Page 64 of Hidden Tide

“The card,” I reply. “Her clue may be inside the birthday card.”

“I’m still trying to remember where my gift is,” Ivy says.

“What did Grandpa give you?” I ask.

“A brass telescope.”

Thomas closes his eyes.

“What?” Mom demands.

“James showed it to me before he gave it to her.”

“Did it work?” Keating asks.

“For a while,” Ivy says. “Then one of the lenses came loose. I packed it away.”

“Where?”

A heavy silence follows.

“I thought it was in my closet at the beach house,” she says.

Keating turns to the officer. “Tell the deputies no one searches for it until the evidence team arrives. Have them secure the entire room.”

“Ivy, are you sure it’s there?” Storm asks.

“I haven’t seen it in years.”

A knock sounds at the door.

Two Coast Guard evidence technicians enter carrying a waterproof case between them. A third follows with a sealed plastic container holding a stack of birthday cards and photographs.

“The items from Sea Whisper,” one of them says.

Keating clears the center of the table.

They set down the case, then photograph the seals before opening it.

Inside are the navigation log, two envelopes, the maritime survey, an old photograph and the small velvet pouch.

The technician removes each item with gloved hands.

When she opens the pouch, a curved piece of blue glass slides into her palm.

It’s more beautiful than I expected.

Thin ridges run across one side, catching the overhead light and bending it into narrow blue lines across the table.

Ben leans closer without touching it.

“The edge is smooth.”

“It was removed carefully,” Thomas says. “James would never have damaged the lens.”

Keating points to the sealed container. “Find Ivy Sinclair’s card.”

The second technician goes through the stack.