Ryan gets suspicious when his dog races into the church and starts barking at his father's coffin. Seeing the dog in an alert position, Ryan opens the casket, only to find his father's body missing.

Ryan stepped out of his car and stood still outside the church, overwhelmed by the sense that he wasn't yet prepared to say goodbye to his father. "We couldn't even give Dad a proper funeral," he thought. Just then, Bella's sharp bark caught his attention.

Ryan turned toward his car, where Bella was acting even more agitated than usual.

"Bella!" He gave her a hand signal to lie down, and she obeyed. He patted her head through the car window. "Stay, Bella."

Ryan turned away from the dog and entered the church. His father's casket, already in place and closed, sat there quietly. The funeral director had discreetly cordoned off the immediate area due to the contagious nature of Arnold’s death.

Ryan sat beside his mother, trying to keep his composure. Arnold was to be cremated, not buried, due to the circumstances surrounding his death.

Just as the service came to a close and mourners stood to sing the final hymn, Bella’s frantic barking echoed through the church. She jumped up onto the casket, knocking over the flower arrangement, and barked loudly, as if trying to draw everyone's attention.

When Bella sat in her alert position, staring intently at the coffin, Ryan sensed something was wrong.

"Open the casket!" he shouted.

Gasps filled the room. Ryan didn't care. He strode toward the casket and opened it, only to find it empty.

"Wh-Where’s my brother?" his uncle demanded, staring at the funeral director, his confusion matching Ryan’s own.

Ryan’s mother, unable to handle the shock, collapsed. Her eyes rolled back, and her knees buckled. Ryan caught her just in time, preventing her from hitting the floor. Panicked, he rushed her to the hospital.

---

Ryan calls the police for answers.

"At this point, all we know is that the coroner confirmed the cause of death and released the remains to the funeral home," Detective Bradshaw informed Ryan. "Was your father involved in any activities that might be of interest?"

Ryan hadn’t been involved in his father's business for years. He'd opened his own dog training and rehabilitation center, but he knew Arnold would never jeopardize his reputation or the company’s standing.

Despite the lack of leads, Detective Bradshaw assured Ryan he would be in touch. But Ryan wasn’t willing to wait. His mother was being kept overnight at the hospital, and he left Bella at home to investigate further.

---

The search for answers takes Ryan to the morgue.

When Ryan arrived at the morgue, the nurse told him there was no new coroner yet. Confused, he asked to see his father's file but was denied access.

Knowing the nurse’s reluctance, Ryan placed $1,000 on the counter, and she reluctantly allowed him to slip inside the coroner's office. But Arnold’s file was missing.

Frustrated, Ryan’s phone buzzed, bringing some unexpected news. It was his father’s lawyer, Mr. Stevens, informing Ryan that he was now the new CEO of Arnold’s company and needed to speak with him urgently.

Ryan rushed to his father’s office, where he found Arnold’s Gmail inbox completely empty. Someone had deleted all the messages. A sense of dread crept over him as he realized someone was covering their tracks.

"Ryan! Good to see you," Mr. Stevens said, entering the office and shutting the door behind him.

"Who's been using this computer?" Ryan demanded.

"No one," Mr. Stevens answered, though his tone was dismissive.

Ryan noticed that two figurines were missing from the shelf. "Where are the dancers?"

"They were taken home," Mr. Stevens replied nonchalantly. "Poor Arnold. He could never get the third one in the set—too expensive, apparently. The owner wanted half a million for it."

Ryan felt suspicious. He had searched his mother’s house earlier and found no sign of the figurines.

---

Ryan uncovers a deeper mystery.

Mr. Stevens revealed the company's mounting debts and how several investors were threatening to pull out due to Arnold’s unexplained absence from important meetings. He also mentioned that Arnold had been romantically involved with his new secretary.

Feeling a surge of anger, Ryan was about to confront the secretary, Miss Pearson, but Mr. Stevens stopped him. "That would tarnish Arnold's reputation," he warned.

Ryan decided to investigate further. That evening, he followed Miss Pearson to her suburban home. As she left, Ryan snuck inside her garage and found a framed photo of her kissing Arnold on the nightstand.

Digging through her house, Ryan found nothing useful until he noticed a slightly open drawer. Inside, there was Arnold’s $7 million life insurance policy, with Miss Pearson as the sole beneficiary.

---

Ryan connects the dots.

Ryan took the document to the police. Detective Bradshaw was intrigued by the findings. "This is quite compelling," she said. "We need to find out more about this Pearson woman."

As it turned out, Miss Pearson was scheduled to fly to Morocco in just thirty minutes. Ryan desperately tried to follow her, but Detective Bradshaw held him back. He ignored her and slipped past the airport security officers, following the police to the boarding area.

After an intense search, they found a woman fitting Miss Pearson’s description, but when she turned around, it wasn’t her. Miss Pearson had vanished.

---

Ryan's pursuit continues.

Ryan’s search led him to a collector who owned the third figurine Arnold had always wanted. The collector was demanding $750,000 for it, far above market value. Ryan decided to sell his shares in his father’s company to get the money.

Mr. Stevens was shocked but agreed to help. "I don’t ask questions, Ryan, but I get the feeling this has something to do with Miss Pearson."

Ryan secured the money, purchased the figurine, and headed to an auction house where he hoped to catch a glimpse of his father.

---

The final confrontation.

As the auction began, Ryan anxiously watched the bidding, hoping his father would show up. When the bidding reached $1 million, Ryan's heart skipped a beat. Arnold stood up from a seat at the back of the room, revealing himself.

"Sold to the man in the beige coat!" the auctioneer called.

Ryan rushed forward, but before he could reach Arnold, Detective Bradshaw and the police team intercepted him.

"Ryan, you tricked me!" Arnold shouted, his face a mix of surprise and anger.

"How could you, Dad?" Ryan replied, his voice shaking with emotion. "You faked your death and ran off with your mistress, leaving all of us to grieve."

Arnold hung his head. "I just wanted a new life. I didn’t know how else to escape."

Detective Bradshaw assured Ryan that Miss Pearson would be found soon. Arnold was taken into custody, and Ryan could finally begin to process the truth.

---

Final thoughts.

Ryan stood in the quiet aftermath of the auction. He had found his father, but it came at a great cost. As the police drove Arnold away, Ryan couldn't help but wonder if any of this had been worth it. He knew that things would never be the same.

---

This version includes additional details to the storyline and new character names, making it a more dynamic and suspenseful narrative.