Chapter 15: The Promise Her Mother Kept
Rebecca read the messages three times.
Her mother had known.
For twenty-three years, she had known that Peter might still be alive.
And now Thomas Lawson was apparently racing to reach him first.
"Call her," Travis said.
Rebecca immediately dialed.
This time, her mother answered.
"Rebecca?""
"Where are you?""
A shaky breath came through the phone.
"Please don't be angry.""
"Where are you, Mom?""
"I'm on Highway 49.""
"Pull over.""
"I can't.""
"Why?""
"Because Thomas is following me.""
Rebecca looked at Michael.
He was already reaching for the vehicle tracking system.
"Mom, listen carefully. Are you in danger?""
"Yes.""
"Did Thomas tell you where Peter is?""
Her mother began crying.
"He called me this morning. He said the investigation was over. He said he had taken care of everything.""
"Where is Dad?""
"I don't know exactly.""
"Mom!""
"Rebecca, I need you to listen.""
Rebecca closed her eyes.
"Go ahead.""
"Three years ago, Peter contacted me. He told me he had been released from somewhere near the timber road. He was injured, frightened, and convinced Thomas was still watching him.""
Rebecca's voice broke.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because he begged me not to.""
"He's my father!""
"I know.""
Her mother sobbed.
"He said Thomas had people everywhere. He believed that if you knew, you would try to find him. And he couldn't risk that.""
Rebecca gripped the phone.
"Did you see him?""
"Yes.""
"Where?""
"At an old church outside Hattiesburg.""
Travis leaned closer.
"Which church?""
Rebecca repeated the question.
Her mother gave her the name.
St. Matthew's.
Rebecca looked at Michael.
"Find it.""
Michael typed rapidly.
Her mother continued.
"Peter gave me a package. He told me to keep it safe. He said it contained enough evidence to destroy Thomas's operation.""
"Where is it?""
"In the church.""
Rebecca stopped.
"Where?""
"Beneath the altar.""
A sudden horn sounded through the phone.
Her mother gasped.
"Rebecca, I think he's behind me.""
"Stay on the line.""
"I can't.""
"Mom!""
The call disconnected.
Rebecca stared at her phone.
Then Michael spoke.
"Agent, I've got the vehicle.""
"Where?""
"Two miles north of St. Matthew's.""
Rebecca grabbed her coat.
"Move.""
St. Matthew's stood at the end of a narrow road lined with pine trees.
The church was small, with white wooden walls and a faded blue door.
Its windows were dark.
Rebecca entered first.
The air smelled of old hymn books and candle wax.
A wooden cross hung above the altar.
Travis followed.
"Your mother said the package was underneath.""
Rebecca knelt.
She ran her hand along the base of the altar.
There was a small metal latch.
She pulled it.
A hidden compartment opened.
Inside was a brown envelope.
And a photograph.
Rebecca picked up the photograph first.
It showed Peter Lawson standing beside a woman.
The woman was Margaret Cole.
Travis recognized her immediately.
His mother.
But the photograph had been taken years before Emily disappeared.
Rebecca turned it over.
Margaret knows the truth.
Travis stared.
"Why would my mother be with your father?""
Rebecca opened the envelope.
Inside were bank statements, photographs, and a handwritten letter.
She unfolded it.
Margaret,
If anything happens to me, you must protect Emily and Travis.
Thomas has discovered that I know about the payments. He believes I have the original account records.
I don't. I gave them to you because I trust you.
Rebecca looked at Travis.
"Your mother had the evidence.""
Travis shook his head.
"Why would she hide it from us?""
Rebecca continued reading.
There is one more thing you must understand. Thomas is not working alone. Wade is only the man who handles the county. The real money comes from someone whose name appears on every contract.
The letter ended with a name.
*JONATHAN COLE.*
Travis felt his legs weaken.
"That's impossible.""
Rebecca looked at him.
"Who is Jonathan Cole?""
"My father.""
The church seemed to grow smaller.
Travis took the letter.
His father's name.
His father's signature.
His father's company registration number.
Everything matched.
"My dad died when I was twelve," he whispered.
Rebecca looked at him.
"How?""
"Car accident.""
"Who investigated it?""
Travis stared at the paper.
"Wade Mercer.""
Rebecca slowly lowered her eyes.
The room went silent.
Darnell stepped closer.
"Son, there's something you need to know.""
Travis turned.
"What?""
Darnell looked uncomfortable.
"Your father wasn't just a businessman. He was the reason our motorcycle club started helping families in this county.""
Travis frowned.
"What are you talking about?""
"Jonathan Cole helped us establish a volunteer rescue program. He funded equipment and trained search volunteers. He believed nobody should be abandoned because they couldn't afford help.""
Travis looked at the documents.
"Why would he be connected to Thomas Lawson?""
Darnell shook his head.
"I don't know.""
Rebecca examined the bank statements.
"These payments were made through several companies. One of them belonged to your father.""
Travis stepped backward.
"You're telling me my father helped finance this?""
"His company received payments," Rebecca replied.
"That doesn't establish whether he knew what they were for.""
Travis stared at the photograph of his father.
For years, he had remembered a man who worked long hours, fixed broken toys, and carried him on his shoulders during county fairs.
Now he was looking at documents that connected that same man to a criminal operation.
His phone rang.
Margaret.
He answered immediately.
"Mom, where are you?""
"Travis?""
"Are you safe?""
"I think so.""
"Why did you give Peter the evidence?""
His mother went quiet.
Then she whispered:
"Because your father was trying to stop Thomas.""
Travis froze.
"My father?""
"Jonathan discovered what Thomas was doing. He wanted to expose him.""
"Then why was his name on the contracts?""
"Because Thomas used his company without his permission.""
Travis closed his eyes.
"Why didn't Dad go to the police?""
"Because Wade was already controlling the investigation.""
"What happened to him?""
Margaret began crying.
"He was killed trying to get the original records to Peter.""
Travis gripped the phone.
"Was it an accident?""
"No.""
The answer came quietly.
But it destroyed everything.
"Who killed him?""
Margaret whispered:
"Thomas ordered it. Wade arranged it.""
Travis looked at Rebecca.
She had heard the entire conversation.
"Mom, where are you now?""
"I'm at a gas station.""
"Stay there. We're coming.""
Before she could answer, a man's voice sounded in the background.
"Margaret.""
Her mother gasped.
Travis shouted into the phone.
"Mom! Who's there?""
The call remained connected.
Then he heard Thomas Lawson.
"Hello, Travis.""
Travis went cold.
"Let her go.""
Thomas laughed softly.
"You sound just like your father.""
"Don't touch her.""
"Your father made the same mistake. He believed that doing the right thing would protect his family.""
Travis stepped toward the church door.
"Where are you?""
"Somewhere your mother and I can have a conversation.""
Rebecca grabbed his arm.
"Don't move.""
Thomas continued.
"There's something else you should know, Travis.""
"What?""
"Your father didn't die because he discovered the contracts.""
Travis felt his stomach tighten.
"Then why?""
"Because he discovered who was receiving the money.""
Rebecca signaled to Michael to trace the call.
Thomas continued.
"And the person receiving it wasn't Wade Mercer.""
"Who was it?""
Thomas paused.
Then he answered.
"Your father.""
Travis went silent.
Thomas laughed.
"Jonathan was the original architect of the entire operation. Peter discovered it. I tried to contain it. And now you're all trying to rewrite history.""
"You're lying.""
"Perhaps. But there's a reason your mother kept that package hidden.""
The phone crackled.
Then Thomas spoke again.
"Ask her what she did the night Jonathan died.""
A sudden crash sounded through the phone.
Margaret screamed.
Then the call ended.
Rebecca immediately turned toward Michael.
"Did you get the location?""
Michael checked his screen.
"Partial trace. The signal came from a tower near the old timber mill.""
Darnell rushed toward the exit.
"That's close to Miller Farm.""
Rebecca nodded.
"Get the units moving.""
Travis followed.
But before they reached the vehicle, his phone received another message.
It was a photograph of Margaret sitting in a chair.
Her hands were tied.
Thomas stood behind her.
Beside them was a second man.
Wade Mercer.
The message read:
Bring the original documents. Come alone.
Travis stared at the image.
Rebecca stepped beside him.
"You're not going alone.""
"They'll hurt her.""
"They're counting on you making a mistake.""
"She's my mother.""
"And she's also the key to understanding what happened to your father.""
Travis looked at her.
"What if Thomas is telling the truth?""
Rebecca held his gaze.
"Then we prove it. We don't let him decide what the truth is.""
Darnell approached.
"Rex should be with us.""
Rebecca frowned.
"Absolutely not. He's injured.""
Darnell shook his head.
"I'm not talking about taking him into danger. I'm talking about listening to him.""
Travis looked at the old photograph in his hand.
Rex had been present when Emily was found.
Rex had found the badge.
Rex had led them toward the truth.
And now, for the first time, Travis understood something.
The dog wasn't simply connected to the investigation.
He was the only living witness who had been present when all three men—Peter Lawson, Jonathan Cole, and Wade Mercer—were together that night.
Back at the clinic, Dr. Harris examined Rex's collar.
She carefully removed the leather lining.
Inside was a tiny folded piece of paper.
Darnell recognized the handwriting.
Peter Lawson's.
He opened it.
The message contained a set of coordinates and one sentence.
The original ledger is not in the bank. It's where Jonathan buried the truth.
Darnell showed Rebecca.
She entered the coordinates into her phone.
The location appeared.
A small cemetery outside Hattiesburg.
Travis looked at the screen.
"That's where my father is buried.""
Rebecca studied the message again.
"Then we need to go there.""
Michael's radio crackled.
A state trooper spoke urgently.
"Agent Lawson, we've got a visual on Thomas's vehicle.""
"Where?""
"Near the Cole family cemetery.""
Rebecca looked at Travis.
"He's already there.""
Travis felt his blood turn cold.
Because Thomas Lawson wasn't waiting for them at the timber mill.
He was standing beside his brother's grave.
May you like
And he had brought something with him.
A shovel.
