AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"Mr. Tuck," she said in a steady voice, "we have no intention of causing you any trouble. We just want to understand why Steven was killed. If you have nothing to hide, then there should be no problem."
Her words seemed to reach Robert, who hesitated for a moment, allowing Morgan to briefly exhale in relief. But the standoff continued, and she knew that one wrong move could send everything spiraling out of control.
"Derik, lower your gun," Morgan urged, her tone steady and calm. Her eyes never left Robert's face as she tried to maintain a connection with him, hoping to talk him down from the brink.
Derik hesitated, reluctance clear on his strained features, but he complied, slowly lowering his weapon. The air between them still hummed with tension, but Morgan felt it was a step in the right direction.
"Robert," she said, keeping her voice low and soothing, "we just want to find out who killed Steven. If you have nothing to hide, then there shouldn't be a problem."
As the words settled, Robert's gaze wavered, flicking between Morgan and Derik. She could see the uncertainty building behind his eyes, a glimmer of doubt creeping in. It was the opening she needed.
Seizing the opportunity, Morgan lunged forward with startling speed. In one fluid motion, she swiped the shotgun from Robert's grasp, twisting it away from him and using her other hand to push him off balance. He stumbled back, surprise etched on his face as he realized he'd been disarmed.
"Put your hands behind your back," Morgan commanded, her voice firm but not unkind. As she clamped the cuffs around his wrists, she couldn't help but feel a spark of satisfaction at having defused the situation without any harm done.
"Whatever you're hiding, Mr. Tuck," she said, looking him straight in the eye, "we're going to find out."
Robert swallowed hard, his bravado crumbling under the weight of Morgan's unwavering determination. And although she knew the road ahead was far from clear, she was confident that they had taken a crucial step towards unraveling the mystery surrounding Steven's murder.
***
The fluorescent lights of the precinct flickered overhead as Morgan hunched over the computer, scanning through Robert Tuck's files in the FBI database. The sterile buzz of the bulbs mixed with the faint hum of the air conditioning system, creating an unsettling atmosphere that did little to calm her racing thoughts. Derik stood nearby, his arms crossed and a furrow etched into his brow as he watched her work.
"Check this out," Morgan said, her voice low but urgent. "Robert has a record of domestic violence and abuse. His wife left him years ago, and he's been running the farm alone ever since."
"Jesus," Derik muttered, shaking his head. "No wonder the place looked like it was falling apart."
Morgan nodded, her dark eyes never leaving the screen. "It's a lot of work for one man," she mused, her fingers dancing across the keyboard as she pulled up Steven's file. "So why did he hire Steven?"
"Maybe he needed help?" Derik suggested, leaning against the desk to get a better look at the monitor.
"Could be," Morgan agreed, her gaze narrowing as she scrolled through the information on Steven Kirk. "But according to this, Steven had no official record of employment in the past year. He was never registered as a worker on Robert's farm."
"Under the table, then?" Derik asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Looks like it." Morgan pursed her lips, feeling a pang of sympathy for the young man who'd lost his life. She continued scrolling, her heart catching in her chest as she came across another detail. "Steven has a wife, Francine Kirk. She lives here in Dallas."
"Damn," Derik breathed, his green eyes clouded with concern. "Think we should talk to her?"
Morgan nodded, her mind already racing with questions. What could have driven Robert to hire Steven under the table? And what was their connection to Melissa's murder? She logged off the computer and stood up, determination etched in every line of her face.
"Let's pay Francine a visit," she said, her voice resolute. "Maybe she can shed some light on this whole mess."
As they left the precinct, Morgan couldn't help but feel that they were one step closer to unraveling the twisted threads of the case. But with each new revelation, the darkness seemed to grow deeper, wrapping itself around her like the shadows that haunted her past. And as much as she wanted to bring justice for those who had suffered, she couldn't shake the feeling that there was still so much more to uncover.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The sun dipped low in the sky, casting long shadows across the quaint suburban neighborhood. Morgan and Derik pulled up in front of Steven Kirk's house, the white picket fence and well-tended garden giving off an air of domestic bliss that seemed almost jarring in light of recent events.
As Morgan stepped out of the car, she couldn't help but feel a pang of longing as she surveyed the scene before her. This was the kind of life she had once dreamed of – a loving partner, a home to call her own, perhaps even children. But those dreams had been shattered by her time in prison, and the harsh reality of her career as an FBI agent left little room for such fantasies.
"Ready?" Derik asked, his gaze steady and supportive. Morgan nodded, pushing her personal thoughts aside as they approached the front door.
She knocked firmly, and after a moment, the door swung open to reveal a beautiful blonde woman in a flowing dress. Her tear-streaked face and swollen belly made it clear that she was pregnant, and Morgan felt a surge of protectiveness for this woman who would now have to raise her child alone.
"Mrs. Kirk?" Morgan asked gently, flashing her badge. "I'm Special Agent Cross, and this is my partner, Special Agent Greene. We're here to discuss your husband's case."
Francine Kirk wiped away her tears with the back of her hand and swallowed hard. "Of course," she said, her voice cracking with emotion. "Please, come in."
