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After everything she'd been through, she was no stranger to betrayal. But her dog had been her rock, and even after getting out of prison for a crime she didn't commit, he was there waiting for her.
But even with her dog at her side and the calm lake in front of her, Morgan’s mind was still clouded with memories. There were many people on the lake that day, but Morgan felt like she was in her own world, even as she passed them. Still, she'd felt the need to escape the confines of her office and seek solace in nature, even if only for a short while. The soft crunch of sand underfoot and the rhythmic lapping of the water against the shore brought a semblance of peace, but it was fleeting.
Morgan glanced down at Skunk, who trotted happily beside her, tail wagging. She couldn't help but smile at his enthusiasm for life. "I wish I could be as carefree as you, buddy," she said, ruffling his fur.
But no matter how hard she tried, the weight of her past refused to fade. She’d spent ten cold years behind bars for a crime she didn’t commit, framed by someone within the FBI for assisting a serial killer. The injustice of it all still burned deep within her. Her reinstatement as an agent had not brought the closure she so desperately sought, nor the answers she needed.
Derik Greene, her partner, had bent when confronted by those who had framed her. Ever since she got out of prison, he’d been working both sides; he nearly walked Morgan into a trap, but in the end, changed his mind, claiming to care too much about her. Even with the mysterious men threatening his long-lost son. Yet he still wouldn't reveal the identities of those responsible, even now that they were partnered again.
As if that wasn't enough, there were still so many questions surrounding her late father's mysterious connection to the FBI. The puzzle pieces just wouldn't fit together, and it gnawed at her constantly. She’d seen the picture herself—of her father with other agents years ago, including Assistant Director Mueller. Yet she hadn’t found any concrete proof aside from that that he’d even been in the FBI, and moreover, she didn’t know why it was such a secret.
"Skunk, I don't know what to do anymore," she confessed, her voice barely above a whisper. "I just want to put the past behind me, but it keeps pulling me back in."
The sun continued to shine, its warmth a stark contrast to the chill that settled in Morgan's heart. She knew that until she could unravel the tangled web of deceit and betrayal, peace would remain elusive. But for now, she had a job to do, and she would do it to the best of her ability, with Skunk by her side.
As Morgan gazed out at the shimmering lake, her thoughts drifted back to a couple of days ago when she had enlisted the help of Agent Thomas Grady, the new cyber security expert who’d worked on her last case with her. She’d asked him to hack into the FBI’s mainframe and get information on the men who framed her—at the very least, their names.
Well, Thomas had claimed to have that information, and Morgan agreed to meet with him. But when they finally met up, their meeting had only ended with frustration when Thomas claimed he needed more time to acquire the names she sought.
She recalled their conversation, the way he had pleaded with her to stay by his side, give him more time. And though she had agreed, a nagging sense of unease persisted in the pit of her stomach. Maybe it had been a bad idea to try and get Thomas, someone she barely knew, involved, but she'd been desperate and figured someone with his skillset could at least get her some names. But even if he had those names, he was clearly not willing to give them up easily. Morgan had a bad feeling about all of it.
Skunk nudged her hand with his wet nose, as if offering reassurance. Morgan couldn't help but smile at his loyalty.
Suddenly, her thoughts were interrupted by a commotion near the edge of the beach. A gathering of people had formed, their voices anxious and alarmed. Morgan's instincts immediately went on high alert, and she darted toward the crowd.
As they approached the crowd, the murmur of voices grew louder, a cacophony of concern and confusion. There were officers there, too, milling about and securing the scene. Morgan caught snippets of conversation from civilians: "What happened?"
"Poor woman..."
"Excuse me," Morgan called out, pushing her way through the throng of onlookers. "FBI Special Agent Morgan Cross. What's the situation here?"
A sunburned man in a neon-yellow tank top turned to face her, his eyes wide with shock. "There's a dead body, ma'am," he stammered. "Over there, by the sandbox."
"Skunk, stay," Morgan ordered, releasing her grip on his leash and stepping forward to get a better look.
Her heart pounded in her chest as the grim reality of the scene unfolded before her. Someone was dead, here... but who?
"Excuse me, please," Morgan called out firmly, pushing through the throng of onlookers. As she neared the center, she spotted several police officers huddled together, casting uneasy glances at one another. "Special Agent Cross, FBI," she announced, flashing her badge to the nearest officer. He looked taken aback for a moment but quickly composed himself and nodded curtly.
"Officer Parker," he introduced himself. "What brings you here, Agent Cross?"
"Can't seem to escape work, even on a day off," Morgan replied dryly, her eyes scanning the scene. Skunk whined softly from afar, picking up on her tension. "Tell me what happened."
"Got a call about a possible homicide, ma'am," Officer Parker said, his voice tight. "Woman found dead near the sandbox. No obvious cause of death yet, but it doesn't look good.
“I need to take a closer look at what's going on here. Where's the body?"
"Of course, Agent Cross," one of the officers replied, parting the way for her. She could sense their unease as she passed, but she didn't have time to waste on reassurances.
Morgan's eyes narrowed as she approached the sandbox, taking in the sight before her. An elderly woman's body lay crumpled and lifeless, her face frozen in an expression of terror that sent shivers down Morgan's spine. She couldn't help but feel a spark of anger toward whoever had done this, leaving such a gruesome scene for innocent bystanders to stumble upon.
Thank God there are no children here to see this, she thought, scanning the area for any potential witnesses or evidence.
"Natural causes," one of the local officers declared, gesturing toward the lifeless woman in the sandbox. "I'm certain of it."
Morgan's brow furrowed as she scrutinized the scene. A chill ran down her spine as she studied the victim's face, frozen in terror. Natural causes? Her instincts screamed otherwise.
"Are you sure about that?" Morgan asked, her voice steady despite the unease bubbling inside her.
