Page 81 of Hidden Depths

Written years ago.

"If the sea suddenly grows quiet...listen even harder."

Storm stared at the words.

Then slowly looked out into the darkness.

Behind her...

Grandpa's brass bell swayed gently.

It hadn't rung.

There wasn't enough wind.

But it moved.

Just enough to catch her eye.

She smiled.

"Okay, Grandpa."

She closed the logbook.

"I hear you."

15

STORM

Grandpa believed every voyage had a turning point.

Not the storm.

Not the emergency.

The moment before.

The instant when everything still looked normal...

But wasn't.

I had a feeling we'd just found ours.

The morning began like every other.

Willow's cinnamon rolls filled the yacht with their warm, sweet scent.

Scott declared he'd smelled them from three decks away.

Hazel insisted that wasn't physically possible.

Scott claimed his stomach had special abilities.

Even Frank laughed.

For a few precious minutes...