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"Okay," she muttered to herself before slipping on a latex glove. The rubbery smell permeated the air as she gently lifted one of the woman's arms, checking for any signs of struggle or defensive wounds.
"Find anything?" Derik asked, his voice low and respectful.
"Nothing obvious," Morgan replied, her brow furrowed in concentration. "No bruising, no cuts."
"Same as the others," Derik noted, his eyes scanning the area around them. "What the hell is going on here?"
Ignoring his question, Morgan continued her examination, her gloved fingers searching the woman's pockets. Her touch encountered something cold and wet; carefully, Morgan pulled out a waterlogged wallet. The leather was swollen from its time in the water, but she managed to pry it open.
"Let's see who you are," she murmured, extracting a damp driver's license. She wiped away the moisture, revealing the face of Amber Jade, thirty-six years old. A pang of sadness hit Morgan as she took in the lifeless woman's details — her light brown hair framing a soft, round face, her green eyes once full of life, now vacant.
"Her name was Amber Jade," Morgan announced, her voice wavering slightly despite her best efforts to remain composed. "She was only thirty-six."
"Damn," Derik breathed, his expression somber. "Another young life taken too soon."
Morgan beckoned to the forensics team, her voice firm and demanding. "Get her out of here, and sweep the area for DNA. I want this place turned inside out."
As they moved into action, Morgan scanned the scene, taking in the flurry of activity around her. It was then that she noticed a figure standing near two local police officers — an elderly man, his face etched with concern and confusion.
"Derik," she said, nodding toward the old man, "I think that's our witness. Stay here and keep an eye on the forensics team. I'm going to talk to him."
Without waiting for a response, Morgan strode across the grass, her boots leaving a faint trail in the dewy blades. As she neared the man, she caught snippets of their conversation — something about fishing and how he'd never seen anything like this before.
"Excuse me," Morgan interjected, her tone polite but authoritative. She flashed her badge, the gold gleaming in the sunlight. "Special Agent Morgan Cross, FBI. I understand you found the body?"
The elderly fisherman glanced at her, his eyes filled with sadness. "Yes, ma'am. I'm Fred Ericson. I was just telling these officers here... I come to this lake all the time to fish. Never seen anything like it."
Morgan nodded, trying to project empathy while keeping her professional distance. "I can only imagine how shocking this must have been for you. Can you walk me through what happened?"
Fred hesitated, then sighed deeply. "Well, like I said, I was here to fish. Just minding my own business when I saw something floating in the water. Didn't think much of it at first, but then..."
He trailed off, visibly shaken. Morgan felt a pang of sympathy for the man, but she knew she had to keep pressing if they were going to find answers.
"Take your time, sir," she said gently. "What did you do when you realized it was a body?"
The fisherman swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing as he spoke. "I tried to pull her out, but she was too heavy. And I could tell she was already gone... so I called the police."
Morgan pursed her lips, considering his story. It seemed straightforward enough, but there was always more to uncover. She needed to know everything this man had seen and heard, no matter how seemingly insignificant.
"Thank you for your help," she told him, her voice firm but compassionate. "We'll do everything we can to bring this killer to justice. You have my word."
As she turned to rejoin Derik, her mind raced with questions and possibilities. There had to be something they were missing — some clue that would connect Amber Jade to their other victims and lead them closer to the truth.
Fred took a shaky breath, his gaze returning to the crime scene as if it held answers instead of gruesome reality. "Well, like I said, I came here to fish like usual. I'd just set up my gear when I saw something floating in the water." He rubbed his hands together nervously, as if trying to rid himself of the memory. "At first, I thought it was debris or something, but then I could see... her."
Morgan followed his gaze to where the forensics team was still working on Amber Jade's body. The pristine condition of her skin and clothes made the whole situation even more unsettling. She refocused on Fred, knowing she needed every piece of information he could provide.
"Go on," she urged, her eyes locked onto his.
"The lake isn't that deep here, but she was clearly being weighed down by something," Fred continued, his voice trembling. "I tried to pull her out, but she was just too heavy. And I knew... I could tell she was already dead. So I called the police."
As Morgan processed his words, a well of empathy stirred within her. Despite her hardened exterior, she couldn't help but feel for this innocent man who had stumbled upon such a grisly scene. A part of her hoped that he wouldn't be haunted by the image for too long, though she knew that was unlikely.
"Did you notice anything unusual or suspicious before you found her?" Morgan asked, her gaze steady on Fred's face. She tried to read any subtle changes in his expression, hoping for a clue that would lead them in the right direction.
Fred shook his head slowly. "No, nothing at all. This lake is very private—I never expected something like this to happen here." His voice wavered, and Morgan could sense the shock and disbelief that still lingered beneath the surface.
"Alright," she said, nodding. "If you remember anything else, please don't hesitate to contact us."
