Page 369 of Hidden Depths

“That doesn’t mean he could predict the future.”

“No. But he taught all five of us to work together.”

Nathan looked at me.

“What did he teach you about Blackwater?”

“Nothing.”

“Think.”

“He wouldn’t even let us sail near it.”

“Not directly. What lessons did he repeat?”

Hundreds of memories passed through my mind.

Grandpa teaching us to tie knots.

Grandpa standing behind Calle while she repaired an engine.

Grandpa showing Ivy how to read cloud formations through a camera lens.

Grandpa teaching Willow to hear changes in a motor.

Grandpa holding Hazel above the water before teaching her to swim.

Then I remembered.

“He gave each of us a direction.”

Mom looked confused.

“A direction?”

“It was a game,” I said. “Whenever we sailed, he assigned each of us a position. I had north because I was the oldest. Calle had east. Ivy had south. Willow had west.”

“And Hazel?” Ben asked.

“Home.”

Nathan went still.

“What did he call the game?”

“Finding Blackwater.”

The temperature in the chamber seemed to drop.

Ward turned toward me.

“James used those exact words?”

“Yes. But Blackwater wasn’t a place. That was the point of the game. He’d choose a pretend destination, and we had to work together to get there.”

“What happened if one of you gave the wrong direction?”

“We started over.”