THE ENVELOPE
Marcus placed the envelope on the stainless-steel table.
Neither man touched it.
“Maybe we should call the police,” Daniel said.
Marcus nodded.
Then stopped.
“Wait.”
“Why?”
“Because if someone expected us to find this…”
He looked at the message on Sister Mary’s back.
“…they may also be expecting us to call someone.”
Daniel didn’t like that answer.
Marcus checked the clock.
12:17 a.m.
Only forty-three minutes had passed.
He opened the case file again.
Sister Mary’s legal name was Mary Elizabeth Carter.
Age: thirty-two.
She had entered the convent eleven years earlier.
No criminal record.
No known enemies.
No serious medical conditions.
Her family was listed as deceased except for an older brother living several states away.
Marcus read the report twice.
Then he noticed another detail.
“Daniel.”
“What?”
“Why does this say she was transferred from another convent six months ago?”
Daniel looked over.
“What does that matter?”
“Because Saint Clare’s says she had lived there for eleven years.”
Daniel frowned.
“So someone changed the record.”
Marcus nodded.
“Exactly.”
Suddenly—
CLICK.
The lights went out.
Daniel gasped.
The morgue disappeared into darkness.
Marcus reached for his flashlight.
“Stay where you are.”
“I can’t see anything.”
“Neither can I.”
Then they heard something.
A soft metallic sound.
Clink.
Something had fallen.
Daniel whispered:
“Doctor…”
“I’m here.”
“Someone is inside.”
Marcus froze.
He could hear breathing.
Not his.
Not Daniel’s.
Someone else was in the room.
He raised his flashlight.
The beam swept across the morgue.
Empty.
Then—
BANG!
The main door slammed shut.
Daniel ran toward it.
“It won’t open!”
Marcus hurried over.
The electronic lock had activated.
He entered the override code.
Nothing.
“Someone locked us in.”
Daniel’s voice shook.
“Who?”
Marcus didn’t answer.
He turned toward the examination table.
His flashlight landed on Sister Mary’s face.
Then moved downward.
Marcus froze.
The envelope was gone.
And so was the body.
Continue to Page 4…
