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"Derik! He's running!" she barked into her radio, sprinting across the lawn with her gun still drawn. "Head east through the neighborhood!"
Roger was fast, but Morgan could feel her own muscles responding to the challenge, propelling her forward with every stride. The houses blurred together as she raced down narrow walkways and leaped over hedges, closing the gap between them. Her breaths came in short, ragged gasps, but she couldn't afford to slow down – not when so much was at stake.
"Stop, Roger! You can't outrun me!" she called out, her voice strained but determined. She could see him glancing back, fear etched on his face, but he didn't let up.
"Leave me alone!" he shouted back, desperation ringing clear in his tone. "I didn't do anything!"
"Then why are you running?" she shot back, her mind racing with questions. What was he hiding? Why had he lied about seeing Amy?
As they rounded a corner, Roger slipped on some wet leaves, giving Morgan the opportunity she needed to close the distance. With one final burst of speed, she lunged forward, wrapping her arms around Roger's waist and bringing him crashing to the ground. A jolt of pain surged through her body as they tumbled onto the damp grass, but she fought through it, pinning him beneath her weight.
"Enough, Roger!" she panted, her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath. "You're under arrest!"
"Please," he begged, tears streaming down his face. "I didn't kill Amy. You have to believe me!"
Morgan's grip tightened on his wrists as she fought to suppress the flicker of doubt that threatened to creep in. She couldn't afford to waver now – not when they were so close to cracking this case.
"Tell it to the judge," she said coldly. As sirens wailed in the distance, signaling the arrival of backup, Morgan took a moment to collect herself before hoisting Roger to his feet. The chase was over, but the real battle had only just begun.
Roger's face contorted as he sobbed, his cheeks flushed and mottled with his frantic exertion. Morgan barely registered the cold sweat on her own brow as she held him firmly in place. The sound of their breaths mingling with the distant hum of traffic was almost drowned out by the pounding of her heart.
"Please, Agent Cross," Roger implored through choked sobs, "I didn't have anything to do with Amy's death. I swear!"
Morgan studied his desperate eyes, searching for any trace of deceit. Her own hardened gaze bore into him, unwavering, a testament to years of interrogating criminals. She thought of Lizzie Meadows and the poison that had taken her life, then of Amy Sanderson back at the concert hall. One false move now could cost another innocent person their life. No room for error.
"Save it, Roger," she snarled, yanking his arms behind his back and snapping the cold metal cuffs around his wrists. The sharp click echoed in the quiet suburban street, announcing the end of his freedom - if only temporarily. "You'll have plenty of time to tell your story later."
As she hauled him to his feet, Morgan caught a glimpse of concerned neighbors peering from behind curtains and screen doors. She ignored their whispers and stares, focused solely on the man whose lies had led them on this grim dance through the neighborhood.
"Let's go," she instructed tersely. With one hand gripping Roger's arm, she led him away from the scene, her thoughts racing ahead to the next steps in their investigation.
CHAPTER TEN
The fluorescent light flickered above the cold interrogation room, casting harsh shadows on the cracked linoleum floor. Morgan leaned back in her chair, one leg crossed over the other, eyes fixed on Roger Walter, who sat across from her. Derik stood beside her, arms folded, his steady gaze never leaving Roger.
"Alright, Roger," Morgan began, her voice a low growl. "You say you didn't kill Amy Sanderson. So why don't you start by telling us what really happened between the two of you?"
Roger's tear-streaked face trembled as he looked up at Morgan. He swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing nervously. "It's true, I...I had an argument with Amy that night. But I swear, I didn't kill her."
"Then why lie about it?" Derik interjected, his tone sharp and accusing.
"Because..." Roger hesitated, wiping his nose with the back of his sleeve. "I was trying to get her to quit drinking. She had a...a real problem with alcohol. It was affecting her work, her relationships...everything. I just wanted to help her."
Morgan studied Roger's face, searching for any sign of deception. A part of her wanted to believe him, but she'd been burned too many times before by trusting someone. The deaths of Lizzie Meadows and the new victim weighed heavily on her conscience. If Roger wasn't their killer, then who was?
"Help her?" she mused aloud, playing with the edge of a file folder on the table. "Or control her? You lied about when you last saw her, Roger. That doesn't exactly scream 'innocent.'"
"I-I panicked!" Roger stammered, tears welling in his eyes again. "I thought if people knew we'd argued, they would blame me for her death. But I didn't kill her, Agent Cross. I swear!"
Morgan's gaze narrowed as she scrutinized Roger, her mind racing with possibilities. She'd been around liars long enough to know when someone was hiding something, and every fiber of her being told her that Roger wasn't telling the whole truth.
"Roger," Morgan began, her voice ice-cold, "You need to understand the gravity of this situation. If you don't come clean now, you could be facing some serious hard time." She leaned in closer, her eyes locked on his. "But if you confess and cooperate with us fully, I might just be able to help you."
Roger's eyes darted between Morgan and Derik, clearly feeling the pressure of their combined stares. He swallowed hard, but maintained his innocence. "I swear, Agent Cross, I didn't kill Amy. I was just trying to help her get over her alcohol problem. It was affecting her performance, and I thought if she could quit drinking, it would save her career."
Morgan's jaw clenched as she contemplated his words. The sincerity in Roger's voice was almost convincing, but she'd been fooled before. Her instincts screamed at her not to trust him, while her heart ached for the victim and her family. Inside, she waged a war between her head and her heart.
"Sometimes, people have a way of hiding things," she said evenly, her mind drifting back to her own past. "Even from themselves. Are you sure there isn't anything else you're not telling us, Roger?"
