Chapter 4: The Woman Who Was Supposed to Be Dead
Sarah stared at Ben.
For several seconds, neither of them moved.
Then she laughed.
It wasn't a happy laugh. It was the kind of laugh that escaped someone whose mind had reached the limits of what it could understand.
“That's not funny, Ben.””
He didn't respond.
“Tell me that's not what you're saying.””
Ben looked at the photograph on her phone again.
“Where did your father find this?””
“In Mom's safe. He said there was another person in the picture.””
“Sarah, listen to me.””
“No. You listen to me. My mother is dead.
I attended her funeral. I watched them lower her coffin into the ground.””
“I know.””
“Then why are you looking at that photograph as though you've seen a ghost?””
Ben swallowed.
“Because I have.””
Sarah stepped backward.
“What?””
“Your mother came to see me three days before the funeral.””
The room seemed to tilt.
Sarah grabbed the edge of the bedside table.
“You saw her?””
“Yes.””
“And you didn't tell me?””
Ben's eyes filled with tears.
“She made me promise.””
Sarah shook her head violently.
“This is insane. You expect me to believe my mother faked her death?””
“I don't know whether she faked it. I only know I saw her.””
“Where?””
“At a private clinic outside the city.””
“When?””
“Three days before the funeral.””
Sarah pressed both hands against her forehead.
“Why would she do that?””
Ben looked toward the door.
“Because someone was trying to kill her.””
The words hung between them.
Sarah slowly lowered her hands.
“Who?””
“I never found out.””
“Did you tell the police?””
“No.””
“Did you tell my father?””
Ben looked away.
That was answer enough.
Sarah's voice rose.
“You kept this from my father too?””
“Your father believed your mother was dead. I couldn't tell him without exposing her location.””
“Where is she now?””
Ben didn't answer.
Sarah grabbed his hand.
“Ben, where is my mother?””
“I don't know.””
“You saw her three days before the funeral!””
“And she disappeared afterward!””
His voice cracked.
For a moment, the only sound in the room was the rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor.
Ben took a breath.
“Sarah, your mother gave me an envelope. She said if anything happened to her, I was supposed to protect you.””
“Protect me from what?””
“She said the person responsible for the financial transfers would eventually come looking for you.””
Sarah's eyes narrowed.
“Why me?””
“Because your name is on the original trust.””
She shook her head.
“I never signed anything.””
“I know. That's why she left something for you.””
Ben reached toward the drawer beside his bed.
His fingers trembled as he pulled out a small silver key.
Sarah recognized it immediately.
It belonged to the old jewelry box her mother had kept in her bedroom.
“Where did you get that?””
“Your mother gave it to me.””
Sarah stared at the key.
“What's it for?””
“An apartment storage unit. She rented it under a different name. There's a box inside.””
“What's in the box?””
“Documents. Recordings. Everything she collected before she disappeared.””
Sarah took the key.
It felt impossibly heavy in her palm.
“Why didn't you tell me about this earlier?””
Ben looked ashamed.
“Because I was supposed to retrieve it last week. But someone followed me.””
“Who?””
“I don't know. A black SUV. Same vehicle outside my apartment, outside the hospital, and outside the clinic.””
Sarah's blood ran cold.
“Did you report it?””
“I tried.””
“And?””
“Someone had already accessed the surveillance footage.””
Before Sarah could respond, the door opened.
Dr. Arnold entered with two security officers.
“Sarah, you need to come with us.””
She immediately stood.
“Why?””
The doctor looked at Ben.
“I'm sorry, but the hospital has received a formal request to secure all evidence related to the trust.””
Ben's face tightened.
“What evidence?””
“Your personal belongings, including any documents.””
Sarah slipped the silver key into her coat pocket.
“You're not taking anything from us.””
One of the security officers stepped forward.
“Ma'am, we need to follow procedure.””
“Then follow it without threatening my husband.””
Dr. Arnold raised a hand.
“Sarah, nobody is threatening anyone.””
Ben suddenly grabbed her wrist.
“Don't let them take my phone.””
The doctor froze.
“What did you say?””
Ben looked directly at him.
“The recordings are on my phone.””
Dr. Arnold's expression changed.
Sarah noticed it immediately.
It wasn't confusion.
It was recognition.
“You know about the recordings?”” she asked.
The doctor didn't answer.
Instead, he turned to the security officers.
“Please wait outside.””
Once they had left, Sarah stepped closer.
“Dr. Arnold, what is going on?””
The doctor looked at Ben.
Then he whispered:
“Your mother wasn't the only person who survived that night.””
Sarah's breath caught.
“What night?””
Dr. Arnold opened his mouth.
But before he could speak, every light in the room went out.
The heart monitor stopped.
Someone screamed in the corridor.
And from the darkness, Sarah heard Ben whisper:
“She's here.””
Three minutes later, emergency lighting flickered on.
Nurses rushed into the room.
Dr. Arnold checked Ben's pulse while another nurse restarted the monitor.
Sarah stood near the wall, shaking.
“Where is she?”” she demanded.
Nobody answered.
Then a nurse approached her.
“Ma'am, we need you to come with us.””
“I'm not leaving without my husband.””
“Please. It's hospital policy during an electrical emergency.””
Sarah glanced toward Ben.
He was conscious again, but his eyes were fixed on the doorway.
His lips moved.
“Sarah.””
She leaned closer.
“What?””
“Your mother…”
He struggled to breathe.
“Don't trust the man who buried her.””
Sarah felt the blood drain from her face.
May you like
Because there was only one person who had arranged her mother's funeral.
Her father.
