What Happened to Caleb
Chapter 06 - What Happened to Caleb
Nora finally told the full story.
Victor discovered Caleb had copied records from the club’s office.
He confronted him behind a warehouse.
Nora witnessed part of it.
Caleb was forced into a truck.
She called police anonymously.
The truck was found abandoned.
Caleb was gone.
Two weeks later, Nora received photographs of her younger sister’s children.
The message was clear.
Stay silent.
So she did.
But Caleb had escaped.
Years later, Nora received a postcard.
No name.
No return address.
Only one sentence.
You did enough. Stay safe.
Jax looked at the handwriting.
It matched a note Caleb once left in their garage.
He was alive.
Or had been.
Maria traced the postcard.
It came from Oregon.
That connected to one of the companies in Caleb’s files.
A small marine repair business.
The owner was listed as Carl Mercer.
Jax laughed once.
“Caleb always hated the name Carl.”
They found a photograph on the company website.
Older man.
Shorter hair.
Scar on his chin.
But Jax knew immediately.
“That’s him.”
Luke leaned closer.
“My dad?”
Jax looked at the boy.
“I think so.”
Luke began crying.
Not loudly.
He simply covered his face.
Jax put one arm around him.
For the first time, he understood what the boy had carried into the diner.
He had not wanted money.
He had not wanted a dramatic reunion.
He wanted an answer.
Somewhere in Oregon, Caleb Mercer had been alive.
And somewhere nearby, Emily might have been trying to reach him.
Jax called the business.
A woman answered.
He asked for Carl.
There was a long pause.
May you like
Then she said, “He died six months ago.”
Luke heard every word.
