Chapter 4 - Daniel’s Number
The police seized my phone temporarily for forensic preservation, then returned it after imaging.
The message really had come through Daniel’s account.
Not spoofed.
Not from some random number pretending to be his.
Daniel had two devices associated with the same secure messaging account: his personal phone and a laptop.
The personal phone had been ringing inside the coffin.
The laptop had sent the message.
Technically, the message displayed Daniel’s number because his account remained registered to that line.
The important question became:
Where was the laptop?
Investigators obtained provider records through emergency legal process.
The message had been transmitted through an internet connection at 10:13 that morning.
Five minutes before the coffin started ringing.
The connection came from a commercial network associated with one of Vance Structural’s older warehouse properties.
A property Ryan managed.
Police left the funeral home immediately.
I wanted to go.
Detective Ortiz told me no.
“You have your daughter.”
“My husband may be there.”
“I know.”
“Then I’m coming.”
“No.”
I hated her.
Later I understood.
A rescue scene does not become safer because a spouse is emotionally entitled to be present.
May you like
I stayed with Emma.
That was my job.
