Whispers rippled through the mourners. One woman murmured, “They say her car was found in flames. Nothing recognizable.” Another replied, “The authorities rushed everything. They say it was an accident, but nothing adds up.”

No one had seen Mirelle’s body. Jack had been denied access with gentle but immovable excuses. Limited visibility. Severe trauma. Better to remember her as she had been. He had accepted it because grief blurred judgment. Now that blur tightened around his throat.