Chapter 2: The Brother Who Knew Too Much
The silence inside Bell's Harley-Davidson lasted only a few seconds.
Then Richard clapped his hands.
"Brent, close the showroom.""
Brent looked confused.
"Sir?""
"Now.""
The young couple moved toward the entrance. The other customers quietly followed.
Duke stepped in front of the door.
"Nobody needs to leave because somebody's uncomfortable with a question.""
Richard glared at him.
"You're trespassing.""
"Then call the police," Duke replied.
Richard hesitated.
That hesitation told Wade more than any explanation could.
Martha sat on a nearby leather bench. Her knees had begun to shake.
Wade crouched beside her.
"Take a breath, Martha.""
"I thought I'd never see that motorcycle again.""
"I know.""
"Do you think Frank is alive?""
Wade didn't answer immediately.
Thirty years was a long time.
People vanished. Accidents happened. Graves went unmarked.
But Frank Bell had been the kind of man who made plans for everything.
He never disappeared without leaving something behind.
At least, that's what Wade had believed.
"I don't know," he finally admitted.
"But I'm going to find out what happened.""
Martha looked down at the photograph.
"Richard told everyone Frank abandoned us. He told our daughter her father didn't want to come home.""
Wade's expression tightened.
"You have a daughter?""
"Her name is Emily. She's forty-eight now. She hasn't spoken to Richard in years.""
"Why?""
Martha looked toward the office.
"Because Richard told her something terrible when she was eighteen.""
Wade waited.
"He said her father had been stealing money from the family business. He said Frank ran away because he was about to be arrested.""
Duke shook his head.
"That's a hell of a story.""
"It was worse than a story," Martha whispered.
"Richard gave the police documents. Bank statements. Letters supposedly written by Frank. They searched for him, but eventually everyone believed he had left voluntarily.""
Wade stared at her.
"Frank would never steal from anybody.""
"I know.""
She opened the envelope and removed another folded document.
"This is why I came today.""
Wade unfolded it.
It was an old letter addressed to Martha.
The paper was creased, and the ink had faded in places.
My darling Martha,
If you ever see my motorcycle again, don't assume it means I'm coming home. It means someone has finally decided to move what they buried.
Look beneath the seat. There's something Richard never found.
Wade read it twice.
His face grew pale.
"When did you get this?""
"Last week.""
"From where?""
Martha pointed to the envelope.
"It was inside a box of Frank's old tools. The box had been sitting in our garage since the year he disappeared. I was cleaning it out when I found a false bottom.""
Wade looked at the motorcycle.
"Have you checked beneath the seat?""
"No. I wanted to make sure it was really Frank's before touching anything.""
Duke approached.
"Then let's take a look.""
Richard immediately stepped forward.
"Absolutely not.""
Wade turned.
"Why?""
"Because that's dealership property.""
"The motorcycle belonged to Frank.""
"And you have no proof of that.""
Martha raised the registration.
"How much more proof do you need?""
Richard snatched a folder from the counter.
"I have the purchase agreement, the auction documents, and the title. This dealership acquired the motorcycle legally.""
"Then you won't mind showing us," Wade said.
Richard clutched the folder.
"Get out.""
Before Wade could respond, a door slammed somewhere behind the showroom.
A heavyset man in a black jacket entered through the service bay.
He was in his late fifties, with a scar running along his chin.
Richard approached him immediately.
"You're late.""
The man looked at Martha.
Then Wade.
His eyes narrowed.
"What's happening?""
Richard spoke quietly, but the showroom was silent enough for everyone to hear.
"They found the bike.""
The man's expression changed.
He looked directly at the Harley.
Then he looked at the registration in Martha's hand.
"Where did she get that?""
Martha recognized his voice.
She had heard it once before.
Thirty years earlier.
On a rainy night when two men had stood outside her kitchen window.
One was Richard.
The other was this man.
She remembered Frank telling her to lock the doors and stay inside.
She remembered the sound of an engine.
And she remembered Frank kissing her forehead before walking out into the rain.
Martha stood.
"You're Thomas.""
The man stiffened.
"Do I know you?""
"You came to my house the night Frank disappeared.""
Thomas glanced at Richard.
"She's confused.""
"No," Martha said.
"I remember your face.""
Wade moved closer.
"Who are you?""
"Thomas Reed. I handle acquisitions for the dealership.""
"How long have you known Richard?""
"Twenty years.""
Wade shook his head.
"That isn't what I asked.""
Thomas ignored him.
Richard handed him the folder.
"Take care of this.""
Thomas opened it.
His fingers trembled slightly.
Wade noticed.
So did Duke.
"Interesting," Duke muttered.
"You look more nervous than the people accusing you.""
Thomas snapped the folder shut.
"These people are making baseless allegations. We should call the police.""
Martha looked at him.
"Why did you come to my house that night?""
Thomas didn't answer.
"Why did you tell my husband to get into your truck?""
Richard suddenly shouted.
"Enough!""
The sound echoed across the showroom.
He turned toward Martha.
"You've spent thirty years blaming everybody except the man who actually left you.""
Martha stared at him.
"Frank didn't leave.""
"How would you know?""
"Because he promised he'd come home.""
Richard laughed bitterly.
"Promises don't mean anything.""
Wade stepped forward.
"You're going to tell us what happened.""
Richard pointed at him.
"Stay out of my family.""
"Frank was my brother on the road. That makes this my family too.""
For a moment, Richard looked genuinely frightened.
Then he recovered.
"Fine. You want the truth? Frank was involved in something dangerous.
He stole money from people who don't forgive mistakes. He disappeared because he knew what would happen if he stayed.""
Martha shook her head.
"You're lying.""
Richard walked toward the office.
"Believe whatever you want.""
Wade watched him.
"Then explain the motorcycle.""
Richard stopped.
"Frank left it with me.""
"Why?""
"Because he knew he wouldn't be coming back.""
Martha's lips parted.
"That's not true.""
Richard turned.
"You don't know what he told me.""
Wade studied his face.
Then he remembered something.
Years earlier, Frank had told him about a hidden compartment on the Panhead.
It wasn't a factory feature.
Frank had built it himself.
A small metal cavity beneath the seat, protected by a custom locking mechanism.
Only three people knew about it.
Frank.
Wade.
And Richard.
Wade walked toward the motorcycle.
"Move.""
Richard stepped in front of him.
"No.""
Wade looked at Thomas.
"Hold him.""
Thomas backed away.
Duke took one step forward, but Wade raised his hand.
"Nobody touches anybody.""
He turned toward Martha.
"Do you have the key?""
She opened her envelope and removed a small brass key.
"I found it with the letter.""
Wade took it carefully.
His fingers shook as he examined the key.
It had a tiny engraving on the head.
A letter F.
Frank's initials.
Wade crouched beside the motorcycle.
He inserted the key into a small opening beneath the seat.
Click.
The lock released.
He lifted the leather seat.
Inside was a narrow metal compartment.
There was a black waterproof pouch.
And beneath it, wrapped in an old piece of denim, was a photograph.
Wade unfolded the photograph.
It showed Frank standing beside a concrete building.
A date was written on the back.
October 17, 1996.
Three days before he disappeared.
Wade turned the photograph over again.
Then he noticed the other man standing in the background.
His stomach dropped.
Because the man in the photograph wasn't Richard.
It was a police officer.
And Wade knew him.
May you like
He had attended Frank's funeral.
Even though Frank's body had never been found.
