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Morgan had spentall of last night looking into Sheryl's medical files, but the woman had seen alot of doctors and a lot of plastic surgeons; narrowing down just one was goingto be difficult. Morgan had selected a few from the pool and looked into them,bringing up no criminal records or anything to suggest they could be thekiller. At some point, Morgan had fallen asleep on the couch, and now it wasmorning again, and she had more work to do. But first, Skunk needed a walk.
As they enteredthe secluded park, the shadows grew darker and deeper. Yet Morgan felt no fear.She knew that she was more than capable of handling any threat that mightemerge from the gloom. Hell, she was probably the most dangerous thing outhere.
Instead, it wasthe nature of the case that sent a shiver down her spine – another derangedindividual who would likely strike again.
More than that,she couldn't shake Derik's possible betrayal from her mind. She had no one totalk to, no one she could trust.
"Skunk,buddy," she said softly, reaching down to scratch his ears. "I don'tknow what to do about Derik. I found something... something bad. And I can'tstop thinking about it." She sighed, her breath clouding in the chillyair. "Should I tell him?"
Skunk let out asingle bark, his eyes bright and trusting in the darkness. Morgan smiledruefully. "Yeah, you're right. I need to trust my instincts. But how can Iface him, knowing what I know?" Her voice was barely audible above thewhispering wind.
"Maybe I'mwrong," she continued, kicking at a small stone, sending it skitteringacross the path. "Maybe there's a good explanation for it all. But ifthere isn't..." She trailed off, unable to voice her worst fears.
They wandereddeeper into the park, the shadows swallowing them up. Morgan's thoughtschurned, battling with the ever-present weight of the truth. Skunk trottedalong beside her, his wagging tail a silent reminder of the simple loyalty shelonged for in her own life. In truth, she couldn’t think of a reason why Derikwould even betray her in the first place. Had she done something to slight him?Did he somehow blame her for his failed marriage? Because they had kissed once,before she went to jail, while he was still with his ex-wife? It didn’t makesense.
"Derik's mypartner," Morgan whispered, her voice breaking. "I have to believe inhim, don't I? Even when it feels like I'm walking straight into a trap?"
Skunk barkedagain, and Morgan knelt down to wrap her arms around his sturdy neck."Thanks, Skunk," she murmured into his fur. "You always knowjust what to say."
In the darknessof the park, surrounded by secrets and shadows, Morgan held onto the one thingshe knew she could trust – the steadfast loyalty of her dog. And as they walkedtogether through the still night, she began to believe that maybe, just maybe,the bonds between them all would be enough to see them through whatever layahead. With that, they keep going.
The park waseerily silent, save for the distant rustling of leaves and Skunk's softpanting. Despite the darkness, Morgan's instincts kept her alert and focused,every step calculated and steady.
A pricklingsensation crawled up her spine, making her hairs stand on end.
She couldn'tshake the feeling that they were being watched.
"Skunk, youpicking up anything?" she whispered, scanning their surroundingscarefully.
The dog simplywagged his tail and sniffed at a nearby bush, wholly uninterested in herparanoia. Morgan's heart pounded in her chest, her breathing shallow, as she playedthrough the possibilities in her mind. Ten years ago, someone had tried toframe her for murder – someone who could still be working within the FBI.
They wanted hergone then, and maybe they still did.
Maybe that waswhy Darren La Roux had shown up on her doorstep.
Maybe it wasn'tjust for his personal revenge. Maybe he'd been sent there.
"Alright,let's pick up the pace," she murmured, quickening her stride.
As she guidedSkunk along the winding path, Morgan couldn't help but glance over her shoulderevery few moments, searching for any sign of an unseen threat. The shadowsseemed to shift and twist, taking on sinister forms that preyed on her alreadyfrayed nerves.
"Get ittogether, Morgan," she muttered to herself, attempting to stifle the fearthat threatened to take hold. "You're stronger than this."
And just as shewas about to put distance between herself and the unsettling atmosphere of thepark, her phone buzzed in her pocket, making her jump. Her heart raced as shefumbled to pull it out, her hands shaking.
"Cross,"she answered, trying to keep her voice steady.
"Morgan,it's Mueller," came the familiar voice from the other end. "We've gotanother victim. I need you at the crime scene ASAP."
Her blood rancold, thoughts of Derik and the mysterious watcher momentarily pushed aside bythe urgency in Mueller's tone. There was another evil out there lurking onthese streets, one even more sinister, and just as she'd feared, he had claimedanother life. She grits her teeth.
"Understood,"she replied, her voice hardening. "I'm on my way."
***
Morgan pulled upto the victim's house, a sprawling mansion nestled behind an imposingwrought-iron gate. It was eerily similar to Sheryl Stewart's home – the sameimmaculate lawn, the same ostentatious display of wealth. She couldn't shakethe feeling that they were dealing with more than just a coincidence.
"SpecialAgent Cross," greeted Officer Davis as he approached her car. Morganstepped out and shook his hand firmly, her eyes still scanning the property."Sorry, we're meeting again under these circumstances. The victim isBethany Good, fifty-one."
