Chapter 12: The Key in the Family Bible
Travis didn't remember ending the call.
He only remembered Rebecca saying his name and Darnell asking whether Emily was safe.
The words kept repeating in his head.
Nathan Briggs.
The deputy who had worked under Wade for nearly ten years.
The man who had grabbed Darnell outside the diner.
The man who had taken the piece of blue plastic from the search area three years earlier.
The man who had been present when Rex was struck.
"Are you certain?"" Rebecca asked.
Travis nodded.
"Emily recognized him.""
Rebecca immediately called Michael Grant.
"Find Deputy Nathan Briggs. I want his current location.""
Michael checked the personnel database.
"He's listed at the county sheriff's department.""
"Send a state unit to his residence.""
"Under what authority?""
"Possible witness intimidation and evidence tampering. We're not arresting him without grounds, but I want him located and separated from Mercer.""
Michael hesitated.
"Agent, there's a problem.""
"What?""
"Briggs signed out a county vehicle twenty minutes ago.""
Rebecca's expression hardened.
"Where is it?""
"Heading east.""
"Toward where?""
Michael checked the tracking system.
Then he looked up.
"Toward the Cole family property.""
Travis grabbed his keys.
"That's where my mother lives.""
Rebecca immediately stood.
"Get in the vehicle.""
The old Cole farmhouse sat at the end of a narrow gravel road.
A white wooden fence surrounded the property.
Beyond it stood a red barn, two oak trees, and a small shed where Travis and Emily had played as children.
Their mother, Margaret, was standing on the porch when the state police vehicle arrived.
She looked frightened.
"Travis!""
He jumped out.
"Mom, are you okay?""
She nodded.
"Someone came by.""
"Who?""
"A deputy. He said he needed to speak with me.""
Rebecca approached.
"Did he identify himself?""
"Nathan Briggs.""
Travis exchanged a glance with Rebecca.
"What did he want?""
Margaret looked toward the front door.
"He asked about the family Bible.""
Travis went still.
"Did you give it to him?""
"No.""
Rebecca's voice became firm.
"Where is it now?""
Margaret pointed inside.
"Upstairs. In the bedroom.""
They rushed inside.
The house smelled of old wood, lavender detergent, and the apple pie Margaret had been preparing before the interruption.
Travis took the stairs two at a time.
The bedroom door was open.
The family Bible sat on the bed.
Its pages were scattered.
Someone had searched through it.
"Mom, did Briggs touch this?""
Margaret nodded.
"He opened it. Then he asked whether your father had left anything inside.""
Travis carefully lifted the Bible.
A small brass key was tucked between the pages.
He held it up.
"This?""
Margaret began crying.
"Your father gave it to me the night before he died.""
Rebecca turned.
"Your father?""
Travis looked at his mother.
"Mom?""
Margaret sat on the edge of the bed.
"I didn't tell you everything.""
Travis crouched beside her.
"What do you mean?""
She looked at the brass key.
"Your grandfather wasn't the only person who knew Peter Lawson.""
Rebecca's expression changed.
"My father?""
Margaret nodded.
"Peter was investigating Franklin Pierce's company. He came to me because he believed someone inside the sheriff's department was leaking information.""
"Why didn't you tell the police?""
"Because Peter told me not to trust them.""
Margaret wiped her eyes.
"He said he had hidden evidence. He wanted me to keep the key until he could come back.""
Rebecca sat beside her.
"Did he tell you what the key opened?""
Margaret nodded.
"A safety deposit box.""
"Where?""
"At the old First Mississippi Bank in Jackson.""
Travis looked at the key.
"Why did you never use it?""
"Because he said the box could only be opened by someone who knew a particular phrase.""
Rebecca leaned forward.
"What phrase?""
Margaret looked toward the window.
Then she spoke.
"Rex never leaves anyone behind.""
Darnell, who had just entered the room, stopped.
He recognized the words.
It was the phrase Emily had written on the back of the photograph.
The words she had used to thank Rex after he saved her.
Rebecca looked at Margaret.
"Who else knows that phrase?""
"Only me, Peter, and the people who were there when the dog found Emily.""
Travis frowned.
"Then how did Briggs know about the key?""
Margaret's face turned pale.
"Because he was there that night.""
Rebecca immediately secured the key.
She arranged for a state police evidence technician to photograph and document it before any attempt was made to open the deposit box.
Meanwhile, Travis sat with his mother.
"Mom, why didn't you tell us about Dad?""
Margaret looked exhausted.
"Because I wanted you and Emily to have normal lives.""
"He was investigating a murder.""
"He was investigating something much bigger.""
"What?""
She hesitated.
Then she reached into a bedside drawer.
She removed an old photograph.
It showed Peter Lawson standing beside Franklin Pierce and Wade Mercer.
Three men.
One handshake.
The photograph had been taken at a county fundraising dinner.
On the back, Peter had written:
The money is not coming from the timber company. Follow the emergency contracts.
Rebecca examined the photograph.
"Emergency contracts?""
Margaret nodded.
"Peter discovered that the county was receiving money through fake emergency service agreements. Search operations, road maintenance, equipment purchases. The contracts were being used to move money.""
Travis stared.
"So the missing evidence wasn't just about the night Emily disappeared.""
"No," Margaret whispered.
"Peter believed the disappearance was connected to the larger operation.""
Rebecca looked at the photograph again.
"That would explain why Wade went to such lengths to conceal the search records.""
Darnell folded his arms.
"And why he attacked Rex.""
Travis looked at him.
"Because Rex was there.""
Darnell nodded.
"Because the dog could lead someone back to the truth.""
A state trooper entered.
"Agent Lawson, we've located Deputy Briggs's vehicle.""
"Where?""
"Abandoned near the county line.""
Rebecca stood.
"Was Briggs inside?""
"No.""
"Any sign of him?""
The trooper hesitated.
"We found blood on the driver's door.""
Travis immediately stood.
"Was it his?""
"We don't know.""
Rebecca grabbed her jacket.
"Secure the vehicle. Get a forensic team.""
She looked at Travis.
"Your mother stays here with protection.""
Margaret reached for her son's hand.
"Please be careful.""
Travis nodded.
"I will.""
As they headed downstairs, his phone rang.
Emily.
He answered.
"Hey.""
"Travis, I need you to come home.""
"I'm at Mom's.""
"No. I mean home. The clinic.""
"What happened?""
Emily's voice trembled.
"Rex woke up.""
Travis smiled faintly.
"That's good.""
"No. You don't understand.""
He stopped.
"What?""
"He's been trying to get out of his bed.""
"Dr. Harris said he needs to rest.""
"I know. But he keeps pulling toward the door.""
"Why?""
Emily took a shaky breath.
"Because somebody came to see him.""
Travis looked at Rebecca.
"Who?""
"A man.""
"Was it Briggs?""
"No.""
"Then who?""
Emily's voice dropped.
"He said his name was Samuel Harlan.""
Travis froze.
"Samuel is with Agent Lawson.""
"I know. But this man looked exactly like him.""
Travis turned toward Rebecca.
She immediately raised her hand.
"Emily, did you let him inside?""
"No. Dr. Harris told him to leave.""
"Where is he now?""
"I don't know.""
Rebecca took the phone.
"Emily, listen carefully. Lock yourself in the staff office. Don't approach anyone. A state trooper is on the way.""
"Agent Lawson, I need to tell you something.""
"What?""
"The man had a scar.""
"What kind of scar?""
"Across his left cheek.""
Rebecca looked toward the state police vehicle.
Samuel Harlan had no scar in his old identification photograph.
She turned to Michael.
"Get me a photograph of the man who visited the clinic.""
Then she spoke into the phone again.
"Emily, did he leave anything?""
"Yes.""
"What?""
"A photograph.""
"Of whom?""
Emily hesitated.
Then she answered:
"Of my father.""
Travis closed his eyes.
Rebecca's voice became sharp.
"Where is that photograph now?""
"On Rex's blanket.""
"Don't touch it.""
Emily began crying.
"Agent Lawson?""
"Yes?""
"There's writing on the back.""
Rebecca waited.
Emily read it aloud.
"Your father didn't die in the woods. He was taken somewhere alive.""
Nobody moved.
Travis stared at the phone.
Rebecca slowly lowered her hand.
May you like
Because if that message was true, then the man whose murder had destroyed her family might still be alive.
And the person who had just visited Rex might know exactly where he was being held.
