The Wedding Party

Part 46: A Cookie

Yusuf sat on the edge of his bed, his hands shaking as he handed Macey a stack of Bo Brandt articles he'd found in Darrell's briefcase. "He was obsessed with taking over the company after Marina's death," Yusuf confessed, his voice cracking under the strain.

Olive stood next to Macey, her arms crossed defensively over her chest. "So, what if Darrell used Brandt as a cover to kill Marina?" she suggested, the gears in her mind rapidly turning.

Macey pursed her lips, mulling over Olive's theory. "Let's keep this idea between us for now," she finally said, her gaze never leaving the newspaper clippings. "We don't want to tip our hand too soon."

Meanwhile, Ash paced the pantry where she had been locked up, her frustration mounting. In an effort to distract herself, she began stacking cans into a makeshift tower. The soft clink of metal against metal offered little comfort.

The door creaked open, and Amelia slipped inside, her eyes wide with excitement. "I found you," she whispered, a small smile playing at the corners of her mouth. "No one pays attention to kids."

"Thanks," Ash replied tersely, before slipping out the door. Amelia watched her go, her smile fading. With a frustrated kick, she sent the stack of cans tumbling to the floor.

Outside, Helena and Preston trudged through the woods, their shovels biting into the damp earth as they searched for Bo Brandt's coffin. Sweat beaded on their foreheads, their breaths coming in labored pants, but they refused to stop. They had to know the truth.

At last, they uncovered the coffin, its wood swollen and warped from years underground. Preston gripped the crowbar, ready to pry the lid off, when Macey's flashlight beam cut through the darkness.

"I didn't expect to find you two out here," Macey said, her voice laced with surprise. "I thought Ash would be the one digging up graves."

"Someone let her out," Helena replied, her heart pounding in her chest. "We couldn't just stand by and do nothing."

"Go ahead," Macey said, resignation settling over her features.

With a grunt, Preston pried the lid off the coffin, revealing a human skeleton dressed in tattered rags. The sight sent a shiver down their spines, but it was only the beginning of the horrors that awaited them.