Chapter 6: The Name on the Missing Deed
Marcus walked away from the barn to hear the lawyer clearly.
"What do you mean it's registered under my father's name?""
Samuel Whitaker exhaled.
"James Reed was listed as the temporary custodian of the original partnership agreement. The document was deposited with a private records office in 1998.""
"Where is that office?""
"That's the problem. It closed years ago.""
Marcus rubbed his forehead.
"Then how did Richard find it?""
"Someone recently requested access to the archive. The request was denied because the identification didn't match the original custodian.""
"Who made the request?""
"Gregory Vale.""
Marcus looked toward Ethan.
The notary.
The man whose commission number appeared suspicious.
"Can you send me the records?""
"I can send you a copy of the public filing. But Marcus, there's something else.""
"What?""
"The document identifies James Reed as the legal owner of a controlling interest in the business.""
Marcus stopped walking.
"That doesn't make sense.""
"There's more. The partnership agreement includes a provision that transfers the interest to James's surviving heirs if he dies before the agreement is dissolved.""
Marcus stared at the ground.
"You're saying my father left me part of this business?""
"Possibly. But I haven't seen the original agreement. We need to establish whether the provision is valid and whether the property is still owned by the partnership.""
Marcus looked toward the barn.
Richard Voss had spent months trying to get rid of the motorcycle.
Gregory Vale had forged Helen's authorization.
Travis had agreed to sell everything for two hundred thousand dollars.
And somewhere beneath all of it was a business that might still belong to four families.
"Mr. Whitaker," Marcus said, "I need you here.""
"I'll leave immediately.""
The call ended.
Marcus returned to the barn.
Daniel was examining the old workbench while Ray inspected the Harley's rear frame.
Ethan sat beside Helen.
Travis stood near the open doors, looking as though he wanted to disappear.
Marcus explained what the lawyer had said.
Ray let out a low whistle.
"So the original agreement might make us business owners?""
"Not necessarily," Marcus replied.
"We need to see the document.""
Daniel rubbed his chin.
"Why would Robert put James in charge of it?""
"Maybe because he trusted him.""
Marcus glanced at the letter.
"Or because he knew Richard would come looking.""
Helen looked toward the Harley.
"Robert always said that motorcycle carried more history than most people could imagine.""
Ray nodded.
"Maybe it does.""
He crouched again near the rear frame.
"I've been looking at this metal plate. There's a compartment underneath it.""
Marcus joined him.
The plate was held by four bolts.
Ray removed them carefully.
A narrow metal cavity appeared beneath the frame.
Inside was a small folded piece of oil-stained paper.
Ethan reached for it.
"Don't pull it out yet.""
He took a photograph first.
Then he carefully removed the paper.
It was an old shipping receipt.
The date was twenty-eight years earlier.
The description read:
*ONE METAL CASE — PRIVATE DOCUMENTS.*
The destination was an address in town.
The recipient's name was:
*JAMES REED.*
Marcus stared at the paper.
"My father.""
Daniel examined the faded address.
"That's not the records office.""
"What is it?"" Marcus asked.
Helen answered before anyone else could.
"That's the old Miller's Creek service station.""
Ray looked at her.
"The one near the bridge?""
Helen nodded.
"Robert used to stop there when he rode into town. It closed after the owner died.""
Marcus took out his phone.
He searched the address.
A photograph appeared of an abandoned brick building with broken windows and weeds growing through the parking lot.
"Why would the documents be sent there?""
Helen looked toward the photograph of Robert.
"Maybe James picked them up.""
Marcus thought about the letter.
Ask Helen what happened on the night James came to the farm.
His father had visited Robert shortly before the accident.
He had left carrying a metal case.
And now they had discovered a receipt showing that the same case had once been sent to a service station near the bridge where Robert's truck had crashed.
None of it felt accidental anymore.
Ethan took out his phone.
"I'm calling Whitaker again.""
Before he could dial, a loud crash came from the farmhouse.
Everyone turned.
The kitchen window shattered.
A brick rolled across the floor.
Helen screamed.
Daniel rushed toward the house.
Marcus followed.
They entered the kitchen and found glass scattered across the tiles.
A folded piece of paper had been wrapped around the brick.
Marcus picked it up.
Three words were written in black marker.
*STOP DIGGING, MARCUS.*
Below the message was a small drawing.
A snake wrapped around a stone.
Ethan looked at the others.
"Gregory's ring.""
Ray checked the front yard.
A dark vehicle was disappearing down the road.
"Someone was watching the house.""
Helen stood near the doorway, trembling.
Travis had followed them inside.
He looked at the brick.
Then at the message.
"Richard," he whispered.
Marcus turned toward him.
"How do you know?""
Travis looked as though he might throw up.
"Because he used that symbol on every envelope he sent me.""
"What envelopes?""
Travis lowered his head.
"Payments.""
Helen stared at him.
"You've been receiving money from Richard?""
Travis nodded.
"Not just the two hundred thousand.""
Ethan's expression hardened.
"How much?""
Travis rubbed his eyes.
"Over the last year? Maybe forty thousand.""
Helen took a step backward.
"Forty thousand dollars?""
"He said it was an advance.""
"An advance for what?""
Travis looked at her.
"For getting Dad's papers.""
Marcus stepped forward.
"And did you find them?""
"No.""
"Did you know where they were?""
Travis hesitated.
Then he looked toward the barn.
"I knew Dad had hidden something in the Harley. Richard told me to search it.""
Ray's face hardened.
"You took the bike apart?""
"Only the rear section.""
"Did you find anything?""
Travis shook his head.
"Just an empty compartment.""
Marcus looked at the metal cavity.
The shipping receipt had been hidden inside it.
But it wasn't the original agreement.
Someone had already removed the metal case years earlier.
And Travis had apparently been searching the wrong place.
Marcus looked at the letter again.
The original agreement is not in the motorcycle. It is where Richard will never think to look.
"Travis," Marcus said, "did Richard ever mention Miller's Creek?""
The younger man froze.
"Why?""
"Answer me.""
Travis looked at Helen.
Then he whispered:
"Because that's where he told me Dad's truck went off the road.""
Marcus felt his pulse quicken.
"Richard told you?""
Travis nodded.
"He said he was following Dad that night. He said Dad was drunk, lost control, and crashed.""
Helen gripped the kitchen counter.
"Robert never drove drunk.""
"I know.""
"Then why didn't you tell me?""
Travis looked down.
"Because Richard said if I talked, he'd make sure I lost everything.""
Marcus stepped closer.
"Did Richard say he was in the second vehicle?""
Travis swallowed.
"Yes.""
The room went silent.
Daniel looked toward the broken window.
"Did he say what happened after the crash?""
Travis shook his head.
"No. But he said something else.""
"What?""
Travis looked at Marcus.
"He said James Reed was supposed to be in that truck too.""
Marcus felt the air leave his lungs.
"My father?""
"Richard told me your father was there that night. He said James took something from the wreck before the police arrived.""
Marcus stared at him.
His father had never mentioned the accident.
Not once.
And Robert's letter suggested that James had visited the farm shortly before it happened.
"Why would my father take something from the wreck?"" Marcus asked.
Travis looked at the floor.
"Because Richard said your father was the one who put Robert's truck off the road.""
Daniel grabbed the edge of the table.
"That's a lie.""
"Maybe," Travis replied.
"But Richard showed me a photograph.""
Marcus's voice became dangerously quiet.
"What photograph?""
Travis reached into his jacket.
He pulled out a folded image.
It was old, grainy, and clearly taken at night.
A pickup truck sat beside the guardrail at Miller's Creek Bridge.
Its driver's door was open.
A man stood beside it.
Marcus brought the photograph closer.
He recognized the jacket.
He recognized the posture.
He recognized the face.
It was his father.
But the man standing behind James was someone Marcus had never expected to see.
Someone who had supposedly died twenty years earlier.
Helen leaned over his shoulder.
Her hands flew to her mouth.
"That's impossible.""
Marcus looked at her.
"Who is that?""
Helen's voice broke.
"That's Robert's brother.""
Marcus stared at the photograph.
Robert Brooks had never mentioned having a brother.
And according to Helen, the man had been dead for two decades.
But there he was.
Standing beside James Reed on the night Robert's truck crashed.
May you like
And written on the back of the photograph were five words:
*HELEN KNOWS WHERE HE IS.*
