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"Agent Cross, we've found another body," the officer said urgently, and Morgan's blood ran cold. "You need to get down here right away."
"Understood," she replied, the weight of the case settling back onto her shoulders. Hanging up, she looked back at Thomas, her eyes hardening. "We'll discuss this later," she told him, before swiftly exiting the break room.
As she hurried down the hallway, her mind couldn't help but drift back to Thomas and the potential consequences of their deal. But with another victim on her hands, she knew she had to focus on the task at hand, any personal conflicts shoved aside for now. The killer had to be stopped, and Morgan was determined to bring them down.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Morgan's knuckles turned white as she gripped the steering wheel, her eyes locked on the road ahead. Derik glanced over at her from the passenger seat, concern etched across his face, but he said nothing. He knew better than to interrupt her when she was in this state.
They sped through the city streets, and soon Morgan pulled up to a zoo on the outskirts of the city. The parking lot was full of police cars, their lights flashing blue and red, casting an eerie glow on the scene. Staff were busy escorting guests out of the park, their faces pale and anxious.
"Let's go," Morgan said tersely, killing the engine and hopping out of the car. Derik followed suit, and together they hurried into the zoo.
As they passed by exotic animal exhibits, Morgan could feel her heart pounding in her chest. She tried to ignore the scent of damp earth and the distant roars and calls of the animals, focusing instead on the task at hand. Another body – another innocent life taken. And still, they were no closer to finding the killer.
"Agent Cross, Agent Greene," an officer called out, spotting them as they approached. Morgan's gaze snapped to him, taking in his serious expression and the way his uniform clung to him from the humidity.
"Officer," she acknowledged, nodding curtly. "Where's the scene?"
"Right this way," he replied, leading them further into the zoo. As they walked, Morgan's mind raced with possibilities – what new horror would the killer have left for them this time? Would there be more teeth, or something even worse?
"Here we are," the officer said, stopping abruptly near a play area. Morgan took a deep breath, steeling herself for whatever lay ahead.
"Thank you, officer," Derik said, his voice steady. "We'll take it from here."
Morgan approached the play area, her eyes narrowing as they fell upon an elderly woman lying dead on a bench near the back. Bitter frustration bubbled within her; she had hoped that their arrival would have been in time to prevent another murder.
"Did anyone see what happened?" Morgan asked sharply, scanning the faces of the frantic zoo staff gathered nearby. A young woman stepped forward, her eyes wide and fearful.
"Uh, no, Agent Cross," she stammered. "We didn't even know she was there until a family found her and reported it. People just... passed by, thinking she was asleep."
"Damn it," Morgan muttered under her breath, gritting her teeth. She knew they had to work fast if they wanted any hope of catching this twisted killer. Slipping on her latex gloves with practiced ease, she turned her attention to the lifeless body before her.
Without any visible cause of death, Morgan instinctively knew where to look. The killer's gruesome hallmark was now etched into her mind. Carefully, she pried open the victim's mouth, revealing the horrifying sight: two series of ill-fitted, yellow teeth, poorly stabbed into the woman's gums. Blood still coated the roots, an eerie testament to the violence inflicted upon her.
"Derik," Morgan called out, forcing herself to stay calm despite the revulsion churning in her stomach. "Get a closer look at this."
Derik joined her side, his face pale but determined. "Same pattern as the last one," he remarked grimly. "This monster is getting bolder."
"Or more desperate," Morgan mused, feeling the weight of responsibility settle heavily upon her shoulders. "Either way, we need to find them before they strike again." Her resolve hardened, she knew that failure was not an option.
Morgan's heart clenched as she stepped back from the gruesome sight, removing her latex gloves. She glanced at the officer nearby, his eyes reflecting a mix of horror and determination. "Have we ID'd her yet?" she asked, her voice tight.
The officer nodded, swallowing hard before answering. "Yes, Agent Cross. Her name is Gretchen Smith, seventy-two years old. She lived alone, no children, but had a caretaker."
"Thank you," Morgan said, acknowledging the officer with a nod. Her mind raced with possibilities and connections, trying to piece together the puzzle that was slowly taking shape in front of her. Each life taken was another thread in this twisted tapestry, and she was determined to unravel it.
She found Derik a few steps away, his brow furrowed in thought as he surveyed the scene. Morgan approached him, her resolve solidifying with each step.
"I want to meet with Gretchen's caretaker," she told him firmly. “Let’s find her.”
***
The sun was sinking toward evening by the time Morgan and Derik pulled up to the home of Cindy Apple. The quaint house stood nestled amongst a lush garden, vibrant with colorful flowers and rich green foliage that seemed to spill over onto the front walkway. The scent of blooming jasmine filled the air, but Morgan barely noticed, her focus locked on the task at hand.
"Let's hope she can give us something useful," Morgan muttered, feeling the weight of the day's events pressing down on her shoulders. She glanced over at Derik, who gave her an encouraging nod, and then stepped out of the car.
They made their way up the flagstone path, each step bringing them closer to the charming white door adorned with a tasteful wreath of dried flowers. In another context, the scene might have been idyllic. But as Morgan raised her hand to knock, she couldn't shake the dark cloud of foreboding that hung over her.
