Chapter 1: The Man Who Came Back
“Marcus! Don't let him touch the phone!””
Nia's scream tore through the chapel.
For one frozen second, nobody moved.
Daniel Price stood near the entrance, one hand inside his black suit jacket. My mother-in-law, Evelyn, stood beside the shattered coffin, her face drained of color.
And I was holding my supposedly dead wife in my arms.
My wife was alive.
The woman whose funeral I had attended that morning was alive.
I tightened my arm around Nia and stepped between her and Daniel.
“Take your hand out of your jacket,” I ordered.
Daniel looked at me.
Then he smiled.
It wasn't the smile of a man who had just discovered a miracle. It was the smile of someone whose carefully arranged plans had just fallen apart.
“Marcus,” he said calmly, “you're making a terrible mistake.””
I glanced at Nia.
Her fingers were gripping my jacket so tightly that her knuckles had turned pale.
“Call the police!”” I shouted.
A man near the front row immediately pulled out his phone.
Daniel raised his free hand.
“Everybody calm down. This is a family matter.””
“A family matter?”” I repeated.
I could barely recognize my own voice.
“My wife was tied up and buried in a coffin. What part of that looks like a family matter?””
Daniel's expression hardened.
“You don't know what happened.””
“Then explain it.””
He looked at Nia.
She immediately buried her face against my chest.
That single movement told me more than any confession could have.
My wife was terrified of him.
Not uncomfortable.
Not angry.
Terrified.
“Marcus,” Daniel said, “she's been through something traumatic. She's confused. You need to get her to a hospital before she hurts herself.””
Nia shook her head violently.
“Don't listen to him.””
I looked down.
“Baby, I'm listening.””
“He has the phone.””
Daniel's fingers tightened around something inside his jacket.
“What phone?”” I demanded.
Nia swallowed painfully.
“The black one. He recorded everything.””
Daniel's smile disappeared.
Evelyn suddenly stepped forward.
“Enough!””
Her voice echoed through the chapel.
She pointed at the mourners.
“Everyone needs to leave. Now.””
Nobody moved.
“Mrs. Carter,” an elderly woman whispered, “what is happening?””
Evelyn turned toward her.
“This is a private family emergency.””
“Then why did you tell us your daughter was dead?”” the woman asked.
Evelyn's mouth opened.
No answer came.
I stared at my mother-in-law.
“Three days ago, you told me Nia died from a heart attack.””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“Marcus, please.””
“You told me she died in her sleep.””
“I was trying to protect you.””
“From what?””
She looked at Daniel.
That was when I understood something.
Evelyn wasn't simply frightened of what Daniel might do.
She was frightened of what he might reveal.
Before she could answer, two paramedics rushed into the chapel with a medical bag and a stretcher.
“Where's the patient?””
“Here!”” I shouted.
They approached carefully.
One of them, a woman with dark hair and a blue uniform, crouched beside us.
“Ma'am, can you hear me?””
Nia nodded weakly.
“What's your name?””
“Nia.””
“Okay, Nia. I'm Rachel. We're going to get you somewhere safe. Can you tell me if you're having trouble breathing?””
Nia tried to speak, but her throat was painfully dry.
Rachel checked her pulse.
“How long has she been like this?””
“I don't know,” I answered.
“I found her inside the coffin.””
The paramedic looked at me sharply.
“Inside the coffin?””
“Her wrists were tied. Her mouth was covered.””
Rachel's expression changed.
She immediately called for her colleague.
“We need oxygen and transport. Now.””
As they carefully transferred Nia onto the stretcher, her hand searched desperately for mine.
I caught it.
“I'm right here.””
She looked directly into my eyes.
“Don't leave me with him.””
“I won't.””
Daniel suddenly moved toward the stretcher.
“I'm coming with you.””
I stepped into his path.
“No.””
“I'm her business partner. I have medical information about her.””
“You're not going anywhere near her.””
Daniel lowered his voice.
“Marcus, you have no idea what you're getting yourself into.””
I leaned closer.
“Then tell me.””
His eyes flicked toward Evelyn.
For the first time, he looked genuinely nervous.
“Ask your mother-in-law what happened on Tuesday night.””
Evelyn gasped.
I turned.
“What happened Tuesday night?””
She backed away.
“Nothing.””
Daniel gave a short laugh.
“Still lying, Evelyn?””
“Shut up!”” she screamed.
The entire chapel fell silent.
Daniel slowly removed his hand from his jacket.
There was no weapon.
Only a black smartphone.
He held it up between two fingers.
“Perhaps Marcus should see what his wife was doing before all this happened.””
Nia struggled against the stretcher.
“No! Don't!””
Rachel immediately placed a hand on her shoulder.
“Ma'am, you need to stay still.””
I stared at Daniel.
“Give me the phone.””
“Not a chance.””
“Then tell me what's on it.””
Daniel looked around at the remaining mourners.
Then he said something that made my stomach turn.
“Your wife wasn't supposed to be in that coffin.””
I felt my blood run cold.
“What?””
He glanced at Nia.
“She was supposed to be somewhere else.””
Before I could grab him, two police officers entered the chapel.
A woman in uniform approached us.
“I'm Detective Sarah Collins. We received a report of a possible assault and unlawful confinement.””
She looked at the broken coffin.
Then at Nia.
Then at Daniel.
“Who is responsible for this?””
I pointed.
“Him.””
Daniel immediately raised both hands.
“Detective, this is a misunderstanding.””
She looked at the phone in his hand.
“Sir, put that down.””
“I need to explain—”
“Put it down.””
He slowly placed the phone on a nearby table.
The detective instructed another officer to secure it.
Then she turned toward Evelyn.
“Mrs. Carter, we'll need to speak with you too.””
Evelyn began crying.
“I didn't hurt my daughter.””
Nobody had accused her yet.
I noticed that.
And so did Detective Collins.
“Interesting,” the detective said quietly.
“I haven't asked you whether you hurt anyone.””
Evelyn pressed a hand against her mouth.
Meanwhile, Rachel was preparing to move Nia.
I bent down and kissed my wife's forehead.
Her skin was cold.
“I'm following you to the hospital.””
She squeezed my hand.
“Marcus?””
“Yes?””
“Don't let them tell you I died.””
I frowned.
“What does that mean?””
Her eyes filled with tears.
Then she whispered four words.
“They already killed someone.””
I felt the world tilt beneath my feet.
“Who did they kill?””
But Nia's eyes rolled back.
The paramedic called her name.
The stretcher began moving.
And as I followed them out of the chapel, Detective Collins grabbed my arm.
“Mr. Carter.””
I turned.
She was holding a small plastic evidence bag.
Inside was a folded piece of paper she had apparently found beneath the broken coffin lining.
“Does this belong to your wife?””
I unfolded the paper.
There were only two sentences.
*IF NIA WAKES UP, MARCUS MUST DIE.*
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And beneath them was my full name.
Written in my own handwriting.
