Chapter 11 - The Mother Buried Under Another Name
North Meridian Cemetery was almost empty.
A cold wind drifted between rows of old oak trees.
Adriana arrived at exactly 10:58 a.m.
Detective Pike hated the idea of her coming alone.
So did Elena.
Neither of them believed the anonymous message.
Neither of them wanted to risk ignoring it.
After thirty minutes of argument, they agreed on a compromise.
Adriana would walk into the cemetery alone.
Police surveillance teams would remain outside the main gates.
If anything went wrong, they would intervene.
At exactly eleven o'clock, the chapel bell rang once.
Adriana stood beside a weathered marble angel.
Nothing happened.
Then she heard footsteps.
Not hurried.
Measured.
Familiar.
She turned.
An elderly woman wearing a dark gray coat walked slowly toward her.
Her silver hair was tucked beneath a wool hat.
Dark sunglasses covered most of her face.
She stopped several feet away.
Neither woman spoke.
Finally, the stranger removed her glasses.
Adriana felt every breath leave her lungs.
The eyes.
The smile.
The tiny scar above the left eyebrow from a bicycle accident when Adriana was eight years old.
"Mom..."
Margaret Ellis smiled sadly.
"I'm so sorry."
Adriana crossed the distance in seconds.
She threw her arms around her mother.
For a long time, neither of them spoke.
Both simply cried.
When Adriana finally stepped back, anger replaced relief.
"You let me believe you were dead."
Margaret lowered her eyes.
"I know."
"I buried you."
"I know."
"I stood beside your grave."
"I know."
"Do you have any idea what that did to me?"
Margaret nodded.
"Every single day."
Adriana's voice trembled.
"Then why?"
Margaret looked toward the rows of gravestones.
"Because the woman buried here wasn't me."
Silence.
Adriana stared.
"What?"
Margaret pointed toward a nearby grave.
The headstone read:
Margaret Anne Ellis.
Beloved Mother.
Beloved Friend.
Adriana whispered,
"Who is buried there?"
May you like
Margaret closed her eyes.
"My oldest friend."
