Chapter 1

1: 1

A week after my husband Grayson Henson vanished, I found the note he'd left me.

【I'm sorry. Sabrina Frost finally said yes to me.】

Sabrina was Grayson's old flame. Five years ago, when she went abroad to stay with relatives, Grayson had cried like a lovesick fool.

His parents were so furious they both passed out, and the first thing they did after coming to was drive to the notary office to formally cut ties with their son.

Just as I'd given up all hope and was getting ready to file for divorce, a text came through on my phone.

"Marci, Grayson didn't betray you. Someone murdered him. His body is hidden in the house you're living in right now."

"Call the police, quick. You only have today. If you don't find the killer, you'll be dead by nightfall."

I froze.

The number was my mother's.

But my mother had died three years ago.

1、

I thought someone was playing a sick joke on me.

I checked the number again, fast.

There was no mistake. It was my mother's.

While I was still reeling, another message came through: KO!

My heart started slamming against my ribs.

That was the code word my mother and I had set up. It meant life-or-death emergency. No one else knew it, just the two of us.

I grabbed my phone and dialed the police.

"Is this the police department? My name is Marcella Larson. I'm at 3 Elmwood Court, Lakeview Estates. There's been a murder here. Please come right away."

I put down the phone and dropped onto the couch, shaking all over, my head empty.

My mother had come back from the dead?

Grayson had been murdered?

His body was in this house?

Ten minutes later, a patrol car pulled up outside.

Three officers came in.

My father-in-law was watering the flowers in the yard. The moment the officers appeared, his face changed and he hurried over to meet them.

"Officers, I think you've got the wrong address."

"No, we don't. We just got a call. There's been a murder in this house. Who reported it?"