Brenda couldn’t believe her eyes when she saw her late son’s wife, Harper, in the subway station, and even more so when Harper pretended not to know her. Confused and troubled, Brenda headed to her son’s grave, only to find a headstone for Harper right next to it. Desperate for answers, she decided to seek help from her son’s best friend, Jake, but his strange behavior only made her more determined to solve this mystery on her own.
Christopher was only 27 when he died in a tragic accident, leaving his mother, Brenda, devastated. His death plunged her into deep grief, affecting her health so much that she spent a whole year in a clinic trying to recover.
Now, Brenda had traveled hundreds of miles to visit her son’s grave, carrying a heavy heart full of sorrow. As she stepped off the subway in the city where Chris had lived and died, she spotted a familiar face among the crowd—it was Harper, her daughter-in-law. Brenda had planned to meet Harper after visiting the cemetery and thought it would be a nice surprise.
“Harper! Harper, wait!” Brenda called out, gently tapping the young woman’s shoulder.
The woman turned around and snapped, “I’m not Harper. You’ve got the wrong person, lady!” She brushed Brenda’s hand away and hurried off.
Brenda stood there, stunned. That was Harper, she was sure of it! The same eyes, the same hair, even the same voice. Before Brenda could react, the woman disappeared into the crowd. Feeling uneasy, Brenda quickly hailed a cab to the cemetery, the strange encounter weighing heavily on her mind.
At the cemetery, Brenda felt an overwhelming silence as she walked between the rows of graves, searching for her son’s resting place. When she found it, she broke down in tears, her hands trembling as she touched his tombstone. But then, something caught her eye—the grave right next to his.
To her shock, 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 terrifying thought gripped her: If Harper was dead, then who was the woman she saw at the subway?
Disturbed, Brenda sought answers from the cemetery groundskeeper. She found him nearby, raking leaves, and asked him about Harper’s funeral.
The man took a drag from his cigarette and sighed. “Her funeral was last week. It was strange—no mourners, just the funeral workers. They brought the coffin, buried it, put up a simple headstone, and left. It wasn’t much of a funeral.”
Brenda’s concern deepened. “Has anyone visited her grave since?” she asked.
“Not that I’ve seen,” he replied. “I’m here all day and live on the grounds. Haven’t seen a single soul visit her grave.”
Nothing was adding up. Brenda left the cemetery with her mind swirling with questions. Determined to find out what was going on, she decided to visit Jake, Christopher’s best friend and business partner.
When Jake opened the door, he seemed nervous. He invited Brenda in, but she quickly noticed the packed suitcases in the living room.
“I’m leaving the state, Mrs. Sutton,” Jake said, looking worried. “It’s been a tough year since Chris passed. The company went bankrupt, and I’ve decided to move away from all this.”
“How could the company be bankrupt, Jake?” Brenda asked, suspicion creeping into her voice. “And why didn’t anyone tell me about Harper? I saw her headstone next to Chris’s grave. What happened to her?”
Jake hesitated, then said, “Mrs. Sutton, I didn’t want to burden you. After Chris died, you were so devastated. When I heard you were in a clinic for a year, I thought the news about the company and Harper would only make things worse.”
Brenda’s heart pounded as she pressed for more. “What happened with Harper, Jake? I need to know everything.”
Taking a deep breath, Jake explained, “Harper inherited the company after Chris’s death, but she didn’t want to run it. She didn’t know much about the business, so by mutual agreement, I took over. But after Chris died, things went downhill. We were close to bankruptcy, and Harper suggested taking out loans to save the company.”
Brenda’s suspicions grew. “But you just said she didn’t want any involvement in the business?”
Jake sighed. “We were desperate. But a week ago, Harper withdrew a five-million-dollar loan and disappeared. The police started searching for her.”
Brenda felt a jolt. “Harper stole the loan money?”
Jake nodded grimly. “But she paid the price. The police found her car crashed and burned near the woods. They recovered a body, charred beyond recognition, but they identified it by Harper’s gold pendant. They closed the case as an accidental death.”
Brenda’s mind raced. None of this made sense. “But the groundskeeper said no one attended her funeral,” she pointed out, feeling more suspicious of Jake.
Jake’s nervousness and sudden plan to leave the city only added to her doubts. Something was very wrong.
“Jake, when is your flight?” Brenda asked, thinking quickly.
“Early tomorrow morning…6 a.m.,” he replied.
“Do you mind if I stay here tonight? I don’t feel safe staying in a hotel alone,” Brenda asked, hoping to buy some time.
Reluctantly, Jake agreed and showed her to the guest room. Brenda waited until Jake’s bedroom lights went out before sneaking into the living room to search his luggage. Her hands shook as she rifled through his belongings, dreading what she might find.
Her fears were confirmed when she discovered 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 under a different name.
“What are they up to?” Brenda wondered, her heart racing.
She also found two plane tickets to London, booked under the fake names. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Brenda knew she had to act fast.
Quickly, she put everything back in place and slipped out to a nearby pharmacy, returning with sleeping pills. The next morning, she was already in the kitchen when Jake came downstairs.
“Good morning, Jake! Have some breakfast before your flight,” Brenda said cheerfully, handing him a glass of juice.
“Thanks, Mrs. Sutton,” Jake replied, taking a sip. Within minutes, he was fast asleep on the couch.
Brenda waited anxiously for Harper to call or text Jake. Finally, a message popped up 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, explaining everything she had discovered.
Jake and Harper were both arrested and taken in for questioning. While Jake refused to talk, Harper confessed, hoping for a lighter sentence. She admitted they had faked her death by bribing a morgue worker to get a body, which they placed in her car before setting it on fire.
Brenda felt a mix of betrayal and relief. Although her son was gone, she had made sure those who tried to dishonor his memory would face justice.
