Chapter 2 - The Doctor Who Declared Emily Dead)
The man wearing scrubs introduced himself as Dr. Simon Vale.
He did not offer his hand.
He did not have to.
Ava already knew exactly what he was.
A liar.
“Open the coffin,” she said.
Dr. Vale shook his head.
“The remains were released under legally authorized restrictions.”
“Remains don’t knock.”
“Muscular contractions can occur after death.”
“Not like that.”
Julian Mercer stepped between them.
“Miss Brooks, you are a funeral attendant. Dr. Vale is a licensed physician.”
“And?”
“And perhaps we should respect expertise.”
Ava looked at Martin.
“Open it.”
Martin would not meet her eyes.
Ava felt anger replacing fear.
“You heard the knock.”
Martin swallowed.
“I heard something.”
“From inside.”
“I don’t know.”
“You know.”
Julian placed a hand on Martin’s shoulder.
“Mr. Hale understands his responsibilities.”
That sentence told Ava everything.
Martin was afraid of Julian.
Not annoyed.
Not intimidated.
Afraid.
Ava reached for the coffin latch.
Dr. Vale moved faster than she expected.
He caught her wrist.
“Do not do that.”
Ava stared at his hand.
“Let me go.”
“This body is under preservation protocol.”
“Why?”
“Medical reasons.”
“What reasons?”
“That information is protected.”
“She might be alive.”
“She is not.”
Ava looked into his eyes.
“You don’t sound very curious.”
Dr. Vale released her.
Julian took out his phone.
“I think this conversation is finished.”
Ava crossed her arms.
“I’m calling the police.”
“That would be unfortunate.”
“For who?”
Julian smiled.
“For you.”
Martin finally spoke.
“Ava, please.”
She turned toward him.
His voice trembled.
“Go home.”
“Martin.”
“Go home.”
Ava looked around the room.
Three men.
One coffin.
One woman who might be dying inside it.
She realized she could not win there.
Not then.
So she pretended to surrender.
“Fine.”
Julian watched her carefully.
Ava removed her gloves.
She walked toward the staff room.
“Where are you going?” Julian asked.
“To change.”
He seemed satisfied.
Ava entered the staff room, closed the door and immediately opened the small security application on her phone.
Saint Augustine had cameras throughout the public areas.
Ava had access because she often closed the building.
She selected Chapel One.
The video appeared.
Julian.
Martin.
Dr. Vale.
The coffin.
Ava turned on screen recording.
She watched.
Julian waited until the staff room door closed.
Then he looked at Dr. Vale.
“How long?”
Dr. Vale approached the coffin.
He checked his watch.
“Hard to say.”
Martin whispered, “She’s alive?”
Julian looked at him sharply.
“Do you want to keep your business?”
Martin said nothing.
Dr. Vale crouched beside the coffin.
“The dose should have lasted another twelve hours.”
Ava’s entire body went cold.
Dose.
Not death.
Dose.
Martin backed away.
“You told me she was dead.”
“She is legally dead,” Julian said.
“That’s not the same thing.”
“It will be.”
Ava covered her mouth.
Dr. Vale tapped the coffin lid.
“Respiration is probably extremely shallow. The sedative suppresses movement. She might surface intermittently.”
Martin whispered, “You’re burying her alive.”
Julian’s expression did not change.
“No burial.”
Martin stared.
“What?”
“She’ll be transferred after the service.”
“Where?”
“You don’t need to know.”
Ava kept recording.
Dr. Vale opened his medical bag.
Martin stepped forward.
“What are you doing?”
“Correcting the dosage.”
Ava stopped watching.
She ran.
Not toward the chapel.
Toward the loading corridor.
There was an emergency alarm there.
If she triggered it, the building would fill with staff, firefighters and police.
She reached the hallway.
The door behind her opened.
“Miss Brooks.”
Julian.
She ran faster.
His footsteps followed.
Ava reached for the alarm.
A hand grabbed the back of her uniform.
She screamed.
Julian pulled her away.
She twisted and hit him with her elbow.
He swore.
Ava reached the alarm again.
Dr. Vale appeared from the opposite corridor.
He blocked her.
Martin stood behind him.
Martin looked sick.
“Ava,” he said. “Stop.”
She stared at him.
“You know what they’re doing.”
“I know.”
“And you’re helping them?”
“I have employees. A mortgage. My daughter starts college next month.”
“There is a woman in that coffin.”
Martin’s eyes filled with shame.
“I know.”
Ava slapped the alarm.
Sirens erupted.
Red emergency lights flashed.
Julian’s calm expression disappeared.
“You stupid woman.”
Ava ran toward the public entrance.
The building’s automated fire doors began opening.
Employees shouted from other rooms.
Ava reached the lobby.
Julian stopped chasing her.
Too many witnesses.
Ava pushed through the front doors into the cold evening air.
She called emergency services.
“Saint Augustine Memorial Chapel,” she said breathlessly. “There is a living woman inside a coffin. A doctor drugged her. They are trying to keep her unconscious.”
The operator hesitated.
“Ma’am, are you currently safe?”
“Yes.”
“Do you have evidence of what you’re reporting?”
Ava looked at her phone.
“Yes.”
She opened the screen recording.
The file was corrupted.
Nothing played.
Ava tried again.
The application had logged her out.
The security system was suddenly unavailable.
Through the chapel’s glass doors, she saw Julian standing inside.
He held his phone.
Then Ava’s device vibrated.
Unknown number.
A message appeared.
Go home, Miss Brooks.
Your brother Marcus should have taught you that sometimes people survive longer when families know when to stop asking questions.
Ava stared at the message.
Marcus had been dead for eleven years.
Nobody at Saint Augustine knew the details of his hospital case.
Nobody except her family.
May you like
The second message arrived immediately.
If you open Emily Whitmore’s coffin, your mother will need one next.
