Chapter 1 - The Black Water
At six o'clock in the morning, Morgan Bennett opened her kitchen cabinet and discovered that the water surrounding her husband's anniversary gift had turned almost black.
Not cloudy.
Not dirty.
Black.
And at the bottom of the glass, something was moving.
Morgan stood perfectly still, one hand gripping the cabinet door.
The thin gold necklace she'd placed in clear water eight hours earlier was no longer gold.
Its delicate chain had darkened to a dull gray.
Tiny black particles floated around the clasp, drifting through the water like soot.
But that wasn't what frightened her most.
There was something else.
A pale, translucent strip had loosened from the back of the pendant.
It twisted slowly in the water, exposing a tiny compartment Morgan hadn't noticed the night before.
Inside that compartment was a dark substance.
Morgan leaned closer.
Her stomach tightened.
"What the hell?"
She reached toward the glass.
Then stopped.
The elderly woman's warning echoed through her mind.
Whatever you do, don't wear it.
Morgan pulled her hand away.
Behind her, the bedroom door clicked.
She nearly dropped the glass.
"Morning, babe."
Julian stood in the hallway wearing sweatpants and a faded Northwestern University T-shirt.
His dark hair was messy from sleep.
He looked ordinary.
Comfortable.
Like the same man she'd kissed goodnight for eleven years.
But his eyes moved immediately to the kitchen counter.
"What are you doing up so early?"
Morgan instinctively stepped in front of the glass.
"Couldn't sleep."
Julian rubbed his face.
"You okay?"
"Fine."
He walked toward the coffee maker.
"Where's your necklace?"
Morgan felt the blood drain from her face.
It wasn't even six fifteen.
He hadn't asked whether she'd slept well.
Hadn't asked whether she wanted breakfast.
He'd asked about the necklace.
"It's in the bedroom," she lied.
Julian glanced at her.
"Did you try it on?"
"No."
"Not even for a second?"
Morgan forced a small laugh.
"Why are you so obsessed with this necklace?"
Something changed behind his eyes.
Then he smiled.
"Because I spent a lot of money on it."
"You never told me how much."
"Does that matter?"
"Considering we're behind on the electric bill, maybe."
His jaw tightened.
"There you go again."
"Julian—"
"Every time I try to do something nice, you turn it into a conversation about money."
Morgan stared at him.
For years, that argument had worked.
He would accuse her of being controlling.
She would apologize.
Then somehow another thousand dollars would disappear from their savings.
But this morning, she wasn't interested in apologizing.
"I'll wear it tomorrow," she said.
Julian studied her face.
"Promise?"
"Promise."
He moved closer and kissed her forehead.
His lips felt cold.
"Good girl."
Morgan's stomach turned.
He'd never called her that before.
Julian poured himself coffee, grabbed his phone, and disappeared into the spare bedroom.
Morgan waited until the door shut.
Then she turned back toward the glass.
The black liquid was still.
She didn't touch it again.
Instead, she photographed the glass from several angles, placed it inside a larger plastic container, and sealed the lid.
Then she wrapped the container in a kitchen towel and slipped it into her work bag.
At seven thirty, Julian emerged wearing the same expensive shirt he'd worn the previous evening.
"Heading out?" he asked.
"Work."
He glanced at her bag.
"Taking lunch?"
"Leftovers."
He smiled.
"Love you."
"Love you too."
The words came automatically.
Morgan hated how easily they left her mouth.
Outside, October wind swept along the apartment building.
She walked toward the train station with the container pressed against her side.
For the first time in eleven years, she was afraid of her husband.
And she didn't even know why.
At work, Morgan barely looked at her computer.
Numbers blurred across the screen.
She opened the photographs on her phone again.
The dark water.
The damaged chain.
The small compartment.
At nine fifteen, she called a jewelry repair shop in downtown Chicago.
A woman answered.
"Harper & Bell Jewelers."
Morgan lowered her voice.
"I need someone to examine a necklace."
"Is it damaged?"
"I think someone put something inside it."
The woman paused.
"Can you explain?"
Morgan looked around the office.
Her supervisor was in a conference call.
Two coworkers were laughing near the printer.
Everything looked normal.
That somehow made the situation worse.
"I soaked it in water," Morgan whispered.
"The water turned black."
Silence.
Then the woman asked, "Did you wear it?"
"No."
"Did you touch the water?"
"No."
The woman's voice changed.
"Bring it in."
Morgan swallowed.
"Can you tell me what it is?"
"Not over the phone."
"Is it dangerous?"
Another pause.
"Ma'am, please don't open that container."
Morgan's fingers went numb.
"Why?"
"Because we've seen something similar before."
Morgan stopped breathing.
"What do you mean?"
The woman answered quietly.
"Three months ago, a customer brought in a necklace that had been altered the same way."
Morgan gripped her phone.
"What happened to her?"
The woman hesitated.
May you like
Then said six words Morgan would never forget.
"She didn't survive long enough to return."
