Page 23 of Hearts on the Line (The Maverick Key #1)
Maddie
I spread Nathan’s hand-drawn maps across Hannah’s kitchen table, their edges curled with wear. She sits across from me, her arms crossed. Her expression is a mix of concern and frustration.
“I can’t believe you still haven’t told anyone else about these.”
Guilt stirs in my chest. “You’re the only one I trust with this right now. I’m not ready to share it with anyone else yet.”
Hannah leans forward. “With all the things that have happened to you recently, that’s understandable. But these maps could be the key to finding out what happened to Nathan or, at the very least, what he found in the caves. You know Scott would want to see them.”
I run my finger along the winding tunnels and Nathan’s meticulous notes—unstable, at risk of flooding, unknown depth—all the dangers of the deep he dived into head-on.
“I want to tell him.” I trace circles with my fingers across the map. “I do, but I’m afraid he’ll never let me do what I’m considering.”
Hannah’s eyebrows shoot up, her stare sharpening like a blade. “What exactly are you considering?”
The words stick in my throat, heavy with meaning. I push them out.
“I’m going to learn technical diving, specifically cave diving—I’m going to follow where Nathan’s maps lead and get there first.”
The room is still. Even Ding, sitting by the door, doesn’t lift his head. Instead, he stares at me and barks once. Telling me no.
Hannah bursts into laughter. When I’m silent, her eyes become saucers. “You’re joking, right?”
I meet her stare with determination. “No, I’m very serious. If I don’t go down there myself, I’ll never understand what Nathan found or what happened to him. And I need to be the one to follow his path. I don’t trust anyone else to put Nathan’s work first.”
Hannah crosses her arms tightly. “You know cave diving is hazardous. People die doing this—extremely experienced, qualified people. Before the other day, you hadn’t dived in years, let alone in caves. Sweetie, you know this isn’t something you can just decide to do. It takes years to learn.”
“I know.” I take a breath. “But Nathan hid these maps, and the coded messages for me. He trusted me to figure this out.”
“And you can figure it out without risking your life,” she shoots back, her voice rising slightly. “Scott and his team are trained for this kind of thing. Let them handle it.”
I clench my hands into fists, the tension spilling over.
“They’re not looking for the same things I am.
Scott’s focus is on the logistics and the technical dive.
But this…” I gesture to the maps spread across the table, my voice catching.
“If I don’t go down there, I’ll never see it with my own eyes and know. ”
Hannah rubs her temples, exhaling slowly. “I love you, but this is crazy. You don’t even know where to start. You aren’t thinking straight. Nathan wouldn’t want you to risk your life like this. Curiosity is going to get you killed.”
“It’s not curiosity—” I snap, my voice cracking under the weight of my emotions. “This is my brother’s life’s work. I owe it to him to finish what he started. Don’t act like you know what Nathan would have wanted. He would have stood by me on this. He believed in me.”
Her expression softens. “All right, you’re right. But what about Scott? Do you think he’s just going to let this slide? You need his help.”
I swallow hard. “That’s why I haven’t told him. He lost his wife, Hannah, in a cave. I don’t think he’ll understand. He’ll shut me down before I even get the chance to try.”
Hannah reaches across the table, taking my hand, her voice gentler now. “He’s protective, yes. But that’s why you need to tell him. He knows the risks better than anyone, and he can help you. He won’t let you go in blind.”
“No. If I tell him, he’ll say no.”
Hannah slumps back in her chair. “You’re putting a lot of pressure on yourself and you’re not giving Scott a chance. He may surprise you… promise me you’ll think this through. This isn’t something you can just jump into.”
“I’ll think about it.” My mind is already made up, and it’s racing ahead, the fire in my chest too strong to ignore.
We continue to pore over Nathan’s maps, dissecting every line and note. I point out some sections he marked—possible artifacts and anomaly detected—explaining the most intriguing notations. Hannah listens, her skepticism giving way to a cautious interest as she watches me piece it together.
“You’re serious about this, aren’t you?”
“Nathan gave everything for this. I owe it to him to see it through.”
Her hand squeezes mine firmly. “Okay, just promise me you’ll get the help you need.”
“I promise.”