Chapter 12 - Emma’s Question
Emma did not understand fraud.
She understood one thing.
Daddy was not in the coffin.
That should have been good news.
Instead, she asked:
“Then where is Daddy?”
Every answer hurt.
“We’re looking.”
“Police looking?”
“Yes.”
“Grandma knows?”
That question stopped me.
“She knows some things.”
“Why she yell?”
“Because she was scared.”
“Of Daddy?”
“No.”
I refused to explain Margaret through lies, but five-year-olds do not need indictments at bedtime.
Emma asked:
“Was that man going to get buried?”
I sat beside her.
“No.”
That was the plan as far as police could determine.
Ryan had intended to remove Martin after the service during transport to a private crematory route, then relocate him again.
The coffin was hiding him temporarily.
Still horrifying.
But I told Emma only:
“The police found him in time.”
She held Daniel’s old work phone against her chest.
May you like
“Daddy phone found him.”
“In a way.”
