Chapter Three

James knew what he had to do, he had to get to that house before anyone else.  He grabbed his keys and ran to his car.  He barely noticed that he almost ran into woman and her children as he peeled out from his office.  His mind was set on one thing, and one thing only.. "I have to get to that house"..

James was in a tail spin, everything he had worked for all these years was crashing in around him.  Investments he thought were secure were gone.  Properties he owned were in foreclosure, his assets were  next to zero.. If he didn't find what he was looking for, he would lose everything.

James thought about how he would get into the house.  His mother had thrown him out with only the clothes on his back when he was 20 years old.  How was he to get back in?  Then he remembered.. "Mother always kept an extra key in the safety deposit box at the bank.  I wonder if I still have the key for the box?" he thought.  James slammed on the brakes and pulled his car to the side of the road. He opened his briefcase that was on the seat next to him and began his search.  "I might have it here in the secret compartment.. maybe"?  He reached into the bottom of the briefcase looking for the small compartment that he had specially built in.  His finger found the latch and the door popped open.  He looked inside, a few old coins, a crinkled note from his mother and laying on the very bottom, a key.. "Yes"!

James was again on his way without haste to the North Avenue Bank and Trust in the middle of town.  He quickly parked his car and walked in through the front doors.  A very nicely dressed young woman met him at the door and asked if she could assist him.  James gave her a cursory nod and kept walking, nothing and no one would distract him.  He knew where he was going, he knew what he had to do.  He had come to the bank with his father many times as a child.  His father, now there was someone he had not thought of in many years.. "This all started with you father, all with you.. Now, maybe it will end here"?

Making his way downstairs, he stopped only long enough to have the gentleman at the desk sign him in.  He was only feet away from what he had hoped would be an end to all his troubles.  Once in the vault he looked around the room. So many boxes, how could he remember which was his?  On his key there was no inscription, no numbers.. He had stolen his father's key and made his own copy, for such an occasion as this, but now he wished he had thought of marking it with the box number.  "Which box is mine!?"  He tried to remember, his father had told him years ago about how they choose their safety deposit box number.. It was a special date.. Was it an anniversary.. no.. that didn't seem right.. A house number, no too easy.. His heart stopped in mid beat.. He remembered.. "Its my birthday! Father said he and mother chose that date because it was the most important date of their lives... Ha.. Sentimental old fools"!

He began looking in the 1100's..  The box would be 11667.. his birthday date.  "11642... 11659... 11665.. There.. there it is!!  11667!"  James took his key and opened the door.. His heart was pounding so hard he could barely breathe. He reached in and pulled out the long metal box.. It was much lighter than he remembered, but then again, he was only a child the last time he was here.. "The box must have seemed heavier because I was only a boy" he thought to himself.  He walked to the middle of the room and placed the box on the table.  He flipped the lid and was shocked by its contents...

"WHAT?  Where is it?  The documents.. the bonds, the certificates.. The key.. all of it.. gone?! Who.. How... I'll...!!"... He reached in and pulled out the only item in the box.  A small white envelope with his name James Marshall White.  He tore the envelope open and found only a letter from his mother:..

     Dearest James, On the day of our last meeting, I sent you with a note.  You never responded, so I assumed that you wanted to cut all ties with me and your family.  I cannot begin to tell you how sorry I am for all that was said during our last day.  I want you to know that I have loved you and prayed every day that you would come back to me.  That you would be a changed man.  I have prayed that God would guide your footsteps and that you would come to know Him as I have.  

James, what you are looking for is not here.  You will not find what you need in money, or power or fame.  Darling boy, what you need is Christ and His forgiveness.. as we all do.  I can only assume that you are reading this after my death.  Please son, don't let your heart be hard any longer.. Give your life to Christ.. That is where the true treasure lies..  

Until we meet again, 

Your loving mother,

Margaret

James crumpled the note and slumped to the floor.. "That's it mother?.. after 25 years?.. that's all you have to say to me?.. the same old lines as before I left home?.. "Give you life to Christ daring boy"? that's it.. really mother?.. what have you done?.. Mother..what have you done"?