Page 35 of For Blood

"It wasn't real," Gregory said, his words sounding hollow even to his own ears."I told myself for years it was just the booze, just my imagination running wild."

But even as he spoke the familiar lie, Gregory knew he could no longer hide from the truth.His grip tightened on the gun in his lap, the metal cool and unyielding against his palm.

A sudden gust of wind rattled the window, making a nearby tree branch scratch against the siding.Phillips didn't so much as blink.His breathing remained slow and measured, a stark contrast to the adrenaline coursing through his veins.

In the distance, a car door slammed.A dog's bark pierced the night air.Still, Phillips waited, his resolve unwavering.

"Twenty years," he thought, his inner voice tinged with bitterness."Twenty years of drowning in whiskey, trying to forget.But I remember now.I remember everything."

The television in the living room droned on, its cheerful laugh track a jarring counterpoint to the tension in the kitchen.Phillips found himself grateful for the background noise, filling what would otherwise be an unbearable silence.

"I won't be like the others," he whispered, his words barely audible."Rachel, Kevin...they didn't stand a chance.But me?I'm ready for you."

His eyes never left the doors as he spoke, his heartbeat steady and controlled.Phillips had spent years running from this moment, but now that it was here, he felt an odd sense of calm.The waiting was almost worse than the confrontation itself.

"Come on," he dared the empty room, his voice low and dangerous."Let's finish this.Once and for all."

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

The fluorescent lights hummed overhead, casting a harsh glow on the cluttered desks.Morgan's eyes burned as she stared at the evidence board, willing it to reveal something—anything—they might have missed.The clock on the wall ticked relentlessly, each second a reminder of their failure.

She glanced at Derik, slumped in his chair, his usually immaculate hair disheveled from running his hands through it in frustration.The shadows under his eyes were more pronounced than ever, a testament to the toll this case was taking on him.On both of them.

The radio crackled to life, and Morgan's heart leapt.But it was just static, followed by a terse "All clear" from one of the patrols at Gregory's house.She exhaled sharply, her jaw clenching.

"Dammit," she muttered, her tattooed fingers curling into fists."We should be out there.Not sitting here twiddling our thumbs while that bastard's on the loose."

Derik looked up, his green eyes clouded with exhaustion."Morgan, we've been over this.We can't be everywhere at once.The patrols—"

"The patrols aren't us," she snapped, then immediately regretted her tone.She softened her voice."Sorry.I just...I can't shake this feeling that we're missing something crucial."

He nodded, understanding in his gaze."I know.But we've gone over everything a dozen times.The witness statements, the crime scene photos, the old case files..."

Morgan started pacing, her arms crossed tightly over her chest.The weight of her past pressed down on her—the years stolen by prison, the betrayal that led her there.She couldn't fail again.Not when lives were at stake.

"Something isn't right," she said, more to herself than to Derik."The killer was supposed to act tonight.I know it in my gut."

Derik leaned forward, his elbows on his knees."Maybe we've spooked him.Increased patrols, warning the witnesses—"

"No," Morgan cut him off, shaking her head."That's not it.This guy...he's methodical.Calculated.He wouldn't let our presence deter him if he had a plan."

She stopped in front of the evidence board, her eyes scanning the photos of the victims—past and present.The similarities were undeniable, but there was something else.Something just out of reach.

"What if..."she started, her mind racing."What if we've been looking in the wrong place?"

Derik stood, moving to stand beside her."What do you mean?"

Morgan's fingers traced the outline of the crime scene photos, her brow furrowed in concentration."We've been so focused on protecting the witnesses, on figuring out who the killer might target next.But what if that's not his game at all?"

She turned to Derik, seeing the concern in his eyes.He reached out, his hand hovering near her arm as if unsure whether to touch her."Morgan, talk to me.What are you thinking?"

She took a deep breath, trying to organize her thoughts."I don't know yet.But something about this...it feels like we're missing the forest for the trees."

The radio crackled again, another "All clear" cutting through the tension in the room.Morgan's frustration bubbled over, and she slammed her palm against the desk.

"Dammit!"she exclaimed."We're wasting time.People are dying, and we're just...just sitting here!"

Derik stepped closer, his voice low and soothing."Hey, hey.We're doing everything we can.You need to take a breath, okay?"

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