Page 223 of Hidden Tide

“I thought it was Sea Whisper,” Willow says.

“So did I,” Ivy replies.

Thomas shakes his head. “Sea Whisper has a narrower stern. James painted the model after Daniel bought the yacht so the girls would think it was theirs.”

Grandpa disguised the Mariner’s Crown as a family memory.

The same way he disguised Dad’s evidence as gifts.

“Are the plans inside it?” I ask.

“The hull separates along the waterline. James stored the original drawings inside.”

Marquez calls the federal team guarding the beach house.

No one answers.

A familiar fear moves through me.

“Try again,” I say.

She does.

Static fills the radio.

Simon’s operation stretched from the San Francisco waterfront to the Blackwater investigation. He knew where we lived. He knew about our gifts.

He knew the model was at the beach house.

“Contact local police,” Marquez orders. “Send units to the Sinclair property.”

“No lights or sirens,” Ben says. “If Simon has people there, don’t warn them.”

Marquez relays the instruction.

The thirty-minute deadline continues counting down.

Twenty-two minutes remain.

I look toward the evidence case.

“We don’t have time to wait for the model.”

“What are you thinking?” Ben asks.

“I give Simon the compass.”

“No.”

“You said he won’t kill Naomi if he still needs something from us.”

“He won’t release her after he gets it.”

“I know.”

“Then you aren’t giving it to him.”

“I didn’t say I would give him the real compass.”