AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Morgan would always regret involving him. She'd asked him to help her find the names of the man who'd framed her for murder ten years ago, causing her to spend ten long, cold years in prison. Ever since she'd been set free and re-joined the FBI, her name cleared, she felt like someone was still after her... still trying to get her. The elusive men remained nameless, but Thomas wasn't a stranger, not anymore. He had kidnapped her dog, forcing her to play his sick and twisted game, and for whatever reason, this was the first location he'd sent her to.
She clenched her fists. The tattoos on her arms seemed to come alive in the faint glow of the nearby streetlights, a constant reminder of her time in prison and a life she fought so hard to leave behind. She couldn't shake the feeling that Thomas was testing her, pushing her to the edge, but for what purpose?
"Thomas, you bastard. What do you want from me?" Morgan's voice trembled as she glanced around the alley, half-expecting him to appear from the shadows.
As she stood there, the rain continued to fall, soaking her to the bone. Her thoughts raced, her mind a whirlwind of anger, confusion, and fear. Why had Thomas brought her here? Was he trying to expose her or manipulate her further? And most importantly, where was her beloved Skunk? The thought of her loyal companion in danger fueled her determination, steeling her resolve.
She knew she had no choice but to confront Thomas, to face the man who had betrayed her trust and held the key to her past. And as she took a deep breath and prepared to step out of the shadows, Morgan vowed that whatever Thomas wanted to play, she would not be an easy pawn to move.
Morgan pulled out her phone, her fingers shaky as they dialed Thomas's number. The phone rang once, twice, before he finally answered.
"Where's Skunk, Thomas? What the hell is this about?" Morgan demanded, her voice cracking with a mix of anger and desperation.
Thomas laughed, a cold and unnerving sound that sent shivers down her spine. "This first location was just a test, Morgan. I wanted you to see that I'm on your side. I know what you did, and I never told anyone. 'They' wanted me to give you up, but I'm not going to. You see, I want you all to myself."
"Who are 'they'? What do you want from me?" Morgan clenched her fists, knuckles turning white. "You're a sick bastard. I can't trust anything you say."
"Stand by and wait for my next location," Thomas replied cryptically. "Just remember, if you involve Derik or the FBI in this, things won't end well for you or Skunk. This is between you and me now." He paused for a moment before adding, "You should have just gone on that date with me, Morgan."
The line went dead. Morgan stared at the phone for a moment. If Thomas wanted to get her alone, why not just come out and say it? Why all the cryptic hints and double meanings? But whatever his angle was—whatever he was planning—Morgan knew she couldn't go to the authorities. Not yet.
Then realization struck her with the force of a freight train.
"Skunk," she whispered into the darkness. "Oh god, what if he's already..."
She looked around the alley, but there was nothing there. He could be anywhere. She trembled in the rain, her mind racing, wondering if she could even go through with this. He's already taken my dog. What is he going to do to me?
Morgan raised her face to the sky, letting the rain pelt against her skin, washing away some of the frustration and anger. She didn't know what Thomas's motives were... But if he wanted to get to her... if he wanted to push her to the brink... then she would go there. She would go all the way. She had nothing to lose.
Her fist clenched in determination. I'll do whatever it takes to find Skunk. I'll go to hell and back if I have to.
With Skunk's life hanging in the balance, she had no choice but to play along, at least for now. "I swear, Thomas," she whispered into the rain-soaked night, "if you hurt Skunk, I'll kill you and go back to prison happily."
She turned and walked away from the alley, her mind racing as she tried to figure out her next move. Whatever Thomas had planned, Morgan knew she would need every ounce of strength and cunning to outwit him and save her beloved Skunk.
***
Morgan's key turned in the lock, and she stepped inside her home, the emptiness hitting her like a punch to the gut. She'd grown so accustomed to Skunk's excited barks and wagging tail greeting her at the door, and now, without him there, the silence was deafening. The weight of loneliness pressed down on her shoulders, reminding her of the cold isolation she'd endured during her decade behind bars.
"Skunk," she whispered, her voice cracking with emotion. She closed her eyes, picturing his soft brown fur and the way he would nuzzle up against her when she was sad or upset. He was more than just a loyal companion; he was the one constant in her life, the one thing she could always depend on. And now, because of Thomas, he was gone.
Morgan sank down onto her couch, her laptop resting on the coffee table before her. Her mind raced with questions about Thomas and his motives, but she knew that answers wouldn't come easily. She opened the laptop, her fingers flying over the keys as she logged into the FBI database. She had gone through Thomas Grady's file countless times before, but with each new revelation, she couldn't help but wonder if she'd missed something vital.
As she scrolled through the information, her thoughts kept circling back to Thomas and his warning. How could she not involve Derik or the FBI when her own dog's life was on the line? But the fear of what Thomas might do to Skunk if she didn't follow his instructions left her feeling trapped, cornered like a wounded animal.
Her finger hovered over the touchpad, scrolling through pages of reports and redacted documents. She longed for a breakthrough, a single clue that would unravel the mystery that was Thomas Grady. But with each passing moment, she felt more and more like she was grasping at straws.
Her eyes narrowed as she studied the screen, the words on the screen starting to blur together. The late hour and her exhaustion were taking their toll, but she couldn't afford to rest. Not when Skunk's life hung in the balance.
Morgan's eyes lingered on the scant details of Thomas's life before his time at the FBI. Born and raised in Dallas, it was as if he vanished from existence for several years before reappearing to join the Bureau. The redacted documents taunted her, concealing the secrets she so desperately sought.
She considered reaching out to Mueller, but the thought was quickly dismissed; she couldn't risk involving anyone else, let alone someone like Assistant Director Mueller, who she definitively didn't trust. Her mind wandered to Derik Greene, her partner who had betrayed her after the men who'd framed her had blackmailed him. They had threatened his estranged son in order to get Derik to lead Morgan into a trap, but he'd gone against it. Derik had been trying to earn back Morgan's trust, but she knew things between them were forever changed after how much he lied to her and hid from her. Despite knowing that he knew as little about their enemies as she did, she couldn't bring herself to trust him completely. Not with Skunk's life hanging by a thread.
She couldn't trust anyone.
The weight of her situation bore down on her, suffocating her like a vice. She felt utterly alone, every ounce of hope slipping through her fingers like sand. Desperate for some semblance of relief, Morgan rose from the couch and crossed the room to her liquor cabinet. The clink of glass against glass echoed through the empty house as she selected a bottle of whiskey.
"Here's to you, Skunk," she said, pouring a generous measure into a tumbler. "I'll get you back, no matter what it takes."
