Chapter 2: The Woman Who Signed Her Death Away
The ambulance doors slammed shut.
I climbed inside beside Danielle while a paramedic adjusted the oxygen mask over her face.
“What's her name?”” he asked.
“Danielle Carter. She's my wife.””
“How long was she inside that coffin?””
I couldn't answer.
“Sir, I need an estimate.””
“About forty minutes.””
The paramedic exchanged a worried look with his partner.
“Do you know what happened to her?””
“She was in a car accident. That's what the hospital told me.””
“When?””
“Two days ago.””
He looked at me sharply.
“Two days?””
I nodded.
He checked the monitor again.
“Something isn't adding up.””
My stomach tightened.
“What do you mean?””
“Her body temperature is low, and she's severely dehydrated. But she's showing signs of a drug-induced state. We need the hospital to run a full toxicology screen.””
“Drug-induced?””
He didn't answer immediately.
“I'm not making a diagnosis here. The doctors will need to determine what happened.””
I looked at Danielle.
Her wedding ring was still on her finger.
I had chosen the dress she was wearing in the coffin.
I had kissed her forehead before they closed the lid.
I had believed I was saying goodbye to the woman I loved.
But she had been breathing.
Somewhere beneath that white satin lining, she had been fighting to come back to me.
“Please stay with me,” I whispered.
Her fingers moved.
Barely.
But enough.
I held her hand all the way to the hospital.
At the emergency department, doctors rushed Danielle through double doors.
A nurse stopped me before I could follow.
“Family members need to wait here.””
“I'm her husband.””
“I understand, sir, but the medical team needs space.””
“She's been declared dead for two days. Somebody needs to explain how that happened!””
The nurse's expression softened.
“Please sit down. Someone will speak with you.””
I couldn't sit.
I paced the corridor, calling my brother repeatedly.
When Daniel finally answered, his voice was strained.
“Michael, I'm outside the chapel.””
“Where's Evelyn?””
“Gone.””
“Gone where?””
“I don't know. She left in her car before the police arrived.””
I clenched my jaw.
“Did you keep that photograph?””
“Yes. I sent it to you.””
“Who took it?””
“That's the strange part. It came from an unknown number. The message said, 'Your sister-in-law deserves justice.''”
I looked through my messages.
There it was.
A photograph of Evelyn standing beside Dr. Richard Hayes outside Danielle's hospital room.
I zoomed in.
The doctor was holding a folder.
Evelyn was pointing toward something inside it.
Behind them, a wall clock showed 11:47 p.m.
According to the death certificate, Danielle had died at 8:15 p.m.
“Daniel, find out who sent that picture.””
“I will.””
“And don't contact Evelyn.””
There was a pause.
“Michael?””
“What?””
“I need to tell you something about the funeral.””
“What?””
“The funeral director told me Evelyn had paid extra to have the coffin sealed before the service.””
My blood ran cold.
“What do you mean, sealed?””
“He said she specifically requested that nobody open it, even if the family asked.””
I looked toward the emergency department doors.
“Why would she do that?””
Daniel lowered his voice.
“I don't know. But I think she knew Danielle wasn't dead.””
The call ended.
A doctor emerged from the treatment area.
I rushed toward him.
“Doctor, my wife?””
“Are you Michael Carter?””
“Yes.””
“I'm Dr. Patel. Your wife is stable for now. We've managed to improve her oxygen levels, but she's extremely weak.””
“Will she survive?””
“We're cautiously optimistic. However, we need to understand what substances were administered to her and for how long.””
“Can I see her?””
“In a few minutes.””
I swallowed.
“Doctor, why was she declared dead?””
He looked at me carefully.
“That's one of the questions we're trying to answer.””
“Can a person be declared dead when they're actually in a drug-induced state?””
Dr. Patel didn't immediately respond.
“It's possible for certain medical conditions to be mistaken for death, but the circumstances you describe are highly unusual. We have already requested the original hospital records.””
I pulled out my phone.
“There's something else.””
I showed him the photograph.
He studied it.
His expression became unreadable.
“Do you recognize this doctor?””
“Dr. Richard Hayes. He signed Danielle's death certificate.””
Dr. Patel zoomed in on the image.
Then he looked up.
“That's impossible.””
“What?””
“Dr. Hayes left this hospital six months ago.””
I stared at him.
“Then why was he in my wife's room?””
“I don't know.””
He returned the phone.
“But I strongly recommend that you contact the police.””
“I intend to.””
Twenty minutes later, a nurse finally allowed me into Danielle's room.
She lay beneath a thin white blanket, surrounded by monitors.
Her face looked smaller than I remembered.
I pulled a chair beside her bed.
“Hey, beautiful.””
Her eyelids fluttered.
I took her hand.
“You scared me half to death.””
A faint smile appeared.
“Sorry,” she whispered.
I laughed, but tears ran down my face.
“Don't apologize. Just tell me what happened.””
She looked toward the door.
“Is Ava safe?””
“She is with Daniel. She's safe.””
“And my mother?””
I hesitated.
“She's gone.””
Danielle closed her eyes.
For a moment, I thought she had fallen asleep.
Then she whispered, “Good.””
I leaned closer.
“Danielle, I found the note inside your pendant.””
Her eyes opened.
“You read it?””
I nodded.
“Why didn't you tell me Evelyn was dangerous?””
Danielle looked down at our joined hands.
“I tried.””
“When?””
“Three weeks ago.””
I frowned.
“I don't remember.””
“You were at work. I called you. Your mother answered your phone.””
I stared at her.
“My mother?””
Danielle nodded weakly.
“She told me you were busy. Then she said something I never forgot.””
“What?””
Danielle's eyes filled with tears.
“She said I was destroying your family.””
I shook my head.
“That's ridiculous.””
“She knew about the money, Michael.””
“What money?””
Danielle swallowed.
“Your inheritance.””
I went still.
My father had died four years earlier, leaving me a substantial investment account and a controlling interest in his construction company.
I'd never thought much about it.
My mother had managed most of the paperwork after his death.
“What does my inheritance have to do with this?””
Danielle tried to sit up, but pain forced her back against the pillow.
“Evelyn discovered that your father had changed his will.””
I frowned.
“He changed it?””
“Yes. Before he died, he transferred the majority of his shares into a trust.””
“That's true. My mother told me the trust was temporary.””
Danielle shook her head.
“It wasn't temporary. Your father made you the sole beneficiary. But there was one condition.””
“What condition?””
She looked straight at me.
“You had to remain married to me for five years.””
I blinked.
“That's impossible.””
“We celebrated our fifth anniversary last month.””
My mouth went dry.
Danielle continued.
“Evelyn wanted those shares. She convinced your mother that if I disappeared before the anniversary, the trust could be challenged.””
I stood up.
“My mother knew?””
Danielle didn't answer.
She didn't need to.
A knock sounded at the door.
A nurse stepped inside.
“Mr. Carter, there's a detective here asking to speak with you.””
I nodded.
“Send him in.””
A tall man in a gray coat entered.
“Michael Carter? I'm Detective Samuel Brooks.””
He glanced at Danielle, then back at me.
“I'm investigating the circumstances surrounding your wife's reported death.””
“Good. Because somebody tried to bury her alive.””
Detective Brooks opened his notebook.
“There's something you should know before we proceed.””
He placed a printed document on the bedside table.
It was a copy of Danielle's death certificate.
But this time, I noticed something I'd overlooked before.
The signature at the bottom wasn't Dr. Hayes's.
It belonged to someone else.
May you like
My own mother.
Margaret Carter.
