Chapter 10: The Construction Site That Swallowed Two Men
The abandoned construction site stood beyond a chain-link fence on the outskirts of Nashville, surrounded by overgrown weeds and skeletal concrete structures.
Rain had turned the dirt road into mud. Rusted machinery sat beneath a gray sky, and a faded sign warned trespassers to stay away.
Police lights flashed against the unfinished buildings.
Andre stood beside his car, staring through the fence.
For twenty years, he had searched for answers about his father's disappearance. Now, someone had left Thomas Reed's car at the very place where James Jackson had last been seen.
I approached him carefully.
"Andre, we don't know that Thomas is here.""
He didn't look at me.
"His car is.""
"That doesn't mean—"
"I know what it means, Emily.""
His voice was controlled, but his hands were trembling.
I had never seen him like this.
The man who could face wealthy investors without blinking was struggling to breathe in front of a rusted gate.
Rebecca pulled up behind us and hurried over.
"The police have confirmed the vehicle belongs to Thomas Reed," she said.
"It's been here since sometime last night. They haven't found him yet.""
Andre nodded.
"Have they checked the buildings?""
"They're working through the site. The property is privately owned, so they're obtaining the necessary authorization for the remaining structures.""
Andre looked toward the nearest building.
"Who owns it?""
Rebecca checked her phone.
"An investment company registered under a subsidiary of Vale Capital.""
I felt the cold settle into my bones.
Edward Vale.
The name my father had been afraid to speak.
Andre stepped toward the fence.
A uniformed officer approached immediately.
"Sir, you need to remain behind the barrier.""
"My name is Andre Jackson. Thomas Reed was a witness in an investigation involving my father.""
The officer studied him.
"Are you family?""
"No. But I may know why he's here.""
The officer exchanged a glance with his partner.
"Then you'll need to speak with the detective in charge.""
A few minutes later, Detective Laura Bennett arrived in a dark blue raincoat. She was in her forties, with tired eyes and a notepad tucked beneath one arm.
"Mr. Jackson?"" she asked.
"Yes.""
"I'm Detective Bennett. I understand you believe Thomas Reed may be connected to a missing-person case from twenty years ago.""
"My father disappeared in 2006. Thomas was the last person to see him before he vanished.""
"And you believe the cases are connected?""
"I believe someone wants us to think they aren't.""
The detective studied him for a moment.
"That's not evidence, Mr. Jackson.""
"No. But the location is.""
She glanced toward the unfinished structure.
"We're investigating the property. If we find anything relevant, we'll contact you.""
Andre nodded, though the answer clearly wasn't enough.
As the detective returned to the site, I noticed something beside the fence.
A small rectangular object lay in the mud near the gate.
I crouched.
"Andre.""
He turned.
I pointed without touching it.
A black leather wallet.
The name on the identification card was unmistakable.
THOMAS REED.
Andre called Detective Bennett over.
She put on gloves and carefully opened the wallet.
Inside were a driver's license, several receipts, and a folded piece of paper.
The detective unfolded it.
Her expression changed.
"What is it?"" Andre asked.
She looked at him.
"It's a handwritten note.""
"From Thomas?""
"We don't know.""
She read it silently before placing it in an evidence bag.
I couldn't stand the uncertainty.
"What does it say?""
The detective hesitated.
Then she answered.
"It says, 'The original is beneath the foundation. Ask Margaret's daughter.''"
My knees weakened.
My mother.
Again.
Andre closed his eyes.
The detective looked between us.
"Who is Margaret?""
"My mother," I said.
"Was she connected to this property?""
"I don't know.""
The detective made a note.
"We'll need to speak with both of you in more detail.""
Before she could continue, an officer called from the building.
"Detective! We found something.""
We watched as Detective Bennett hurried away.
Andre gripped the fence.
I placed a hand on his arm.
"Whatever they find, we'll face it together.""
He looked at me.
"You don't have to do this.""
"Yes, I do.""
"Emily, your father may be implicated. Your family may lose everything.""
I swallowed.
"I know.""
"And if the truth proves your mother was involved in hiding evidence—"
"Then I'll face that, too.""
He studied my face.
For the first time, his expression softened.
Then Detective Bennett returned.
"We've located a storage room beneath the eastern structure. The door was secured from the outside. There's evidence someone entered recently.""
"Was Thomas inside?"" Andre asked.
"No.""
"Then what did you find?""
The detective glanced toward the building.
"A metal cabinet, several boxes of archived documents, and a portable hard drive.""
My heart began pounding.
"Did you find anything about James Jackson?""
"We found his name on a file.""
Andre went completely still.
The detective continued carefully.
"The file contains an employment record, copies of financial transactions, and a photograph of a vehicle registered to Edward Vale.""
"Is my father in the file?""
"Yes.""
Andre's face tightened.
"What does it say?""
Detective Bennett lowered her voice.
"That James Jackson met with Richard Collins on June 11, 2006. The record indicates the meeting took place at your father's former office.""
I turned toward Andre.
"My father never told me that.""
Andre said nothing.
The detective continued.
"There is also a handwritten entry suggesting Mr. Jackson intended to deliver a package to your mother that evening.""
I remembered the diary.
The original drawing.
The hidden compartment.
The payment after the funeral.
Everything seemed to be converging on the same terrible night.
"Can we see the file?"" I asked.
"Not yet. It needs to be processed.""
Andre stared at the unfinished building.
"What about the foundation?""
The detective frowned.
"What about it?""
"The note says the original is beneath the foundation. There are multiple structures here. Which one was under construction in 2006?""
She checked her notes.
"The eastern building. It was never completed.""
Andre turned to me.
"That's the building my father worked on.""
Detective Bennett raised a hand.
"Nobody is entering that structure until the engineers determine it's safe.""
Andre nodded reluctantly.
As the officers returned to the site, my phone vibrated.
My father was calling.
I answered.
"Where are you?"" he demanded.
"With Andre.""
"Get away from that construction site immediately.""
I stared at the police lights.
"How do you know we're here?""
Silence.
Then my father said, "Because I know what happened there.""
My heart slammed against my ribs.
"What happened?""
"Emily, listen to me. You need to leave before they find the lower foundation.""
I couldn't breathe.
"What is beneath the foundation?""
His voice dropped to a whisper.
"Your mother buried something there.""
"What?""
"The original drawing wasn't the only thing she took from Bennett.""
I looked at Andre.
He was watching me closely.
My father continued.
"She had copies of the financial records. Evidence that Vale had been moving money through Collins Development. She hid them before she died.""
"Why didn't you tell anyone?""
"Because the people who helped Vale make those payments were still in the company. Some of them are still alive. Some of them are still powerful.""
"Is James Jackson alive?""
My father didn't answer.
"Did you see him at the site?""
"Emily—"
"Did you see him?""
A long silence followed.
Then he said, "I saw him leave the site that night.""
My knees nearly buckled.
"You told Andre you never saw him again.""
"I was afraid.""
"Where did he go?""
My father sounded as though he were crying.
"I don't know.""
"Who was with him?""
He whispered a name.
"Edward Vale.""
The call ended.
I stood motionless, the phone pressed against my ear.
Andre approached me.
"What did he say?""
I looked at the unfinished building.
"He saw your father leave this site with Edward Vale.""
Andre's expression emptied of all emotion.
Then, from somewhere inside the eastern structure, we heard a loud metallic crash.
An officer shouted for everyone to move back.
Detective Bennett ran toward the building.
And a second later, a man emerged from the shadows beneath the unfinished concrete stairs.
His clothes were soaked.
His face was bruised.
But he was alive.
Thomas Reed.
He stumbled toward the police, clutching something against his chest.
Before anyone could reach him, he looked directly at Andre and shouted:
"Your father didn't disappear!""
May you like
He collapsed into the mud.
And the small object that fell from his hand was a photograph of James Jackson, taken just three months earlier.
