Chapter 16: What Was Buried Beneath the Grave
The cemetery gates stood open.
Rebecca's vehicle stopped at the entrance, its headlights cutting through the darkness. Beyond the rows of weathered headstones, a single figure stood beside a fresh mound of dirt.
Thomas Lawson.
He held a shovel in one hand.
In the other, he carried a metal case.
Travis opened the passenger door.
"That's him.""
Rebecca grabbed his sleeve.
"Wait for the troopers.""
"He's standing over my father's grave!""
"And he knows we're coming. That's exactly why you don't rush in.""
Travis looked at the metal case.
"What if he's destroying the evidence?""
Rebecca raised her radio.
"All units, move to the cemetery. Suspect located at the Cole family plot. Do not engage until we establish the situation.""
Thomas looked toward them.
Then he smiled.
"Travis!""
His voice carried across the cemetery.
"Come on over. You've got questions, don't you?""
Travis stepped away from Rebecca.
"Stay behind me," she warned.
But he kept walking.
Darnell followed several paces behind.
Thomas rested the shovel against the headstone.
"Your father would be proud to see you.""
"Don't talk about him.""
"Why? You think he was a saint?""
Travis stopped a few feet away.
"You killed him.""
Thomas tilted his head.
"That's a serious accusation.""
"Mom told me what happened.""
"Your mother has always been emotional.""
"She said you ordered it.""
Thomas sighed.
"Jonathan was a difficult man. He wanted to expose a system he had helped build. He thought he could walk away from millions of dollars and leave everyone else holding the consequences.""
"You're lying.""
"Am I?""
Thomas opened the metal case.
Inside were several documents sealed in plastic.
Travis recognized his father's signature.
Thomas noticed his expression.
"Your father signed those contracts. His company received the payments. He knew where the money went.""
"Then why did he try to stop you?""
"Because he became afraid.""
Thomas stepped closer.
"He was afraid of Peter Lawson. Afraid of Wade. Afraid of what would happen when the truth came out.""
Rebecca moved beside Travis.
"Where is Margaret?""
Thomas glanced at her.
"Safe.""
"That's not an answer.""
"She's alive. For now.""
Rebecca raised her weapon.
"Tell me where she is.""
Thomas smiled.
"Still playing the hero, Rebecca? Your father did the same thing. Look where it got him.""
A siren sounded in the distance.
Thomas looked toward the entrance.
His smile disappeared.
"You brought the police.""
"Yes," Rebecca replied.
"Then I suppose there's no reason to keep pretending.""
He dropped the metal case.
And reached inside his jacket.
Darnell shouted.
"Travis, down!""
A gunshot cracked through the cemetery.
Travis fell behind the nearest headstone.
Rebecca fired once.
Thomas stumbled backward, clutching his shoulder.
The shovel struck the ground.
State troopers rushed through the gates.
"Drop the weapon!""
Thomas dropped a pistol.
Two officers forced him to his knees.
Rebecca approached carefully.
"Where is Margaret?""
Thomas looked up at her.
"You should be asking where your father is.""
"He's alive.""
Thomas laughed.
"Not for much longer.""
Rebecca's face hardened.
"Explain.""
Thomas looked at Travis.
"Your father buried something here. Not money. Not documents. Something much more valuable.""
Travis glanced at the grave.
"What?""
Thomas smiled through the pain.
"The original ledger.""
The troopers secured Thomas while Michael examined the metal case.
Inside were copies of county contracts, bank transfers, and a handwritten list of emergency service payments.
But the original ledger was missing.
Travis looked at the grave.
"Did my father bury it here?""
Thomas said nothing.
Rebecca crouched beside the disturbed earth.
The fresh dirt wasn't from the grave itself.
Someone had dug beside the headstone.
"Michael, get a forensic team.""
He nodded.
Darnell approached.
"Look at the shovel.""
A small strip of blue fabric was caught around its handle.
Travis recognized it.
"My father's work jacket.""
He knelt and touched the fabric.
"Why would this be here?""
Rebecca examined the shovel.
"Maybe Thomas used it to dig something up.""
"Or put something down," Darnell said.
A trooper called from the other side of the grave.
"Agent Lawson!""
They turned.
The officer had discovered a narrow metal container beneath a loose stone.
Rebecca opened it.
Inside was a small cassette recorder and a folded letter.
The letter was addressed to Travis.
He stared at it.
"My father wrote this.""
Rebecca handed it to him.
Travis unfolded the paper.
Son,
If you are reading this, then I failed to keep the truth away from you.
I built the first emergency service contracts because I believed the county needed a better rescue system. Thomas convinced me that the money would help people. Then I discovered the payments were being diverted.
I tried to stop it.
I trusted Wade to investigate. I trusted Thomas to protect the records. Both betrayed me.
But I did not act alone.
There was another person who helped me hide the original ledger. Someone who knew what would happen if the wrong people found it.
Travis turned the page.
The final line was written in darker ink.
Ask Margaret why she was at the cemetery the night I died.
Travis lowered the letter.
Rebecca looked at him.
"Your mother was here?""
He nodded.
"Thomas said I should ask her.""
A trooper approached.
"Agent, we found a vehicle registered to Margaret Cole near the south entrance.""
"Was anyone inside?""
"No. But there's blood on the passenger seat.""
Travis's face drained.
"Where is my mother?""
At the clinic, Rex suddenly began barking.
Dr. Harris rushed into the examination room.
"Easy, boy!""
The old German Shepherd struggled to stand.
His injured leg trembled.
He stared toward the back entrance.
Then he barked again.
Darnell entered.
"What's wrong?""
Rex turned toward him and pushed his nose against the door.
Darnell studied the animal.
"You're smelling something.""
He opened the door.
A strong odor drifted through the corridor.
Diesel.
Wet soil.
And something else.
A familiar scent.
Darnell crouched.
"Rex?""
The dog pulled toward the parking area.
Darnell followed.
Behind the clinic, a black van was parked near the fence.
Its rear doors stood open.
On the floor lay a torn piece of Margaret's scarf.
Darnell called Rebecca.
"She's been here.""
Rebecca answered immediately.
"Who?""
"Margaret. Rex recognizes her scent.""
"Are you sure?""
Darnell looked at the scarf.
"Absolutely.""
Rex growled.
Then he moved toward the van.
Inside, a small plastic card had been left on the floor.
Darnell picked it up.
It was a visitor pass.
The name printed across it made his stomach tighten.
*MILLER FARM — BUILDING C.*
On the back, someone had written:
ONE WITNESS LEFT.
Darnell looked toward the road.
Then he called Rebecca again.
"Agent, I think I know where they're taking her.""
But before he could explain, a voice came from behind him.
"Don't.""
Darnell turned.
A man stood near the fence.
He had a scar across his left cheek.
The same false deputy who had visited Rex.
The man raised a pistol.
"Put the card down.""
Darnell slowly lowered his hand.
The old German Shepherd stepped in front of him.
The stranger looked at Rex.
"That dog should have died three years ago.""
Darnell's expression changed.
"Maybe you should've thought about that before you came back.""
May you like
The man smiled.
Then Rex lunged.
