After losing her husband in suspicious circumstances 48 yr old Megan Mathieson returns home from his funeral distraught. She finds comfort from Jason’s 20 yr old son and her stepson Tyler. The rest of his family appear to be more interested in his getting their greedy hands on his estate. She decides to seek help from her friend and local police officer Rae Martin. But nobody is prepared for what comes out.

Chapter 1: Opening Image

The drive home from the cemetery was a blur, the sun too bright, the road too narrow. Megan gripped the steering wheel tightly, her knuckles white, as she navigated the familiar route back to their suburban home. The silence in the car was deafening, the only sound the distant hum of the tires on the asphalt. She tried to block out the memories that came flooding back, but they were relentless. Jason's laughter echoed in her mind, his strong arms wrapping around her in a comforting embrace, his deep voice singing off-key to the radio. She blinked back tears, determined not to let them fall. Not here.

Not now. She needed to hold it together, at least until she was alone. Megan pulled into the driveway and parked the car, her heart pounding in her chest like a drum. The Victorian house loomed before her, its once-grand facade now faded and weathered, a reflection of the somber mood within. The house was quiet, too quiet, as if it too was mourning.

Megan let herself in, the heavy wooden door creaking open to reveal the entrance hall. The air was stale, a reminder that she had been gone for 2 weeks, first in the hospital with Jason, then at the funeral home making arrangements.