“Don’t bury her—that’s not her in the coffin!” a little girl cries out at a Chicago funeral, stopping everything as a shocking truth inside the coffin is revealed

the sound finally faded, the mansion seemed to breathe again.

The rest of the conspiracy came apart.

Cole confessed that Vivian had blackmailed him using threats against his mother and younger sister. Mrs. Harlan admitted Vivian had used the same tactic against her son. The snake tattoo had been a deliberate misdirection — Vivian had ensured one of Calder’s continue reading …