Exposing a disturbing secret Robert had not come prepared to see Emily Robert jolted away drenched in sweat. His throat sore in his eyes, stinging at the ungodly hour.
It had happened again, a dream that had haunted him for over a year since Emily’s death, but this time it was different, he’d seen his dead daughter alive and was very disturbed gasping for breath.
Robert sat up in bed unable to shake his head off the dream that felt all too real in it. His beloved Emily was standing before him in a cloud of mist calling out his name asking him to help her with trembling fingers Robert reached out for a picture frame on his bedside table and gazed at it for a good long, 10 minutes.
It was a picture of him hugging, Emily, a memory dear to his heart, capturing their Embrace at Emily’s High School.
graduation as he lifted it from the nightstand Robert couldn’t help, but stare at Emily’s missing arm the side that had always pained him.
Emily was born with a congenital disability, and her right arm had to be amputated when she was little. The memory brought tears to Robert’s eyes and after long a sleepless night, he knew what to do something’s, not right.
I can feel it my daughter’s trying to tell me something. I need to visit her grave first thing. In the morning.
He whispered to himself at the break of Don Robert got dressed quickly and drove to the graveyard his heart pounding home as Robert made his way to the cemetery. He quickened his Pace in a strange feeling, grew stronger in the pit of his stomach Emily’s chalk white face that he’d seen in the dream remained blue to his mind.
What was she trying to tell me, or is my mind, playing tricks with me? Robert tried to push this strange thoughts aside as he marched towards Emily’s grave, with a bouquet of her favorite pink roses in his hand, but, as he drew closer Robert said, something was wrong: oh my God, what the hell!
How could this happen? Who could do such a horrible thing? He gasped the ground around Emily’s grave had been freshly dug in her coffin was a jar offering Robert a glimpse into something he should have never seen.
How could somebody just break open my daughter’s grave Robert pauses Elaine closer to take a look tears streamed down his face as he fell to his knees, unable to comprehend the horrific scene before him, Emily’s coffin was pried open and her skeletal remains were laid bare before His shock dies the Roses slipped from Robert’s hands and a lump Rose in his toad until his back hit a nearby Willow Tree, as he tried to make sense of what he was seeing.
His gaze drifted back to Emily’s mortal remains once more and he noticed something odd that made the hair frizz up on his neck, Robert rubbed his eyes again and looked disbelief etched all over his face. He wondered if he was hallucinating, but, as he looked closer, he noticed that the skeletal hand resting on Emily’s chest was indeed a right hand, the the one she lost in her childhood.
How is this possible? He growed, how does Emily’s body have two hands when she’s supposed to have one Roberts are throgged without a second thought he bolted from the cemetery his booted feet pounding the pavement as he raced to the local police station.
He burst through the door, demanding to speak with the detectives on duty officer. You have to help me. I need you to come with me: Rob repented as he approached the inspector. My daughter’s grave has been dug up in the cemetery, at least something you need to check. The inspector looked up at Robert on move by a statement and raised an eyebrow skeptically.
Oh not again, we’ve had a gang of Tomb. Raiders operating this year, they’ve been digging up Graves to look valuables, mostly targeting the graves of married and old women. I’M sorry for what happened, but we’re doing everything we can to catch these Rogues. But that’s not the point inspector Robert interrupted pulling out his smartphone look. I took a picture.
My daughter, Emily’s body, has two arms inspector, but she only had one arm her whole life. Her right arm was amputated when she was five. The inspector’s jaw dropped in disbelief as he grabbed the phone from Robert’s hand and gave to the picture. This is indeed strange. One arm, are you sure about that?
Oh come on inspector, of course, I’m sure I know what you look like Robert gave a frustrated reply. She was my daughter I raised her for 25 years without her mother. No, Mr Cosby, I mean, did you attend the funeral as the inspector eyeing Robert suspiciously Robert’s face fell in despair? Oh I couldn’t make it tears. Welled up in his eyes see the thing is: I was on a long sea Voyage when Emily died.
My son-in-law called me in the middle of the trip to tell me that she’d passed in a car accident and when I got back it was already too late. Everything was over and her husband had already buried her. Are you sure about your son-in-law? The officer’s voice took on a slightly skeptical tone, as he stared into Robert’s eyes, his brows throwed him down. Well, yes, I think so.
Roger and Emily were happy together, but something doesn’t feel right. Robert answered uncertainty cloaking his eyes, we’ll contact you when we catch the robbers, the inspector declared there’s nothing much. We can do now right now. Ignoring the weird detail about the armor. Just looks like another grave robbery: we’ll call you if there’s some lead, but I can’t promise anything right now.
Robert left the police station, with a heavy heart disheartened by the officer’s dismissive attitude towards his daughter’s case. He knew he had to take matters into his own heads if he wanted to get to the bottom of what had really happened to Emily can’t just sit around waiting for the police to do their job, Robert mumbled, as he walked down the street to them. It’S just a case not to me it’s my daughter, we’re talking about. I need to find out what really happened to her Robert hopped into his car and drove down the winding road to Emily’s ex-husband Rogers house. His arm racing with anticipation, Robert anxiously stood on the patio ringing, the doorbell another time and Roger answered the door.
Looking surprised to see him – oh Mr Crosby, hello, I wasn’t expecting to see you is, is everything all right? He uttered his voice slightly shaking as his eyes started around hey Roger. I wanted to talk to you about something about Emily. Why don’t we go inside and talk Robert noticed the adjective in Roger’s eyes, but ignored it as he gestured towards the living room? Ah, of course, Mr Cosby, please come in feel at home.
Roger stepped a sign. I visited Emily’s grave today and I found her grave dug open. Can you tell me about her burial said Robert as he leaned forward his stair fixed on Roger’s face Roger puckered his lips as he rose to his feet in shock. What her grave was dug open. My God, I can’t believe it I’d arranged for a proper burial.
Why would someone do such a thing? I don’t understand either. I just spoke with the inspector I reported what I saw at a station Roger. We all know. Emily had only one hand, but she had two when I saw her body in that coffin how’s that even possible.
I I don’t know what you’re talking about Mr Cosby Roger’s eyes widen as he nervously stammered taking off his glasses, that’s crazy! He continued nervously. I saw Emily’s body in the casket with my own eyes. It all happened so fast. The funeral was symbol, just family and friends, and you couldn’t make it because you were on a cruise.
I don’t know how to such a thing as possible. I don’t know: what’s going on either Roger, I really don’t get it as Robert made himself comfortable on the couch. He took a moment to look around. He noticed the room was prim and proper, with family photos on walls and shells, your daughter’s grown so big. He said pointing to a photo of his granddaughter Rave On The Wall.
Yeah she’s, three, now Roger NADA, looking worried as Roger continued talking about his plans to send his daughter to school Roberts case shifted to photos of Roger with another woman on the wall. One looked like a wedding photo and he was stunned. Oh you got married again. Robert spoke lifting a random picture frame of Roger’s, second wife off the shelf. He didn’t even invite me to your wedding, huh Roger yes, Mr Cosby.
The wedding was a few months ago on the beach. It was a bit rushed and I couldn’t invite many people. Unfortunately, you were away on a trip, so I couldn’t extend a personal invitation. Roger was fidgety as Robert cast another look at the picture adjusting his glasses. She looks a lot like Emily.
What happened to her leg is that a prosthesis where’s, your wife. Now I don’t see her around well. Merlin can walk yeah, that’s her prosthetic leg, she’s, not home anymore. Mr Cosby merly died in an accident two months ago. What?
Oh? I’M so sorry for your loss, Robert Paws. How did it happen? I’M still in shock? Mr Cosby, it’s been a really hard for me.
You know she died in an accident on her way back from a walk. The funeral was at the cemetery nearby. I just visited today morning, I’m still not out of it. A chill ran down Robert’s spine as he connected the dots in his head. Emily had also passed away in an accident just like Rogers now late second wife, he pondered alright Roger.
I should get going stay strong, I’ll, see you around and tell Ava grandpa had come. Okay, Robert embraced Roger before leaving his apartment, two wives, both disabled and dead, in the same freakish way. Something feel terribly wrong, or am I overthinking Robert was confused and decided to investigate further on his own and find out what really happened. His heart raced as he crept through the dark Cemetery that night with a shovel in his grip Robert knew what he was about to do was insane and could line him in hot Waters. But this was the only chance to dig out the truth, which one God where’s the grave.
He said she passed away. Two months ago, Robert paraded through the row of graves, looking for the tomb that belonged to Roger’s, second wife Merlin. Finally, after a long search, he stumbled upon a gravestone with the Epitaph of Merlin’s name along with Roger’s family name on it, the tombstone looked new and even the date of death matched the date from two months ago. It. This is the one I need to dig out Robert exclaim.
He rolled up his sleeves as he knelt beside the grave and began spreading mounds of Earth. The Earth was hard and dry, making it difficult for him to toil all alone, but Robert didn’t give up. He kept digging and digging for hours The Silence of the graves shattering by the shovel’s sharp strikes. What am I doing? I hope nobody catches me doing this or I’m in hot crap Robert could feel his gut churning with fear and disgust as the shovel stroke.
The coffin with a heavy thumb, after struggling with a rusted, hinges, Robert wedged, the shovel into a small crack and pushed down with all his might as the lid popped open with a loud crack. The stench of death in Decay assaulted his senses. Oh my God holy. He recorded what the hell this isn’t, Merlin, whose body is this inner grave, then Robert’s hard sank as he peered into the coffin. The body in the casket had two legs and it didn’t look like it was Merlin’s body at all, as she had a prosthetic.
Oh, my God, what the hell is happening. This isn’t Merlin that the body I saw this morning it certainly not my daughters, is my daughter alive, then Robert’s, mind raced with questions, or could it be that my daughter, Emily hadn’t died in an accident at all? Am I missing something Roberts viren discussed were overwhelming as he again checked the corpses decaying legs. He held his head trying to piece the puzzle when suddenly, the silence was broken by the sound of approaching sirens and emergency lights. Beaming in the distance Rob covered Frozen as Vision blur before he could think of anything else or make his Escape.
Multiple flashlights Shone on him from all sides. Don’T move this. Is the police hands up an officer, shouted with a pistol in his hand, Robert dropped his shovel and slowly raised his hands his mind racing to come up with an explanation? Well, well! Well, we finally caught you, Robert we’ve, been looking for you for a while said one of the officers as they approached Mr Cosby.
What are you doing here, gas? The inspector? The cops were stunned at seeing Robert soaked in swollen stenches. He turned around his hands raised over his head and eyes widen with fear officer. It’s not what you think.
I was just looking for something Robert pleaded as his voice trailed off at the cop singed closer and handcuffed him. It was loaded into the police cruiser and driven to the station where he was left alone, with a detective in a small interrogation room fear crawled into Robert’s nerves, as he sat in the dimly lit one-way mirror. What were you doing in the cemetery, sir? Were you raiding, tombs, looting, stuff from people’s Graves and he came in to report as if he were a saint? The detective broke.
His silence, no officer you’ve got me all wrong. I’D gone there to investigate my daughter’s death Robert exhaled deeply. He confessed everything, starting with the death of his daughter in the suspicious behavior of her ex-husband Roger. I just knew something wasn’t right Officer Robert said his voice, laced with agitation when I saw that photo of Roger with another disabled girl. I knew he was hiding something.
Mr Crosby, can you be specific? What was Roger, hiding and why’d you break into someone’s grave? You know you’d be charged for breaking into public property right. Yes, yes, I did break open, Merlin’s grave, but the body in that grave isn’t Merlin’s at all officer. It’S somebody else’s.
I saw it with my own eyes. What yes, please, you have to believe me: Merlin was disabled, just like my daughter, Emily didn’t have a right arm and Merlin was missing a leg, but both of their bodies had Fuller limbs in their coffin. I think Roger’s hiding something. Please help me officer. I want to know what really happened to my daughter.
The detective listened intently as he took notes of Robert’s confession. We’Ll take it from here. He said but you’re staying here until we can find anything. The sound of heavy footsteps approached the interrogation room where Robert was waiting for the detective two days later. The door creaked open and detective Franklin entered his face grim and eyes fixed on Robert, Mr Crosby.
It took us two days, but I’m glad to inform you. We found everything out. He approached Robert looking him straight in the eye. What is my daughter alive officer? Did you find her?
Please tell me she’s alive, please Robert’s teary, eyes, wine with hope and Desperation. Detective Franklin signed a deep breath and gestured for Robert to follow him. They walked down the narrow, hallway and entered another private room with a table and two chairs Robert sat down his hands trembling as the detective stood across the table, his expression, grave and sorry, Mr Crosby, I want you to calm down. First, he broke the silence. Your daughter is dead, it’s been over a year since she died, but she didn’t die on the day you were told she’d dine Emily had passed a week earlier, Robert Gaston covered his mouth breaking down into tears.
What I can’t be true, I was hoping to see her alive. What happened to her officer? How did she die? Why did Roger lie to me? She was killed, Mr Cosby.
It wasn’t an accident at all. The detective revealed after a momentous hesitation as robber began to sob. It was a pre-planned Murder. My Girl, my God, who did this tour, did Roger kill my daughter, I need to know who did it Robert’s voice quivered with anger and grief as he clenched his fist and struck the wall. He would do this to my daughter.
Emily was a kind and innocent girl she didn’t deserve it. Mr Crosby, please calm down. We found out everything. Please just sit down, there’s something you need to know about Roger, please, stay strong, Robert’s head dropped, barely able to comprehend what he just heard. We put pressure on your ex-son-in-law and he confessed to killing your daughter and his second wife.
Those are gruesome murders. That’S all I can say I don’t want to go into the details. It’S just too much to bear what, but why did he kill them? Robert’S eyes widen with and disbelief for insurance and disability payouts replied the detective his voice, heavy with disgust and Roger was not alone in all the heinous things he did for money it conspired of the morgue worker and pathologist. They helped him swap the bodies of Emily and Merlin with the bodies of homeless orphans about the same age as your daughter in Merlin Robert’s face Twisted with anger, as he rose to his feet, his Jaws clenched.
What on Earth officer? How could they do that and why’d? They switch the bodies so that nobody would suspect anything and to keep the police from opening a case reveal detective Franklin, apparently Roger was a con man who targeted women with disabilities. His victims were a young single woman who felt lonely without anyone to love he preyed on their vulnerability, deceived them, trapped them in his love and married them, and once everything was in place, he killed him for their disability benefits and insurance. Robert sunk back down into his chair tears streaming down his face.
How could he do this? But how come nobody found out Roger organized all the funerals as discreetly, quietly and quickly as possible, so no one would suspect anything to detect abandon shocking. But true, none of the victim’s parents are close. Relatives were at the funeral – oh my God, so that’s why even my daughter’s funeral was rushed when I was on a cruise and I couldn’t make it Robert pondered the realization hitting him like a punch to the gun. I’M afraid so, yes where’s my daughter.
What did that Scandal do with her body? Unfortunately we’re yet to find where your daughter is. Mr Cosby Roger said he buried her somewhere in the woods near his house, we’ll let you know once we get there, Robert could barely breathe as he tried to process everything we’re glad we caught the criminal before he could con more innocent women, Roger and his accomplices. Will face many years in prison for murder, conspiracy and financial fraud you’re free to go. Mr Cosby said the detective, unlocking Robert’s handcuffs Robert walked out of the police station and able to pull himself together to believe his daughter was gone.
The world seemed to spin around him and, as he walked past the florist he paused, seeing a bouquet of pink roses. Emily had adorned.
