Chapter 2 - THE MAN WHO TRIED TO LEAVE
Rosa saw him first.
"Stop him!"
The funeral director turned.
Two guests blocked the doorway.
The director raised both hands.
"I am not running."
"Then why are you leaving?" Grant demanded.
"My staff needs instructions."
"Your staff put a living woman in a coffin."
"She arrived with a death certificate."
Paramedics rolled Vivian toward the ambulance.
Grant followed until Rosa grabbed his sleeve.
"The needle mark."
"What?"
"On her arm. It was fresh."
Grant's eyes sharpened.
The funeral director heard them.
Rosa pointed.
"You know something."
"I know nothing."
Grant crossed the room.
His voice dropped.
"My wife was declared dead yesterday morning. You embalmed her?"
The director swallowed.
"No."
"What?"
"Mrs. Holloway's family requested immediate preservation without arterial embalming."
"Who requested it?"
The man hesitated.
Grant stepped closer.
"Who?"
"Your sister-in-law. Elise Mercer."
A murmur ran through the room.
Vivian's younger sister was elegant even in grief, dressed in black silk with a diamond cross at her throat.
"That's a lie."
The funeral director shook his head.
"You signed the instruction."
Elise strode toward him.
"Because Dr. Mercer told me embalming wasn't necessary."
"Dr. Mercer?"
Elise's husband.
Vivian's brother-in-law.
The same physician who had pronounced Vivian dead.
Rosa felt cold.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"You were barely functioning."
"She was my wife."
"And she was my sister!"
Sirens faded outside as the ambulance pulled away.
Grant pointed at the funeral director.
"Nobody leaves until police get here."
The man laughed nervously.
"You can't detain people."
"No."
A uniformed officer entered through the doors.
"But I can."
Twenty minutes later, Grant and Rosa were in a police car heading to St. Catherine's Hospital.
Rosa kept seeing Vivian's white face.
Grant sat beside her, staring at his bleeding hands.
Then he whispered, "Why did you break the coffin?"
"I heard something last night."
"What?"
"A voicemail."
"From Vivian?"
"Sent three hours after they said she died."
Grant's eyes widened.
Rosa took out her phone.
May you like
Before she could press play, a text appeared from an unknown number.
DELETE THE MESSAGE OR THE NEXT COFFIN IS YOURS.
