Bella wasn’t usually allowed in churches, but on the day of Arnold’s funeral, the German Shepherd refused to stay put. She barreled down the aisle, knocking over flower arrangements as she snarled at the polished mahogany casket.
“Something’s not right,” Ryan muttered as he approached the coffin. When he lifted the lid, gasps filled the chapel—Arnold’s body was missing.
What followed was a trail of disturbing clues:
• A coroner’s office with no record of Arnold’s death certificate
• A secretary who suddenly booked a one-way ticket to Morocco
• A $7 million life insurance policy naming her as sole beneficiary
Ryan’s investigation revealed an uncomfortable truth—his father had staged his own death to escape with his mistress and the insurance money. Arnold had even paid off officials to falsify medical records claiming he’d died of an infectious disease.
The final confrontation came at an art auction, where Ryan used his father’s beloved figurine collection as bait. When Arnold appeared to bid $1 million for the piece, police were waiting. As they led his father away, Ryan realized Bella had been the only one truly loyal that day—while Arnold had betrayed his family, his business partners, and even his own supposed moral code.
