Before the birthday party could reach the end, my mother’s phone rang, piercing through the celebratory hum with an unexpected urgency. She glanced at the screen, her expression shifting from confusion to concern as she answered the call.
“Hello?” she said, trying to keep her voice steady despite the unease that was clearly creeping into her demeanor.
The voice on the other end was calm but carried an unmistakable authority. “Good evening. We are from the Eldergrove District Police Department. Am I speaking with Mrs. Clark?”
“Yes,” my mother replied hesitantly.
“Is Lily Clark your daughter or related to your family in some way?” asked the man on the other end.
There was a pause as my mother’s expression shifted from puzzled to alarmed. She hesitated, her eyes darting around the room as if searching for an explanation. “Yes,” she finally responded, her voice trembling. “She is.”
The officer continued, each word measured and deliberate. “We have some troubling news. We found a body in Mistwood Village and we discovered a family photo on her. We suspect she might be your daughter. Could you please come to identify?”
I raised an eyebrow. I had thought my body would rot away in that cow shed, never to see the light of day again. I didn’t expect it would ever resurface. I couldn’t help but wonder how my mother would react if she saw it. My death had been pretty gruesome. What would her reaction be? Would it be too much for her to handle?
Before I could gauge my mother’s reaction, a hand reached out and abruptly ended the call.
Abigail tightened her grip on my mother’s hand and scolded, “Mom, did you get another scam call? I told you, just hang up on an unknown number. They’re frauds.”
My mother stood there, frozen, her expression a mix of shock and disbelief. Her eyes, usually so composed, were now clouded with a faint, almost imperceptible hint of panic.
“He said… he said Lily is dead,” she finally managed to stammer, her voice trembling slightly. “They found a family photo on her body and asked me to come and identify it.”
Abigail’s frustration was evident as she rolled her eyes and let out an exasperated sigh. “Mom, you’re confused again. Lily never took a family photo with us. There’s no way they would find Lily’s body with our photo. It’s a scam. Hundred percent.”