Two guards seized the boy’s arms, but Richard raised his hand. Something in the boy’s tone — that raw desperation — stopped him cold.

“Who are you?” Richard demanded, his voice tight, trembling.

The boy swallowed hard. “My name is Marcus. I live on the streets. But I know Emily… and I know the truth about what happened that night. Please, sir, if you love your daughter, don’t let them bury her.”

The pastor froze. The mother of the girl burst into tears, torn between rage and hope.

Richard stared at the coffin, his chest tightening. Could it be possible? Or was this just the wild imagination of a desperate homeless kid looking for attention?