Turnpike Confidential

written by Neal Savage

Richmond, Virginia, fall 1956: World War II veteran Eddie Bostic earns his living as a locksmith. It’s an honest trade and one he takes pride in, something he can’t say about his days as a cop or private eye. After quitting the force and getting blacklisted as an investigator, Eddie is now as far away from all that as possible. The only problem, he’s being evicted from his shop and can’t afford to lease a new place. 

When summoned to the downtown offices of the Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike Authority, he learns it’s not about eviction or a locksmith job. The word is out that Eddie does side jobs as an unlicensed investigator. When the Authority offers him enough cash for a new shop in exchange for some of his side work, Eddie is ambivalent. They’re no friend, and this is no favor. Eddie’s choice will take him down a dark road toward deceit, betrayal, and murder.

Against a post-war Southern backdrop, this journey includes an encounter with a young Martin Luther King, Jr., the keynote speaker at a local conference. Several other scenes are set inside the liminal spaces of Richmond’s Black district, Jackson Ward, before the wrecking ball came calling. Turnpike Confidential is an explosive story of race, history, and injustice in a city that will be changed forever.