Page 11 of Forever

"Another body has been found, Cross. Get your ass in gear and head out. Now."

Morgan felt her heart drop like a stone in her chest, the shock and horror threatening to overwhelm her. Another victim, another innocent life snuffed out by a monster who was still walking free. And while she sat here, bickering with Mueller about her personal preferences, someone else had paid the price.

"Where?" she asked, her voice barely audible.

"Lake Ray Hubbard," Mueller replied, his eyes dark and stormy.

Morgan didn't need any more encouragement. She grabbed her jacket and keys, her resolve hardening with each step she took toward the door. This killer had taken enough lives already; she wouldn't let him take any more.

CHAPTER SEVEN

The sun dipped low in the sky, casting a warm golden glow over Lake Ray Hubbard. The fading light reflected off the water, creating a shimmering contrast to the grim scene unfolding on the shore. Despite the serene beauty of the lake, Morgan felt her heart constricting in her chest as she pulled into the marina's parking lot. She swallowed hard and took a deep breath, trying to steady herself for what she was about to face.

Focus, Morgan,she whispered to herself, her voice barely audible over the sound of the engine idling. She knew she couldn't afford to let her emotions get the best of her—not now, not when another life was dangling by a thread.

Morgan parked her car and stepped out, her eyes scanning the busy crime scene. The area was swarming with police officers and forensic technicians, their movements hurried and purposeful as they worked to preserve any evidence that might lead them to the killer. Among them, a group of divers clad in scuba gear prepared to search the murky depths of the lake for any additional clues.

As she approached the shoreline, her eyes were drawn to the unmistakable shape of a woman's body, pale and waterlogged from its time submerged in the lake. Her stomach churned at the sight, and she forced herself to look away for a moment, steeling her resolve before continuing forward.

The evening sun cast long shadows over the grisly scene, and the scent of damp earth and rotting vegetation filled the air. As she approached, Morgan steeled herself, knowing that what she was about to see would be seared into her memory for years to come.

Kneeling beside the waterlogged corpse, she took a deep breath and began her examination. The woman's body had a rope tied tightly around her ankles, its frayed end indicating that it had snapped at some point. Now adrift, she had washed ashore, her lifeless form sprawled grotesquely on the rocky bank.

Morgan studied the damage the lake had wrought on the victim's pale, bloated skin. It appeared as though she'd been submerged for more than just a few days, her clothes tattered and stained with algae. Despite the ravages of time and water, the woman's face was still recognizable, and Morgan felt a pang of sorrow for the lost soul before her.

"Any idea who she is?" Morgan asked one of the officers nearby, her eyes never leaving the body.

"No, ma'am," he replied, a grim expression etched across his weathered face. "We're waiting on an ID from the coroner."

Morgan crouched beside the victim, her eyes scanning the woman's body for any other similarities to Stacy. Despite the bloated and discolored state of the corpse, it was clear that this woman was older than Stacy by at least a decade. As Morgan examined the woman's hands, she noted that they were bound tightly behind her back, just like Stacy's had been.

"Dammit," she muttered, her frustration mounting. "This can't be a coincidence."

"Agent Cross?" a nearby officer called out tentatively, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

"Get this poor woman out of here," Morgan ordered without looking up. "I want forensics on every inch of her body, scraping for DNA samples, fibers, anything that can lead us to her killer. And get me an ID as soon as possible."

"Understood, ma'am," the officer replied with a nod, signaling for his colleagues to begin the process.

As the officers carried the lifeless body away on a stretcher, Morgan couldn't shake the feeling that this case was quickly spiraling out of control. Whoever was responsible for these gruesome acts seemed to have little regard for human life, discarding their victims like used toys. And with each new discovery, Morgan felt the pressure weighing down on her, threatening to crush her spirit.

***

Morgan's nostrils flared, inhaling the faint scent of gasoline as she strode past Derik, who had just joined her at the marina crime scene. She could feel his eyes on her, lingering like a physical touch, but she refused to indulge him with a response.

"Cross," Derik called out, slightly breathless from jogging over to her. "Can you give me the run-down?"

"Ask the cops," Morgan snapped, not even bothering to glance in his direction. Tension coiled around her heart like a clenched fist, which only tightened when she thought of the lives that hung in the balance.

Ignoring Derik's hurt expression, Morgan marched towards the marina's office, her footsteps echoing against the wooden dock beneath her. A gust of wind teased the ends of her hair, carrying the sharp tang of saltwater and algae. Through the glass doors, she spotted a young woman behind the counter, her face pale and fingers trembling as she clutched the edge of her desk.

"Hello?" Morgan asked, stepping into the small office. The air inside was stale, mixed with the scent of damp paper and printer ink.

"Y-yes," the girl stuttered, looking up at Morgan with wide, fearful eyes. The nameplate on her desk read 'Annie.' "How can I help you?"

Morgan could see the terror etched into every line of Annie's face, her eyes reflecting the same haunted look she'd seen in countless victims throughout her career. It took her back to her time in prison, where she had been surrounded by women broken by their own demons and the cruel indifference of the world around them.

"Annie, I need your help," Morgan said gently, fighting the urge to reach across the counter and offer the girl some form of comfort. "I need your help finding answers."

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