I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to my father, Arnold, when Bella, my dog, suddenly began barking and acting frantic outside the church. Inside, his casket was sealed for cremation due to an infectious disease, but Bella’s behavior unnerved me.
During the final hymn, she charged the casket, barking relentlessly. Something felt wrong. I insisted on opening it. It was empty.
My mother fainted, and I called the police. Detective Bradshaw confirmed the coroner had released the remains—but something was off. Searching the morgue and my father’s office, I found files missing, emails wiped, and key figurines gone.
Mr. Stevens, my father’s lawyer, informed me the company was in debt and hinted at Arnold’s affair with his secretary, Miss Pearson. Following her to her home, I discovered a $7 million life insurance policy with her as the beneficiary. She vanished before authorities could question her.
Suspecting my father was alive, I tracked the missing figurine he prized. Using it, I set a trap at an auction. When Arnold appeared to claim it, Detective Bradshaw arrested him.
He confessed: he faked his death, bribed the coroner, and staged the funeral to run off with Miss Pearson. Finally, the truth came out—and justice followed.