Maddy stared at the small group, inhaled and moved to take a seat, exhaling softly as she sank into an open chair, "Okay ... you all know the kind of ... business the Channing line enjoyed participating in," she looked around the table as each person nodded, "during the war they ... visited ... the cove and spent many months here," Maddy said, "my Grandmothers journals are filled with many occasions they ... took what wasn't theirs," Maddy shuddered, looking out a nearby window, "all the women who ... acquired their favour were Coopers."

"So they took the opportunity to pillage and rape as they wished to ... unchecked," Sage whispered, "how long did it go on for?"

"They would arrive in groups," Maddy whispered, "behaving as though the people living here were their playthings and possessions," she shook her head, "never the same group of men ..." she sighed, "... there was a space of time during the war when it was at its peak that the Cove had a respite from the Channing men appearing to "have fun" and a little time after the peak of the conflict but by then the curfews were in place and we were more controlled than ever before. My Grandmother's journals noted incidents of births resulting from those visits; each child was named, and the double barrel you hold today was enforced. Apparently, it was for two reasons: honour the original Charlotte and know which section of the population sprung from that awful time."

"That sounds like branding them," Ben whispered, "no better than the oppressors."

"My Grandmother would agree with you," Maddy said, nodding, "she wasn't happy with the mothers who basically marked their children as different, but as time continued and the visits resumed along with that amendment to the curfew, she realised she could turn it into something positive. Around that time, the war ended, that awful curfew was amended, and there was a demand for a list of who was in the Cove population. During the ... role call, she started a genealogy of the Coopers, Channings, adding the third branch you uncovered, Cooper-Channing."

"She had it made an official name," Sage whispered, "did she also have the name of the Cove struck from public record?"

Maddy nodded, "She was instrumental in doing so," she sighed, "it was her hope that should the name of this place and any physical trace of it disappear, the Channing line who knew nothing of the Cove would stop coming here. It was not just for the safety of the future generations but also of the women of the Cove."

"Maddy," Sage whispered, "was your grandmother one of the women who were visited?"

"Apparently, they did try," Maddy said, "according to her journals, but they soon stopped due to her having deceptively good aim with a shotgun."

"She killed them?" Ben asked, frowning.

"Some, yes, others ... if they were lucky, were simply wounded," Maddy said, shaking her head, "I would never have thought her capable. My Grandmother was a gentle, loving, kind person. I never thought for a moment that she would entertain any kind of violent thoughts."

Sage grinned, "She was a true Cooper to the bone," shaking her head, "I read Patrick Cooper's journals and have to say he was kind, gentle of spirit and brave, but if anyone tried to hurt the innocent, violate anyone in any way or take what is not theirs in any way he became a blood thirst violent man."

"Perhaps that is the truth of the bloodline," Maddy murmured, "My grandmother told me of a few things that happened a little after the war … how a group of Channing men arrived and attempted to share women …" Maddy swallowed hard, "… the community had experienced their full of the line's tyranny and took to arms."

"What happened?" Sage asked.

"The funding for the town was cut off completely, forcing my Grandmother to approach her family for a withdrawal from the family trust," Maddy said, "the "head" of the Cooper family came to visit, bringing much-needed assistance," Maddy said, "the utilities for the Cove were transferred into the hands of the Trust so we no longer were controlled as much as we were but other than monitoring us and making sure we were better protected from the Channings there was not much more that could be done. Stuart and Sally's Grandfather settled here as any Cooper could do and assisted with getting some of the abuse and restrictions lifted. He was the one who started gathering Charlotte's and her family's history. Taking over the preservation of what Coopers Cove was supposed to be, had been and everything that had happened to this place and its people."

Sage nodded, "Was your Grandmother buried here?"

Maddy closed her eyes and swallowed hard, "My mother and Grandmother enjoyed fishing," Maddy whispered, clearing her throat, "my father was away on … business … and …" she inhaled deeply, "… a storm blew in suddenly, they tried to make it back to the protection of the bay … they nearly did …" Maddy whispered, "… but a bolt of lightning came out from nowhere and hit the boat, I was on the beach waiting for them … I saw them both struggling against the elements trying to get to the beach … the engines went out with the first bolt and the entire craft exploded when the second hit moments later."

A few moments of silence followed before Sage moved around the table, folding Maddy tightly in her arms, "I'm so sorry … that must have been so hard to see."

Maddy nodded against her shoulder, "It was … but seeing the burnt bodies on the shore the next morning was even worse."

Sage shook her head, releasing Maddy, "How far out were they that the storm took them unawares?"

Maddy shook her head, "I don't know. I watched for them, but it was about an hour before they even made it close to the Cove."

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

Sage frowned before looking at Matthew, "An hour."

"That is the same amount of time it took to get out there and an hour to come back," Matthew said, reading Sage's line of thought, "either visiting the grave or leaving things as we found them."

Sage nodded, "So now we know about the part of why the Cove is on the map and then suddenly not there …" Avidan shifted in his stole, "… that's the fourth time you've done that."

"Apologies," Avidan said, "but there is another reason Coopers Cove was removed."

"There is?" Maddy and Sage asked in unison.

Avidan met Matthew's gaze, who nodded, "During the war, many people needed to be …" he shifted again, "… protected."

"The hunted," Sage said, "I read something about that in Patrick's journals. This land was given to Charlotte and her husband because they were hunted."

Avidan nodded, "Maddy's Grandmother thought we could take it a step further …" Avidan sighed, "… they had discovered a network of secluded islands, not too big, but each was big enough for people to live on; there were resources to sustain all kinds of life so … over the years … the hunted were …" he grimaced slightly, "… relocated to a place of safety."

"Matthew and his line helped you find safe places, unknown to the rest of the world, to hide refugees, where they could make a life for themselves without being hunted or found," Sage said quietly. Avidan and Matthew nodded, "I worked it out for myself, and then Stuart confirmed it when he took me through the tunnels and past the entry island."

"You won't tell the world, will you?" Avidan asked his words barely a whisper.

Sage shook her head, "No, but we need to get the rest of this information to the people who need it before dawn. We now know why it was permanently removed, both reasons," Sage leaned on the table, "we now need to find what is required to gain complete control over the cove and break any kind of hold the Channings may have."

"If you do that," Maddy whispered, "you'll gain complete control over Charlotte's birthright."

"As far as I can make out, that is just the cove and the islands, right?" Sage asked.

An uncomfortable silence followed the question. Sage looked around the table, and Avidan's friends shrugged or shook their heads, which left Matthew and Maddy staring at each other. Sage waited; she felt like a private conversation was happening, and should she interrupt, she would never have her answer. Glancing at Avidan, she noticed him doodling on his notepad; watching him move his pen over the page meditatively, she realised he was doodling the words "much more".

"How much more?" Sage asked.

Maddy jerked, blinking rapidly, while Matthew glanced away and sighed.

"She isn't giving up until she gets to the pure truth," Avidan said quietly.

Rolling her shoulders, Maddy cleared her throat, "Charlotte's birthright is currently in trust as she could not return to claim it, but over the years, the name or names who can claim it once there is no longer a threat to the Cove by the Channings and their line."

Sage frowned, "That just makes me ask more questions."

Matthew shook his head, "Ask, and I'll answer what I can."

"What exactly is Charlotte's birthright?" Sage asked.

"Every that was given her father on that day of reward and …" he paused, sighing, "… everything acquired thereafter... until today."

"Ah … okay," Sage said, hearing the words but not fully understanding the full importance, "does anyone know the current name listed?"

Avidan, Matthew and Maddy glanced at each other and nodded in unison.

"Great," Sage said, "where do we find the person? Are they on the island or the mainland?"

"On the Island," Matthew whispered.

"Are they easy to find?" Sage asked, feeling like she had to ring water from a stone.

"Very," Maddy said, "easiest person to find."

"Fantastic," Sage said and sighed, beginning to feel frustration rise, "who are they?"

All three silently lifted their index fingers, pointing at Sage, who stared at them blankly.

"That a joke, right?" Sage asked. The overwhelming sensation of trying to breathe underwater slammed into her, "It's not funny if it's a joke."

Avidan sighed, "Ben would have told you last night, but you reached your quota of surprising information."

"Right," Sage said, nodding and blowing out an unknown held breath, "I can see why he didn't…" she paced away from the table, coming back quickly, "How much are the additional acquired… things."

"The ancestral home, which one of the family members is living in currently and keeping the place up," Matthew said, marking it off on his fingers, "then there is the various businesses and employees which go with those businesses, the fleet of ships and land transportation companies and the vast fortune that goes with all that."

Sage stared blankly at him, "Why didn't Rosemary tell me?"

Maddy and Matthew shrugged in unison before Matthew said, "You'd have to ask Rosemary, but I know one thing she would say if she were here."

"What is that?" Sage asked, running, shaking hands through her hair.

"You're losing focus on your goal," Matthew said, "time is of the essence, and you need to shuffle your toosh into gear."

Sage stared at him momentarily before a grin broke out, and she chuckled, "Oh, she would say it word for word."

"Then let's shuffle our tooshes into gear and find out how to put all of this into play," Avidan said, grinning and rubbing his hands together.

"Anyone have any ideas?" Sage asked.

Ben stood leaning on the table, "Yes, we need to start with what we have."

"What do we have?" Sage asked.

"All the information of what happened, where and why," Maddy said.

"A key," Matthew said, pointing at the open leather cloth with the key lying on it.

"Don't forget the signet ring," Maddy said, picking it up and looking at it from every angle, "I wonder what this does?"

"I wonder what they all do," Avidan said.

"Then let's find out," Sage said, glancing at her watch, "and quickly."