based on what evidence?” I asked.
“Can we concentrate on the five metal plates?”
I decided to let him escape.
For now.
Ben examined the control panel.
“These aren’t locks.”
“What are they?” Mom asked.
“Electrical contacts. All five have to be engaged simultaneously.”
“Five people,” I said.
“Possibly.”
Ward shone his light over the plates.
“James couldn’t have designed these specifically for his granddaughters. He had no way of knowing all five would survive him—or that they’d be together when the gate needed to open.”
“He knew us,” I said.
