Page 10 of Forever

Morgan's thoughts raced. She needed answers, and she needed them now. She rubbed her temples, feeling the weight of the unsolved case pressing down on her. If Stacy was sober when she died, then her alcoholism wasn't a direct factor in her murder. It was a piece of the puzzle that kept growing more complex with each new discovery.

"Could he be connected?" Morgan muttered, her thoughts drifting to the mysterious man Belinda had mentioned earlier. The man who had left the AA meeting with Stacy just days before her body was found. She leaned back in her chair, staring at the ceiling as she tried to fit the pieces together.

The steady hum of the office printer filled Morgan's ears as she paced back and forth, her thoughts occupied with the mysterious man from Stacy's AA meeting. She couldn't shake the feeling that he was somehow connected to the case, but without any solid leads or evidence, it was nothing more than a hunch.

Morgan's phone buzzed in her pocket, breaking her concentration. Glancing at the screen, she saw Derik's name flash across the display. With a sigh, she answered the call. "What did you find out?"

"Stew and Evan were both at home last night," Derik reported. "A neighbor’s security camera faces their house, and their cars never left. Stew's wife even backed them up."

"Okay," Morgan said, making a mental note of this new information. It eliminated two potential suspects, but still left plenty of questions unanswered. "Anything else?"

"Not about the case, no.'

"Okay, then I'll talk to you later."

"Actually, I wanted to—"

"Thanks, Derik," she interrupted, hanging up before he could continue. She could sense that he had something more to ask, but she didn't have the patience for a drawn-out conversation, especially with him. Time was of the essence, and she needed to stay focused on finding the truth behind Stacy's murder.

Morgan continued her pacing, her shoes clicking against the tiled floor as her mind raced. Every new piece of information seemed to lead her further away from a concrete answer, and it frustrated her to no end. As an experienced agent, she knew that solving cases like this often took time—time she wasn't sure they had.

She stopped and leaned over her desk, eyes locked on the autopsy photos again. They were gruesome images, a stark contrast to the warm afternoon sun filtering through the blinds. She could feel the weight of Stacy's lifeless body pressing against her thoughts, urging her to find justice and uncover the truth.

A sudden knock at her door startled her, and she looked up to see Mueller standing in the doorway. Her jaw tightened; she didn't trust him or want to see him, but she couldn't exactly turn him away either. Morgan reluctantly met his gaze, noting the barely-concealed curiosity in his eyes.

"Agent Cross," he began, stepping into her office. "How is the case going?"

"Still in the early stages," Morgan replied, doing her best to keep her voice neutral. "I'm working on it."

"Good to hear," Mueller said, leaning against the edge of her desk. "And how are you getting along with Derik?"

"Fine," Morgan lied, gritting her teeth. "We're both professionals, after all."

"Still, I've never seen you so turned off of Greene before." Mueller raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced. "I thought you two used to be close friends. What changed?"

Morgan sighed, forcing herself to confront the question she'd been trying to avoid. "Look, it's not about Derik specifically. I just... I prefer working alone these days." It wasn't true, of course, but she didn't trust Mueller either.

"Is that really what's best for the case, though?" Mueller asked, pushing further. "Two heads are better than one, especially when dealing with something as complex as this."

Frustration bubbled inside Morgan, threatening to spill over. She didn't need Mueller questioning her methods, especially considering everything she'd been through. But instead of snapping at him, she turned her focus inward, wrestling with her stubbornness and the nagging feeling that maybe—just maybe—he might be right.

"Your concern is noted," she replied tersely. "But I can handle this case, with or without a partner."

Mueller held her gaze for a moment longer before nodding. "Very well, Cross. Just remember that we're all here to help. Don't let your pride get in the way of doing what's best for the investigation."

Morgan could still feel the weight of Mueller's gaze on her as she forced herself to focus back on her files. The temperature in her office seemed to have dropped a few degrees since his arrival, and she shivered involuntarily, rubbing her hands together for warmth.

Her eyes scanned the pages before her, but her thoughts refused to cooperate, scattered by the tension in the air. She knew that Mueller was watching her closely—judging her competence, assessing her willingness to work with Derik—and the scrutiny made her skin crawl.

"Excuse me," Mueller said suddenly, his tone clipped and businesslike. "I need to take this."

Morgan watched him step out into the hall, phone pressed to his ear, and took advantage of the momentary reprieve to let out a slow breath. She didn't want to admit it, but there was a small part of her that wondered if maybe he was right. Maybe she shouldn't be so stubborn about working alone.

But as soon as the thought entered her mind, she pushed it away. She couldn't afford to second-guess herself now, not when lives were on the line.

In the hallway, Mueller's voice grew sharp and alarmed. "What? Another body?" He paused, listening to the person on the other end of the line, and then swore under his breath. Meanwhile, Morgan's stomach fell to the floor. She prayed this wasn't about her case. Mueller continued, "No, we'll be right there. Thank you."

He stormed back into Morgan's office, his face tight with barely contained fury. She held her breath as he said.

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