Chapter 20 - Two GravesAdrian stood before Julianne's real grave.
The stone was small.
JULIA SHAW.
1978–2004.
BELOVED MOTHER.
No mention of wife.
No mention of Mercer.
No indication anyone except Miriam had known who rested there.
Adrian knelt.
For several minutes he said nothing.
Emma stayed back.
Eventually Adrian whispered:
“I'm sorry.”
Wind moved through the trees.
“I should have found you.”
Emma finally approached.
“You had a grave too.”
Adrian looked at her.
“What?”
“My mother thought the man she loved had betrayed her. You thought the woman you loved was under a headstone in Massachusetts.”
Emma sat beside him.
“You were both buried, just in different ways.”
Adrian wiped his eyes.
Emma placed a flower beside the stone.
“We can't change it.”
“No.”
“But we can make sure everyone knows what happened.”
Adrian nodded.
They agreed not to move Julianne yet.
Not until the investigation was finished.
Before leaving, Adrian noticed scratches along the lower corner of the stone.
Someone had recently tried to remove a metal plaque.
Emma looked closer.
Behind the stone they found fresh footprints.
May you like
Somebody else had located Julianne's grave.
And judging by the disturbed earth around it, they had been searching for something.
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