Daniel: “Wait. We should call the funeral director.”
Officer: “No. If someone is alive inside, every second matters.”
The officer ordered the funeral workers to unlock the coffin.
Daniel stood frozen near the wall.
Maria watched him carefully.
Maria: “You knew, didn't you?”
Daniel: “I knew my wife was dead.”
Maria: “Then why are you stopping them from opening the coffin?”
Daniel said nothing.
The locks were released.
The lid opened.
The entire church gasped.
The woman inside was pale and motionless.
For one terrifying second, nobody moved.
Then her fingers twitched.
Woman: “Help...”
Her voice was barely audible.
Someone screamed.
Maria: “She's alive!”
The police immediately called emergency medical services.
The woman was carefully lifted from the coffin and placed on a stretcher.
She could barely open her eyes.
Woman: “Maria...”
Maria started crying.
Maria: “I'm here.”
Woman: “Don't let him...”
Her voice faded.
Maria: “Don't let who?”
The woman looked toward Daniel.
Woman: “My husband.”
The church became silent again.
Daniel immediately stepped forward.
Daniel: “She's confused. She just woke up.”
Officer: “Step away from her.”
Daniel stopped.
The paramedics rushed the woman to the hospital.
Maria remained with the officers.
Officer: “Tell me everything you know.”
Maria: “She told me she was afraid of Daniel.”
Officer: “Why?”
Maria: “Because he wanted her money.”
Maria explained that the woman had recently changed her will.
She planned to leave most of her estate to a children's charity instead of her husband.
According to Maria, Daniel discovered the change.
Maria: “Three days before she supposedly died, she told me she believed Daniel was planning something.”
Officer: “Did she have proof?”
Maria: “She gave me a copy of the new will.”
Maria reached into her clothing and pulled out a folded document.
The officer examined it.
Daniel suddenly rushed toward them.
Daniel: “That's private property!”
Officer: “Why are you so interested in that document?”
Daniel stopped.
Daniel: “Because it's my wife's will.”
Officer: “And because it leaves you almost nothing?”
Daniel stared at him.
No one spoke.
The officer opened another page attached to the document.
It contained a handwritten note.
The note said that if anything happened to the woman, Maria was supposed to give the document to the police.
Maria looked at Daniel.
Maria: “She knew you would try to stop me.”
Daniel's face went pale.
The officers placed him in handcuffs.
Daniel: “You don't understand!”
Officer: “We'll hear your explanation at the station.”
But there was still one question nobody could answer.
How had Daniel convinced doctors that his wife was dead?
The answer came from the hospital.