The third strike broke through completely.
For a moment, the church fell silent.
Lily stared into the opening.
Then her face turned pale.
She wasn't looking at what she expected.
The coffin did contain a body.
But something was horribly wrong.
The clothing didn't match the burial photographs.
The jewelry was missing.
Even more disturbing, hidden beneath the body was a sealed envelope bearing Margaret's handwriting.
Lily's hands trembled as she reached for it.
The note inside exposed a secret that had been hidden for years.
Margaret had discovered a financial fraud involving several respected members of the community. Millions of dollars had disappeared through false charities and manipulated donations. Shortly before her death, she gathered evidence and planned to reveal everything.
Then she suddenly died.
The timing no longer seemed like a coincidence.
As frightened whispers spread through the church, Lily realized dangerous people might still be nearby.
That was when she shouted for everyone to leave immediately.