They explained that his father must have copied or collected records quietly, planning to hand them over. Instead, he had disappeared at sea, likely after someone realized he knew too much. He hid the key and medallion in the clam, tethered to a particular spot near the fishing zone. The anchoring chain must’ve worn off after so many years.
It explained why Rowan had caught the clam in his net. Rowan left the station exhausted, mind humming. For years, he had imagined his father as a victim of bad luck, swallowed by a storm. Now he saw a different man—a whistleblower, trying to protect people he would never meet. The sea had guarded his work until Rowan was ready.