Brenda was shocked when she saw Harper, her late son’s wife, in the subway. Harper didn’t recognize her and hurried away, which left Brenda confused and upset. Her shock turned into horror when she later visited her son Christopher’s grave and discovered that a headstone for Harper was right next to it.
Determined to get answers, Brenda went to Christopher’s best friend, Jake, but his suspicious behavior only made her more determined to find out what was really going on.
Christopher had died at just 27 in a tragic accident, leaving Brenda to struggle with immense grief. The loss was so overwhelming that Brenda’s health deteriorated, forcing her to spend a year in a clinic to try and heal.
Now, having traveled a long way to visit her son’s grave, Brenda carried a heavy sadness that words couldn’t capture. As she stepped off the metro in the city where Chris had lived, she spotted a familiar face in the crowd—Harper. Brenda had planned to surprise Harper after visiting the cemetery.
“Harper! Harper, wait!” Brenda called out, gently touching the young woman’s shoulder.
“I’m not Harper. You’ve got the wrong person, lady!” the woman snapped, brushing Brenda’s hand away and walking off quickly.
Brenda was stunned. The woman had Harper’s eyes, hair, and voice. But before Brenda could follow, Harper disappeared into the crowd. Shaken, Brenda took a cab to the cemetery, her mind racing with the strange encounter.
When she arrived, the cemetery was eerily quiet as Brenda searched for Christopher’s grave. Overcome with emotion, she wept as she touched his tombstone. Then something caught her eye—the grave next to his.
To her horror, the headstone read:
In Loving Memory of Harper S.
January 8, 1995 – December 3, 2020
Forever cherished, forever missed. Rest in peace.
Brenda gasped. Harper had died just a week ago, and no one had told her. A chilling question came to her mind: If Harper is dead, then who was the woman at the subway?
Frantic for answers, Brenda approached the cemetery groundskeeper, who was raking leaves nearby. She asked him about Harper’s funeral.
The man took a drag from his cigarette and sighed. “Her funeral was last week. It was odd—no mourners, just the service workers. They brought the coffin, buried it, put up a simple headstone, and left. It wasn’t much of a funeral.”
“Has anyone visited her grave since?” Brenda asked, her worry growing.
“Not that I’ve seen,” he said. “I’m here all day and live on the grounds. I haven’t seen anyone come by.”
Brenda left the cemetery, her mind swirling with questions. She decided to visit Jake, Christopher’s best friend and business partner, hoping he could shed some light on the mystery.
When Jake opened the door, he looked anxious. He let Brenda in, and she noticed the luggage in the living room.
“I’m leaving the state, Mrs. Sutton,” Jake said, looking troubled. “It’s been a rough year since Chris passed. The company went bankrupt, so I’m moving far away from all this.”
“How could the company go bankrupt, Jake?” Brenda asked, her suspicion growing. “And why didn’t anyone tell me about Harper? I saw her headstone next to Chris’s grave. What happened to her?”
Jake hesitated before speaking. “Mrs. Sutton, I didn’t want to add to your grief. After Chris died, you were so devastated. When I heard you were in a clinic for a year, I was afraid the news about the company and Harper would only make things worse.”
Brenda’s heart raced. “What happened with Harper, Jake? I need to know everything.”
Jake took a deep breath and explained, “Harper inherited the company after Chris’s death, but she didn’t want to manage it. So, I took over. Things went downhill fast. We were close to bankruptcy, and Harper suggested taking out loans to save the company.”
“But you said she didn’t want any involvement in the business?” Brenda questioned.
Jake nodded. “We were desperate. A week ago, Harper withdrew a five-million-dollar loan and vanished. The police started searching for her.”
“Harper stole the loan money?” Brenda asked, shocked.
Jake nodded. “Yes, but she didn’t escape. The police found her car crashed and burned near the woods. They found a body, too burned to recognize, but they identified it by Harper’s gold pendant. The case was closed as an accidental death.”
Brenda’s mind raced. “But the groundskeeper said no one attended her funeral,” she said, growing even more suspicious of Jake.
Jake’s nervousness and sudden decision to leave town made Brenda even more uneasy. Something was definitely wrong.
“Jake, when is your flight?” Brenda asked, trying to think ahead.
“Early tomorrow morning…6 a.m.,” Jake replied.
“Would it be okay if I stayed here tonight? I’m not comfortable staying in a hotel alone,” Brenda asked, hoping to buy some time.
Jake reluctantly agreed and showed her to the guest room. Brenda waited until Jake’s lights went out before sneaking into the living room to search his luggage. Her hands shook as she rummaged through his belongings, fearing what she might discover.
Her worst fears were confirmed when she found two fake passports hidden in a secret compartment. One had Harper’s photo but a different name—Sarah. The other had Jake’s photo, also with a different name.
“What are they up to?” Brenda wondered, her heart racing.
She also found two plane tickets to London under their fake names. Realizing the seriousness of the situation, Brenda knew she had to act quickly.
She put everything back in place and hurried to a nearby pharmacy, buying sleeping tablets. The next morning, she was already in the kitchen when Jake came downstairs.
“Good morning, Jake! Have some breakfast before your flight,” Brenda said with a warm smile, handing him a glass of juice.
“Thanks, Mrs. Sutton,” Jake said, sipping the juice. Within minutes, he was fast asleep on the couch.
Brenda waited anxiously for Harper to call or text Jake. Finally, a message appeared on his phone: “How could you oversleep? We’re flying to London today! I’m getting a taxi and coming to your house right now.”
“Perfect,” Brenda thought, hiding behind the front door. When Harper arrived, Brenda struck her with a vase, knocking her out cold. She quickly called the police and explained everything she had uncovered.
Jake and Harper were arrested and questioned. Jake stayed silent, but Harper confessed, hoping for a lighter sentence. She admitted that they had staged her death by bribing a morgue worker to get a body, which they put in her car before setting it on fire.
Brenda was shaken by the betrayal but relieved to have uncovered the truth. Even though her son was gone, she had made sure that those who tried to tarnish his memory were brought to justice.
