Page 15 of Forever

She turned to Derik, her expression grave. "Heather's missing. And Felix's boat is still gone. We need to find him."

Derik nodded, his jaw set in determination. "We might need a boat."

CHAPTER TEN

The police boat cut through the dark waters of Lake Ray Hubbard, sending ripples along the surface as it sped over the waves. Morgan Cross clutched onto the railing beside Derik, her partner for this case, as they searched for Felix Scale, the millionaire suspected of kidnapping Heather and murdering two other women. The wind whistled in their ears, whipping Morgan's hair back from her face as she stared out at the vast expanse of water before them. Other police boats zipped around the coastline like bees around a hive, all searching for Felix's boat – named Infinity, written in cursive on its side.

"Stay focused, Morgan," Derik said, shouting over the roar of the boat's engine. "We'll find him."

Morgan nodded, her grip tightening on her phone as she looked up Felix Scale online. She knew time was running out, and with each passing second, her thoughts turned to the worst-case scenario. What if they were too late? She couldn't bear the thought of another life lost under her watch.

As she scrolled through search results, an article caught her eye:Millionaire Influencer Accused of Soliciting Sex.Her heart skipped a beat as she read the headline again, feeling a potent mix of anger and determination course through her veins. Morgan's eyes darted back and forth as she read the article, feeling her chest tighten. The words painted a disturbing picture of Felix Scale: a man who had no qualms about preying on vulnerable young women. She could almost hear the sneer in his voice as he allegedly offered the girl money for sex, as if trying to buy her dignity. Morgan clenched her jaw in disgust.

"Derik," she said, unable to keep the revulsion out of her voice. "It says here that Felix was accused of soliciting sex from a young woman – offering her cash in exchange."

"Are you kidding me?" Derik shook his head, his expression darkening. "Sounds like a real piece of work."

"Wait, there's more," Morgan muttered, scrolling further down the page. She tapped on Felix's social media profile, which was linked in the article. Almost immediately, she was bombarded with images of him living a luxurious and seemingly carefree life. He had hundreds of thousands of followers, but one look at him made Morgan feel sick to her stomach.

"Look at this guy," she said, holding up her phone so Derik could see. "He's clearly in his forties, but he's trying so hard to play it off like he's younger. It's pathetic."

"Seems like the kind of person who'd have no problem taking advantage of someone like Heather," Derik commented, his eyes narrowing as he studied Felix's smug grin plastered across the screen. The millionaire was surrounded by beautiful women in most photos, wearing designer clothes and sporting flashy jewelry.

"Exactly," Morgan agreed, her grip tightening around her phone. She couldn't shake the feeling that they were closing in on Heather's captor. This man – this predator – needed to be stopped before he hurt anyone else.

Inside Morgan's head, a storm of emotions raged. Anger, disgust, and fear for Heather's safety fueled her determination to bring Felix to justice. She couldn't allow another woman to fall victim to his twisted desires.

"Let's make sure this guy gets what he deserves," Morgan said, the fire burning in her eyes as she stared out at the choppy waters of the lake. They would find Felix Scale – and they would save Heather.

The wind roared around them as the police boat cut through the dark waters of Lake Ray Hubbard. Morgan's fingers flew over her phone, pulling up the FBI database to dig deeper into Felix Scale's background. The cold air nipped at her cheeks, but she barely noticed. All that mattered was finding Heather and stopping Felix before he could do any more harm.

"Here we go," she murmured, her breath clouding in the chilly air. Her eyes scanned the screen, taking in Felix's criminal record. Tax fraud. While it wasn't as damning as assault or murder, it solidified her belief that Felix was a scumbag. The fact that he had access to the docks only fueled her suspicion that he had Heather with him.

"Got anything?" Derik asked, his voice barely audible over the roar of the boat's engine and the crashing waves.

"Tax fraud," Morgan shouted back, not giving Derik much more than the basic information - she didn't want to engage in conversation with him any more than necessary. "He definitely had access to the docks."

Derik nodded, his gaze fixed on the horizon as if he could somehow see their target through sheer force of will. "We'll find him, Morgan. We'll find Heather and put this bastard away for good."

Morgan clenched her jaw, nodding curtly. She knew they had to work together, but she couldn't shake the feeling that something was off with Derik and that she’d never be able to trust him again, after everything. For now, though, she pushed those thoughts aside and focused on the task at hand: bringing Felix Scale to justice.

Her heart pounded in her chest, adrenaline coursing through her veins like liquid fire. It had been a long time since she'd felt so alive - so driven by purpose. In her mind's eye, she pictured Felix's smug face and imagined the satisfaction of finally slapping handcuffs on him. The thought brought a fierce smile to her lips.

"Let's hope we get there in time," she said, her voice steely and determined. "Heather's depending on us."

And with that, they sped across the lake, their eyes scanning the shoreline for any sign of Felix or his boat, Infinity. Time was running out, and Morgan knew that every passing second could mean the difference between life and death. All they could do now was pray they'd find Heather before it was too late.

The police boat cut through the water, its engine roaring as they approached the north side of Lake Ray Hubbard. Morgan's heart raced in anticipation, her grip on the railing tightening. The wind whipped through her hair, sending strands flying across her face and obscuring her vision momentarily.

"North side of the lake, we got eyes on the Infinity. Repeat, we've spotted the boat," the voice on the radio crackled with urgency.

"Copy that, we're on our way," the officer at the helm replied, pushing the throttle forward. The boat leaped ahead, racing towards their target.

Morgan stole a glance at Derik, who wore an expression of grim determination. She could feel his gaze on her even as she turned away, focusing on the approaching shoreline. She tried to ignore the uneasy feeling that crawled up her spine, concentrating instead on the task at hand.

"Almost there!" the officer shouted over the roar of the engine. "Get ready!"

Every muscle in Morgan's body tensed as they closed in on their destination. She couldn't help but think about Heather, about the terror the young woman must be feeling if Felix Scale had indeed taken her captive. Morgan felt a surge of anger towards the man, a fire that burned deep within her and fueled her resolve to see him brought to justice.

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