Chapter 21 - The Message Lucas Could Not Send

Jaden stood beside Jason’s bed with Lucas’s message glowing between them.

For several seconds neither brother spoke.

Jason read the words again.

I hope you are okay. I really need to see you when you return. There’s something important I need to tell you.

Jaden looked toward the door.

“Call him.”

“I already tried.”

“And?”

“It rang twice, then went dead.”

Jaden’s expression tightened.

“Try again.”

Jason tapped the screen.

This time the call went directly to voicemail.

He lowered the phone.

“That’s not like Lucas.”

“No,” Jaden said. “It isn’t.”

Jason looked at his legs. A few minutes earlier, standing alone had felt like the most important thing in the world. Now even that miracle had been pushed aside.

“What if this is about Aliu?”

Jaden folded his arms.

“What else would make him sound like that?”

Jason looked toward the window.

“Lucas has been asking questions since the attack.”

“About the shooter?”

“About everything.”

Jaden’s eyes narrowed.

“What does everything mean?”

Jason hesitated.

“The road where my accident happened. The company vehicles. The security logs. The people who knew my schedule.”

Jaden went completely still.

“You told him to investigate your accident too?”

“I told him not to ignore any connection.”

“Jason.”

“I know.”

“No, you don’t.” Jaden stepped closer. “You told me you were checking Aliu’s attack. You did not tell me you were reopening your accident.”

Jason met his brother’s stare.

“I didn’t want Mum to hear about it before I had facts.”

“I am not Mum.”

“I know that too.”

“Then why hide it from me?”

Jason looked away.

“Because you already blame yourself for enough.”

Jaden’s anger faded slightly.

Three years earlier, the attack that had left him bleeding on the roadside had changed their family. Jason had never forgotten the phone call. Jaden had never forgotten waking in a hospital and learning that a stranger had tied his bleeding hand with a hairband before disappearing.

Now that stranger was sleeping in the same mansion.

Benita.

The thought made Jaden exhale slowly.

“Fine. No more hiding.”

“No more hiding.”

A knock sounded at the door.

Both men turned.

Benita entered.

She looked from Jason to Jaden.

“What happened?”

“Nothing,” Jason said too quickly.

Jaden gave him a look.

Benita noticed.

“Nothing usually doesn’t make both of you look like someone just died.”

Jason sighed.

“Lucas sent me a message.”

“What did he say?”

He showed her.

Benita read it.

Her expression changed.

“Did you call him?”

“Twice.”

“And?”

“No answer.”

Benita handed the phone back.

“Then call his office.”

Jaden nodded.

“I’ll do it.”

He stepped away and dialed.

A woman answered after the third ring.

“Lucas Adebayo’s office.”

“This is Jaden. I need to speak with Lucas.”

A pause.

“Mr. Jaden?”

“Yes.”

Another pause.

“I’m sorry, sir. Mr. Lucas left the office early.”

“When?”

“A little after six.”

“Did he say where he was going?”

“No, sir.”

“Was he alone?”

The woman hesitated.

“I think so.”

“You think?”

“I saw him leave through the side parking lot. He was carrying a brown file and his laptop bag.”

“Did anyone follow him?”

“I don’t know.”

Jaden’s voice sharpened.

“Did anything unusual happen today?”

Silence.

Then the woman lowered her voice.

“There was a man waiting in reception this afternoon.”

“Who?”

“He didn’t give a name.”

“What did he want?”

“He asked if Mr. Lucas was still handling the Holloway account.”

Jason’s head lifted.

Jaden turned toward him.

“What did Lucas say?”

“He came out of his office and told the man to leave.”

“Did they argue?”

“Yes.”

“What did the man look like?”

“Tall. Dark suit. Scar beside his left ear.”

Jason’s face changed.

Benita saw it immediately.

“You know him.”

Jason didn’t answer.

Jaden pressed the phone tighter to his ear.

“Anything else?”

“The man said something before he left.”

“What?”

The secretary’s voice dropped almost to a whisper.

“He said, ‘Some graves should stay closed.’”

Jaden looked at Jason.

Jason’s skin had gone pale.

“Thank you,” Jaden said. “Lock the office. Don’t stay there alone.”

He ended the call.

Benita stepped forward.

“Jason.”

He stared at the phone.

“The scar.”

“What about it?”

“I saw him before.”

“Where?”

Jason’s jaw tightened.

“The night of my accident.”

The room became silent.

Jaden moved closer.

“You never told me that.”

“I remembered pieces. Not enough to trust.”

“What pieces?”

“Headlights behind me. A black SUV. Someone at the barrier after the crash.” Jason rubbed his forehead. “I remember waking for a few seconds before the ambulance came. There was a man standing near the wreck.”

“With a scar?”

“I think so.”

“You think?”

“Yes.”

Jaden stared at him.

“And Lucas somehow found this man?”

“Maybe.”

Benita sat carefully on the chair beside Jason.

“Then Lucas’s message matters.”

Jason looked at her.

“I know.”

“Do you know where he lives?”

“Yes.”

“Then someone should go.”

Jaden was already reaching for his keys.

“I’m going.”

“No,” Jason said.

Jaden stopped.

“No?”

“Mum asked you not to leave.”

Jaden almost laughed.

“You cannot be serious.”

“I am.”

“Jason, Lucas may be in danger.”

“I know.”

“So?”

“So we don’t ignore Mum’s fear and rush out blindly after a man who may already know we’re looking.”

Jaden paced once.

“What do you suggest?”

Jason looked at Benita.

“Call security.”

Benita nodded.

“Two vehicles. Not one.”

Jaden frowned.

“You’re both enjoying this.”

“No,” Benita said. “We’re trying to keep you alive.”

Jaden looked toward Jason.

Jason gave a small shrug.

“She has a point.”

Within fifteen minutes, two security vehicles were ready.

Jaden went with four guards.

Jason stayed behind, angry at his own body for making the decision easy for everyone else.

Benita noticed his hands tightening on the armrests.

“You wanted to go.”

“Yes.”

“You still would have stayed even if you could walk.”

Jason looked at her.

“You sound very sure.”

“You’re worried about Jaden.”

“That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t go.”

“It means you would think first.”

Jason’s mouth twitched.

“Are you always this confident about me?”

“No.”

“Good.”

“I’m more confident about your stubbornness.”

He laughed despite himself.

Then his phone rang.

Jaden.

Jason answered immediately.

“Talk to me.”

“We’re at Lucas’s apartment.”

“And?”

“The door is open.”

Jason’s smile vanished.

“Do not go in alone.”

“I’m not.”

Benita moved closer to hear.

Through the phone came footsteps, a guard’s voice, then a long silence.

“Jaden?”

“I’m here.”

“What do you see?”

“The living room is a mess.”

“Lucas?”

“No.”

“Blood?”

Another pause.

“Not that I can see.”

Jason let out a breath he had not realized he was holding.

“His laptop?”

“Gone.”

“The brown file?”

“Not here.”

A guard spoke in the background.

Jaden moved.

“What?”

Jason heard a drawer open.

Then Jaden’s breathing changed.

“Jason.”

“What?”

“There’s an envelope taped beneath his desk.”

“For who?”

“You.”

Jason closed his eyes.

“Open it.”

The paper tore.

Jaden read silently.

“Jaden.”

“I’m reading.”

“What does it say?”

Jaden’s voice became careful.

“Jason, if you’re reading this, I was right to be afraid.”

Benita looked at Jason.

Jaden continued.

“The accident was not an accident.”

Jason’s face hardened.

“The brakes?”

“No. Listen.”

Jaden kept reading.

“Someone altered the maintenance records after the crash. The original inspection shows the brake line was cut before you left the estate.”

Jason’s fingers curled.

Benita whispered, “Oh my God.”

“There’s more,” Jaden said.

“What?”

“Aliu found the original work order.”

Jason felt something cold move through him.

“That’s why they attacked him.”

“Maybe.”

“Keep reading.”

Jaden swallowed.

“The same signature approving the altered vehicle log appears on the access record from the night I was attacked three years ago.”

This time Jaden went silent.

Jason stared ahead.

“The same person?”

“That’s what Lucas believed.”

“Whose signature?”

Jaden unfolded another page.

“Initials only. V.H.”

Jason’s eyes closed.

Benita noticed.

“Who is V.H.?”

Neither brother answered immediately.

Jaden finally said it.

“Victor Hale.”

Benita frowned.

“Who is that?”

Jason opened his eyes.

“Our father’s oldest business partner.”

Jaden’s voice came from the phone.

“And the man who controls security for every company property.”

Benita’s expression sharpened.

“The same security system that would have known Jason’s route.”

“Yes.”

“And Jaden’s.”

“Yes.”

“And Aliu’s.”

“Yes.”

Jason looked toward the dark window.

Victor Hale had eaten at their family table.

He had attended birthdays.

He had stood beside their father at company ceremonies.

He had visited Jason in the hospital after the accident and promised to protect the family until Jason recovered.

The memory now felt poisonous.

Jaden continued reading.

“There’s one last line.”

“What?”

“Do not confront Victor. He knows I found the file.”

A sound came from somewhere inside Lucas’s apartment.

Jaden stopped.

Jason sat forward.

“What was that?”

“Probably one of the guards.”

Then a second sound.

A door closing.

Jaden’s voice changed.

“Hold on.”

“Jaden.”

Footsteps moved quickly.

A guard shouted.

Then the phone filled with noise.

“Jaden!”

Benita stood.

Jason gripped the phone.

“Jaden, answer me!”

A crash sounded.

Then silence.

For two seconds, Jason heard nothing.

Three.

Four.

Finally Jaden’s voice returned, breathless.

“I’m okay.”

“What happened?”

“Someone was in the back room.”

Jason’s heart pounded.

“Who?”

“He went through the balcony.”

“Did you see his face?”

“No.”

One of the guards shouted from below.

Jaden moved toward the balcony.

Then he froze.

“What?”

“Jason.”

“What?”

“There’s a black SUV leaving the alley.”

Jason did not move.

Jaden spoke again.

“And the driver has a scar beside his left ear.”

That was the moment the past stopped feeling like memory.

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It became a warning.

And somewhere in the city, Lucas was missing.