Chapter 2 - Emma Opened Her EyesDaniel snatched the key from Madeline’s hand.
She tried to pull back.
Too late.
“What is this?”
“It’s nothing.”
His voice cracked.
“Why do you have a key to my daughter’s coffin?”
The security men stopped dragging Noah.
Everyone was watching.
The funeral director looked confused.
“That coffin wasn’t supposed to be locked.”
Daniel turned.
“What?”
The man swallowed.
“We never lock a child’s coffin once the viewing is complete. It closes with a standard latch.”
Daniel looked back at Madeline.
She took a step away.
“That boy must have done something.”
Noah shouted.
“I’ve never touched the coffin!”
Ghost barked again.
Daniel shoved the key into the tiny lock.
It fit.
His hands shook so badly he nearly dropped it.
He turned the key.
Click.
Daniel pulled.
The lid lifted.
Several mourners screamed.
Emma lay inside.
Still.
Pale.
Her dark hair arranged neatly around her face.
For one horrible second, Daniel thought he had allowed hope to torture him.
Then Ghost lowered his head.
Whined.
Emma’s fingers moved.
Daniel stopped breathing.
“Emma?”
Her eyelids fluttered.
Madeline stepped backward.
Daniel leaned into the coffin.
“Baby?”
Emma’s lips parted.
No sound came.
Then she inhaled.
A shallow, broken breath.
Daniel shouted.
“CALL 911!”
Chaos exploded.
People ran.
Someone dropped an umbrella.
The funeral director staggered backward.
Noah collapsed to his knees in the mud.
“I told you.”
Daniel lifted Emma from the coffin.
Her body felt cold.
Too cold.
But not lifeless.
“Emma, look at me.”
Her eyes opened slightly.
“Dad…”
Daniel made a sound somewhere between a sob and a scream.
“I’m here.”
She tried to breathe.
Ghost jumped down and paced beside them.
The dog whined continuously.
Daniel wrapped his coat around Emma.
Madeline rushed toward him.
“Let me help.”
Daniel moved away.
“No.”
“Daniel—”
“Stay away from her.”
Her face cracked.
“Please.”
“No!”
Emma flinched.
Daniel immediately softened.
“Sorry, sweetheart.”
She stared past him.
At Madeline.
Her eyes widened.
Her weak body tensed.
“No.”
Daniel looked down.
“What?”
Emma’s lips trembled.
“Don’t let her…”
Madeline froze.
Daniel leaned closer.
“Don’t let her what?”
Emma tried to speak.
But her eyes rolled.
Her body went limp.
“Emma!”
The sirens became audible in the distance.
Daniel pressed two fingers to her neck.
Pulse.
Faint.
Still there.
He looked up.
“Somebody help me!”
A nurse attending the funeral pushed through the crowd and knelt.
“She needs to stay warm.”
Daniel handed Emma over only enough for the nurse to check her breathing.
“What happened to her?”
“I don’t know.”
Noah answered from behind them.
“She was drugged.”
Daniel looked at him.
Madeline snapped.
“That boy is insane.”
Noah glared at her.
“You said nobody would find out.”
Daniel’s head turned.
“What?”
Noah’s chest rose and fell rapidly.
“I heard her.”
Madeline’s face hardened.
“You don’t know me.”
“I saw you at the house.”
Daniel stared at Noah.
“What house?”
Noah looked at him.
“Yours.”
Daniel felt something tighten in his stomach.
Madeline stepped toward the security guards.
“Get him away.”
This time, Daniel raised one hand.
“No.”
Everyone stopped.
“No one touches him.”
Madeline stared.
“Daniel.”
He looked at her.
“The boy knew Emma was alive.”
“He guessed.”
“He came here with Ghost.”
“That means nothing.”
“Ghost disappeared the night Emma ‘died.’”
Madeline’s mouth closed.
Daniel looked at Noah.
“Tell me your name.”
“Noah.”
“Noah what?”
“Noah Reed.”
“Who are you?”
The boy glanced at Madeline.
Then at the ambulance coming through the cemetery gate.
“I’m the person who found Emma after she woke up.”
Daniel’s heart stopped.
“What?”
Noah stepped closer.
“Not today.”
Daniel stared.
Noah swallowed.
“She woke up two nights ago.”
Madeline turned white.
Daniel looked at his wife.
Two nights ago.
Emma had supposedly died three days earlier.
“What is he talking about?”
Madeline shook her head.
“He’s lying.”
Noah shouted.
“She woke up in your basement!”
The entire funeral went silent again.
Daniel’s skin went cold.
“My basement?”
Noah nodded.
“I heard her crying.”
Daniel could barely speak.
“How were you in my house?”
Noah’s eyes filled with fear.
“I wasn’t supposed to be.”
The paramedics reached them.
Daniel had to move aside as Emma was placed on a stretcher.
He followed immediately.
Before entering the ambulance, he turned toward Noah.
“Come with us.”
A paramedic objected.
“Sir—”
“He comes.”
Noah climbed in.
Ghost tried to follow.
Daniel looked at the dog.
“Bring him.”
Madeline moved toward the ambulance.
Daniel stepped down.
“You’re not coming.”
Her face collapsed into practiced grief.
“Daniel, she’s my daughter too.”
“No.”
“Please.”
“You had the coffin key.”
Madeline stared.
Daniel lowered his voice.
“Stay away from Emma.”
The doors closed.
As the ambulance pulled away, Noah stared through the rear window.
Madeline stood alone in the rain.
Her umbrella had fallen into the mud.
Noah whispered:
“She knows I found the room.”
Daniel looked at him.
“What room?”
May you like
Noah turned.
“The room where she kept Emma.”
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