A son asked his mother to dig up his grave a year after his funeral. Everyone’s hair stood on end when she found…

She closed the book, her mind racing. We need to find out what this key opens, she said firmly. Whatever David was involved in, it’s not over.

And if he’s still out there, we need to find him. The next morning, Emily and Mark began their search for the locker the key might open. They started with the most obvious place, the local bank where David used to have an account.

The manager, a middle-aged woman with a polite smile, listened as Emily explained their situation. We found this key among my son’s belongings, Emily said, holding it up. We think it might be for a safe deposit box or a locker.

Could you check if it belongs here? The manager examined the key, her brow furrowing. This isn’t one of ours, she said after a moment. Our keys have a different design, but I can check our records to see if David had a box with us.

She typed something into her computer, then shook her head. No, I’m sorry, there’s no record of a safe deposit box under his name. Emily’s heart sank, but she forced a smile.

Thank you for checking. As they left the bank, Mark sighed. This is going to be harder than we thought.

If it’s not here, where else could it be? Emily thought for a moment, then snapped her fingers. What about the train station? David used to travel a lot for work. Maybe he rented a locker there.

It was a long shot, but they had no other leads. They drove to the train station and approached the information desk. The attendant, a young man with a bored expression, barely looked up as they explained what they were looking for.

We’re trying to find out if this key opens a locker here, Mark said, showing him the key. The attendant glanced at it, then shrugged. We don’t use keys like that anymore.

All our lockers are electronic now. But you can check the old storage area in the basement. Some of the older lockers might still be there.

Emily and Mark exchanged a look, then followed the attendant’s directions to the basement. The storage area was dimly lit and smelled of dust and mildew. Rows of old, rusted lockers lined the walls, most of them covered in cobwebs…