Adam pulls out the seat across from Emmett and sits down. 

​

Emmett rocks back and forth in his chair and picks up a small puzzle piece. He examines the shape by rubbing his fingers along the edges and holds the piece close to his face to study the colors. After he’s deciphered the piece, he reaches his arm out and sets it down on the right hand corner of the table. He repeats this process with the next puzzle piece. 

​

“So, Mr. Emmett, I have a few questions for you about your uncle Mitch,” Adam says, reaching into his briefcase and pulling out a photo of an older man and woman locking arms and waving to the photographer. He holds it up to Emmett. “Do you recognize this man?” 

​

Emmett shifts his focus from the puzzle to the photo. He tilts his head. “Hey! Aunt Sissy!” 

​

“You know this woman?” Adam asks. 

​

Emmett resumes his puzzle and places another piece down. “Yeah, we used to play hide the dead cat, but we only played it once. I haven’t seen her in awhile.” 

​

Adam looks down at the puzzle. A whole corner is already put together revealing a piece of a blue sky. “I see, when was the last time you saw your Aunt Sissy?” 

​

He twists and turns another puzzle into place. “Just before I came here.” He struggles to make the piece fit. 

​

Adam picks up the puzzle box lying on the table and studies the picture. It displays a watermelon farm. “So, Emmett, your uncle Mitch went missing about a week ago. In order to figure out where he went, I need your help on knowing more about who your uncle Mitch was close to.” 

​

Emmett picks up another piece and holds it out to Adam, “Okay, but can you find where this goes?” 

Confounded, Adam takes the piece and connects it to an edge piece with a similar shade of green. “Was your uncle Mitch friends with bad people?” 

​

Emmett pops another solved piece into place. “Jerry wasn’t a bad person. He was Uncle Mitch’s best friend. He helped us fix our boat.” 

​

“This Jerry guy, how did your uncle Mitch meet him?” Adam asks. 

​

“He’s the town reverend so everybody knows him. Uncle Mitch brought him to Aunt Sissy’s house one day.” Emmett finishes the blue the sky and works on the bottom left corner where Adam put a piece down. “They liked to go out at night.” 

​

“Do you know where?” Adam asks. He notices a puzzle piece that matches the color of the corner Emmett is working on and hands it to him. 

​

“Thanks, and no, but they did come back acting funny.” He pops another piece in place. 

 

“Funny how?” 

​

“Well they smelled like Uncle Mitch’s favorite drink, I think it’s called whisky, and they kept touching each other. Aunt Sissy told them if they didn’t behave like grown men she’d kick them out.” 

​

“Was Jerry and your Uncle Mitch intimate?” 

​

“I don’t know,” Emmett says, popping the last puzzle on the bottom in place. He works on the middle of the puzzle now, but his hands shake. 

​

Adam places his arms on the table and folds his hands. “Emmett, do you know anything about this Jerry guy?” 

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Emmett shakes another piece into place. “I saw him.” 

​

Adam leans forward. “Saw who?” 

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Emmett rocks back and forth. “I heard noises from downstairs and I thought someone was being hurt.” 

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Adam takes out a notepad and pen and scribbles down notes. “Go on.” 

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Shaking his head and looking down, Emmett puts another puzzle in place. “The noise came from Uncle Mitch’s room, so I checked on him.” 

​

“What did you find?” Adam asks, writing more notes. 

​

“Well, when I opened the door Uncle Mitch was in bed and Jerry was drinking something brown and he wasn’t wearing any clothes. He took a sip of the brown juice and got into the bed, only my knee popped and Jerry heard. He saw that I was spying and he quickly ran to the door.” Emmett puts another puzzle in place. “He told me not to say anything of what I saw that night.” 

​

“Was this a threat from Jerry?” Adam asks. 

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Emmett’s shaking hands relax and he continues his puzzle. “Threat? No, he told me if anyone heard what I saw they’d lock me up for talking nonsense. I didn’t believe him, so I told Aunt Sissy. But she said I was talking nonsense. Jerry was right.” Only five more pieces of the puzzle remained. “But I didn’t want Jerry to be right, so I told everyone in town. Women gasped and men were disgusted, they thought I was spreading a lie. Uncle Mitch said I was out of 

​

control and didn’t understand what I was saying, he thought I needed help, and I here I am.” He puts the last piece of the puzzle in place revealing the watermelon farm. 

​

Adam puts down his pen. 

​

A nurse approaches them. “Emmett, we need to get you to your 3 o’clock therapy.” 

​

“Yes, ma’am.” Emmett brushes the completed puzzle and smiles. “You know why I love puzzles, Mr. Adam?” 

​

“No, why?” Adam asks. He collects his notes and pictures and places them back in the briefcase. 

​

“Because when the puzzle is complete everything becomes clear. Just take a step back and you’ll see what I mean. Bye, Mr. Adam,” Emmett says, leaving with the nurse. 

​

Adam pulls the photo back out and examines the picture. In the background is another man.