10

Chapter 549 Letter from the Dead

"

Jax wanted to get all his stuff out of the shared storage unit with Gemma. He was sorting things into three piles things he was keeping, things he was storing and things he was going to give to the local charity shop unless the guys or Sack wanted them.

Scarlett sat in a lawn chair from Jax's patio as she helped him sort through his property. Scarlett was boxing up books from Jax's childhood. There must be at least twenty books including two identical dictionaries.

"Why do you have two dictionaries?" Scarlett asked. "Is one your mother's?"

"My father gave one of them to me a few days before he died. It was strange because I already had the same dictionary. I shoved into the bookcase and haven't given it another thought," Jax said as he recalled the hazy memory.

Scarlett frowned as she picked up the two dictionaries and observed the unequal weight. She flipped through the pages. It looked normal. She opened the second one and discovered it was much lighter because it was hollowed out in the middle with an envelope addressed to Jax inside.

"I'm guessing this is the one your father gave you. It's hollowed out inside and I found this envelope addressed to you. It has to be from your father."

"All this time and I never knew it was there," Jax said taking the envelope. It was definitely his father's handwriting. He always printed his name and put a little top on the "J" but only when he wrote his name. It always made him feel special.

Jax carefully opened the envelope struck by the fact that it had been undiscovered for all these years. If he hadn't been sorting through his junk, it would have stayed that way.

The letter hit him like a punch to the gut. His father explained he knew that he wouldn't read this for awhile because he'd deliberately hidden it in a dictionary and if he were reading it, it meant he was dead. He explained that if he'd lived, he would have switched this letter with a new multi-blade pocket knife. Jax remembered how much he'd wanted that fancy Swiss Army pocket knife.

JT told him that he needed to keep the letter a secret. He'd left him a key and directions to the treasure chest with things he wanted him to have in that special place they used at the clubhouse for the Pirate Game.

As a child, Jax and Opie never played cops and robbers because neither wanted to be the cop so they played pirates a lot. JT would even make treasure maps and hide things for them to find. His favorite treasure maps sent them on treasure hunts around the clubhouse looking for bits of treasure like packs of gum, candy, a few dollars and sometimes little presents like a keychain, a magnifying glass or once two small pocket knives.

He smiled at the memory. He hadn't thought about playing pirate in years. At some point he quit remembering things about his father because it hurt too much to remember and feel the loss of his father over and over again with each memory.

"This stays between us," Jax began. Scarlett nodded, her face serious. "My father said in his letter that if I found the letter it meant that he was dead. He knew I wouldn't open the dictionary right away and he would replace the letter with a pocket knife if he lived. I don't know what he was doing that made him fear for his life, but I think he's left me clues. He also said to keep this a secret."

"He must have suspected that someone that was close to him was dangerous to him."

Jax nodded his head grimly. "Yeah, that's exactly what I'm thinking. When my father was killed, I was told that he had been in an accident and been hit and dragged by a big rig."

"Was the driver ever caught?"

"I don't think so. I was dealing with so much at the time, I wasn't really paying attention to that side of things. He lived for a few days. I spent every moment I could with him at the hospital hoping that he would wake up. I just wanted to tell him that I loved him." Jax's eyes filled with tears as he remembered those horrible days.

Scarlett went to Jax and wrapped her arms around him comforting him. He kissed her softly on the cheek.

"Thanks, Scars."

"Anything for you. Do you know how to follow the clues?"

"Yeah. I need to go to the clubhouse. He said there's a key and directions to a treasure chest."

"Do you want some privacy to do this quest? It's OK if you do. You can drop me off at my father's and take my van. You won't be able to get a treasure chest on your bike unless it's really tiny."

Jax held Scarlett close to him. She understood him perfectly and it was one of the many reasons he loved her. He didn't want to exclude her from this, but he really was going through a lot of emotions and memories and he needed to be alone to do this. She was giving him the space he needed.

"I need to do this alone."

"I know. You can keep the treasure chest in the loft or wherever, but it's private and you don't have to worry about me snooping."

"I'm not a good enough man to deserve you," Jax said seriously. "I must be a good man in the future to have you in my life."

"That's right," she said grinning. "I'm perfect and always right. You can ask my father if you don't believe me."

"Let's go. I've got a treasure chest to find."

Jax dropped Scarlett off at her father's and drove to the clubhouse. It was odd driving to the clubhouse. He could count on the fingers of one hand the number of times he'd done that.

Once the girls cleared out from Saturday night, Sundays at the clubhouse tended to be quiet times with some of the guys settled in to watch football on the new big screen TV they had gotten cheap at a Black Friday sale last year.

Chibs, Tig, Bobby, Kozik and Happy were watching the game on TV. Jax resisted the impulse to immediately look in that secret place he expected to find the key and directions to the treasure chest. Instead, he sat down and had a beer with the guys. All nice and normal.

"Tampa Bay? Surprised Clay's not here watching with you," Jax said.

"He likes to have his special alone time with Tom," Tig said with a lisp making the guys chuckle.

"He really loves to watch Brady play," Chibs said.

"I think if Clay had to do a dude, he'd pick Tom," Tig said. "Who would you do?" Tig asked Jax.

"I wouldn't be with a guy," Jax said. Tig was one strange guy. Why would he even think of something like that?

"Who would you be with Tiggy?" Kozik asked.

"Not you that's for sure," Tig snapped and again all the guys laughed.

Jax finished his beer and left the guys going into the apartment and shutting the door behind him. There was an old chair that might have been new in the 1960's. It had been in the apartment as far back as he could remember. His father used to hide notes in here for the pirate game. He didn't really expect to find what he was looking for in the cushion, but he couldn't resist checking it out. He unzipped the cushion and reached deep into the cushion. His fingers brushed a small folded up piece of paper. He smiled as he pulled it out and unfolded it. His father's note asked him if he really thought he would hide something of value in a cushion to an old chair that could be thrown out. He told him to try again. Jax felt his father in the room with him like he was wrapping him in his love. Losing him was the most painful experience of his life and it still hurt despite the passing of years.

He knew exactly where the next clue was hidden. He pulled out the pocket knife his father gave him for his tenth birthday and tried to remember the right floorboard. He went to the door and recalled how he and Opie would be brimming with excitement as they tried to find the treasure. There was a loose floorboard somewhere under the bed. The bed had been replaced ten years or so ago, but the old wood floor remained the same. He found it on the first try. He used his pocket knife to lift a corner of the floorboard under the bed then used the flashlight on his phone to find the piece of paper. The key was taped to the note.

Jax sat back on his heels as he read the note. His father congratulated him on finding the note and the key. He added that he didn't know when he would find the note, but he knew he would be older but wasn't sure he would be old enough so he left the trunk with someone he trusted completely and if Jax was worthy, old enough and wise enough, he would reveal the whereabouts of the trunk.

Jax checked to make sure there wasn't anything left in the little space before closing it back up and exiting the apartment the key and his father's two notes tucked safely in his cut.

The person that his father trusted completely was easy; it had to be Piney. JT and Piney were close like brothers.

Jax drove over to Piney's house hoping he was home. He didn't think he could stand the suspense now that he knew that his father had left something for him

Piney's Caddy and his trike were in the driveway. Jax felt his heart beat quicken. He was so close to finding the treasure chest. He tapped at the door and waited.

"I'm coming," Piney grumbled. Moments later he flung open the door.

"Hey Jax! Is Opie with you?"

"Just me. Can I come in?"

"Sure. Just woke up from my nap and was about to get a beer. You want one?"

"Sure," Jax said. He didn't really want a beer but Piney had the treasure chest and he needed him to give it to him, so he'd have a conversation and a beer.

After listening to Piney complain about his most recent aches and pains, Jax told him about finding the notes from his father.

"It took you long enough," Piney growled. "You got the key?"

Jax reached into his cut, took the key and held it up for Piney to see.

"JT didn't want you to have that treasure chest as he called it before you were old enough and mature enough to see the contents."

"What if I'd never found the letters? Would you have kept the chest from me forever?"

"No. He had a contingency plan, but you know how JT was. He felt everything happened in its time and that you would find it when you were meant to. He was just using me as a kind of back-up in case you found it when you were too young."

That had a distinctively ominous sound to it. What could be in there that was so explosive?

"He told me to keep it a secret. What do you think that means?"

"What do you think it means?" Piney countered.

"It means that there was someone around that he didn't trust."

"You are worthy of the chest," Piney said gravely. "And keep the secret."

"When did JT give it to you?"

"He gave me the chest—it's actually a trunk a few years before he died. Over the years, he would put things inside it for you. He had a key to my house so he would add things through the years. He put in some stuff a few days before he died and explained about the notes and if you didn't find the key and come to me, I was to give it to you when you were thirty-five if I thought you were ready."

"Do you know what's in it?"

"No. Your father was always writing things. I assume it's some of that. I wish JT could see you now. He would be proud of you. You have really grown into your role as VP. Suggesting we rent a house to assemble and store the guns was a brilliant idea and it pissed off Clay which was a bonus."

"Thanks Piney. Going through this hunt has really made me miss him more."

"Finish your beer," Piney said gruffly, his eyes tearing up. "It will give me some time to remember where the hell I put that thing."

Jax quickly finished his beer. He wasn't sure, but he thought Piney was playing him and he knew exactly where that treasure chest was but he was afraid if he tried to rush the old man, Piney would dig in his heels and make him wait longer.

Piney finished his beer and got heavily to his feet and walked past Jax.

"Come on if you want that treasure chest," Piney growled.

Jax swiftly followed Piney out into the garage. Piney pointed to a black trunk on a shelf.

"That's it?" Jax asked.

"Yeah. Doesn't look like much but it's the contents that matter. JT told me that you needed to be a ready to learn some truth, but that's all he said. I respected him and was never tempted to cut the lock off and look inside."

"Thanks Piney," Jax said slapping the old man's arm.

Jax got the trunk down and set it down on the garage floor. It was about eighteen inches by thirty inches with a silver colored padlock.

"You may end up with questions. I'll try to give you the answers when you have some time to look through the trunk."

"OK. I think I'll take it and head out now."

Jax carried the trunk to Scarlett's van, put it down while he opened the doors and then put the trunk inside.

For a moment he felt some misgiving. He knew that whatever that trunk contained, it would change his life. He hoped he was ready.

"

Author's Note: It took me awhile to figure this chapter out. I wasn't sure how many hoops I was going to make Jax jump through to get to the treasure chest or how many chapters it was going to take. I wanted to think this through carefully because I can't make a plotting mistake. I never rewrite chapters but I do make corrections for typos or continuity errors when someone brings them to my attention, so I have to get a chapter's plot points right the first time.

It's taken me awhile but I feel really good about this chapter although it did take a lot of thought and work. I just didn't want to write and post it until I felt it was right.

In it, you see a little of JT's personality come through and the bond he had with his son. I know the show didn't use flashbacks, but Jax never shared a memory of his father during the entire show. I really wanted you to feel the love Jax had for his father and how hard losing him was for him.

Over the upcoming chapters, Jax will learn more about his father and this could have dire consequences.

What is in the chest? Who will it affect? What will Jax do with the information?