Page 50 of Hidden Tide
“You get a line between your eyebrows.”
“I do not.”
His mouth almost curves into a smile. “You do.”
I lift a hand to my forehead before I can stop myself.
Ben’s smile appears fully this time.
Despite everything, a laugh slips out of me.
Storm stares at us. “Did Calle just laugh?”
“Apparently,” Ward says.
“In an evidence room?” Nathan asks.
Ben doesn’t take his eyes off me. “I’m talented.”
The warmth that moves through my chest doesn’t belong in a room filled with proof that someone wants to hurt my family.
Maybe that’s why I hold on to it.
Fear has taken enough from us.
I won’t let it take every good moment too.
The evidence-room door opens, and the officer who left earlier steps inside.
“Commander, Thomas Whitaker boathouse is secure. Deputies said nothing looked like it had been removed recently.”
Mom presses a hand over her heart.
“Was anyone else there?” Keating asks.
“No, sir, but the rear door showed signs of forced entry.”
The brief relief disappears.
“When?” Ben asks.
“They can’t tell yet. Nothing obvious was taken. We talked to Mr. Whitaker, who says he locked the door last night.”
“When he wakes up, make sure he stays here,” Keating orders. “Do not let him leave.”
The officer nods and leaves.
“What if they were searching for something?” I ask.
Keating looks at the words on the photograph.
“Then we need to know what Thomas has that they want.”
Mom releases my hand and walks closer to the table. “Thomas kept some of Dad’s things after he died. Old navigation charts. Harbor records. Photographs. Dad trusted him.”
“Could he have something connected to Blackwater?” Ben asks.
“I don’t know. Let’s let him sleep for now.”
