AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"It appears that way," the officer replied, his tone dismissive. "I’m not seeing any visible wounds.”
"We need to look closer," Morgan said sharply, her gaze never leaving the body. "Something doesn't add up here."
"Listen, Agent Cross, we appreciate your concern, but this is our jurisdiction," another officer chimed in, attempting to guide her away from the scene with a firm hand on her shoulder.
Morgan spun around, her eyes blazing with defiance. "This is a crime scene, Officer. I have every right to be here." She pulled out her FBI badge, brandishing it like a shield as she locked eyes with the man trying to remove her from the scene.
Ignoring the lingering glares from the local officers, Morgan refocused on the victim and cautiously stepped closer. Her eyes scanned the old woman's body for any clues, but it was the victim's face that drew her attention. There was something off about the old woman's teeth - they appeared misaligned, as though they had been forced into a mouth they weren't meant to fit.
"Hey," Morgan called out to one of the officers, keeping her gaze fixed on the victim. "Did you notice anything strange about her teeth?"
"Her teeth?" The officer raised an eyebrow, clearly dubious. "What do her teeth have to do with anything?"
"Indulge me," Morgan replied curtly, her patience wearing thin.
The officer sighed, reluctantly crouching down beside her to examine the old woman's mouth. "I don't see what you're getting at, Agent Cross."
"Hand me a pair of gloves."
The officer did as he was told, offering Morgan a pair of latex clothes. Carefully, she pulled them on and leaned in for a closer look.
As she examined the teeth more closely, her suspicion was confirmed: there was definitely something wrong with the woman's mouth. Her gums were all bloodied and there were misaligned teeth shoved haphazardly into them... as though they had been removed, only to be crudely shoved back into place.
"Jesus," she whispered under her breath. Who would do such a thing? And why?
"Something wrong, Agent Cross?" the same officer asked hesitantly.
Morgan stood up, her eyes darkening with fury. "This woman didn't die of natural causes. Someone killed her, and it wasn't pretty."
"Are you sure, ma'am?" The officer seemed unsure, and Morgan couldn't blame him. The scene was unnerving, to say the least.
Morgan nodded grimly. "I'm positive. Whoever did this," Morgan began, her voice steady despite the gruesome discovery, "they took the time to remove her teeth and replace them with someone else's. This wasn't just some twisted form of mutilation. There's a message here, a reason behind it all. Officer," she addressed the skeptical policeman from earlier, "I'm declaring this an FBI jurisdiction. I need your department to cooperate with us."
"Of course, Agent Cross," he replied, his tone stiff but professional. He moved to secure the area, barking orders to his fellow officers.
Damn, Morgan thought, stepping away from the others. Another case was the last thing she needed right now, but she couldn't ignore the gruesome sight she'd just witnessed. This was no ordinary murder, and it was definitely done by no ordinary killer. She needed to get the FBI in on this now.
Morgan pulled out her phone and dialed Assistant Director Mueller's number. She clenched her jaw, trying to keep her emotions in check as she waited for him to answer.
"Mueller," came the gruff voice on the other end.
"Sir, it's Cross," she said, maintaining her composure. "I've got a situation here in Dallas. Possible homicide, but there's something... strange about the scene. The victim's teeth have been removed and crudely shoved back in. I think we're dealing with something bigger than a simple murder."
There was a brief pause before Mueller responded. "Understood, Agent Cross. I'll send a backup immediately. Keep the scene secure until they arrive."
"Thank you." Morgan hung up the call, her heart pounding in her chest as she surveyed the area. What kind of monster would do such a thing? And what could it possibly mean?
CHAPTER TWO
The sun dipped lower in the sky, casting long shadows across the beach as Morgan carefully photographed the grisly scene, using the equipment the police forensics team had provided. Skunk lay nearby, his loyal eyes watching her every move. Morgan wished he didn't have to be here for this, but she didn't have time to go drop him off right now, not while the crime scene was so fresh.
As she kept taking photos, Morgan's mind raced with possibilities. She had seen her fair share of murder scenes, but this one was different. It was calculated, methodical… almost surgical. And what was the significance of the teeth? Morgan couldn't shake the feeling that it meant something, something important.
Just then, an officer came up beside Morgan. "Agent Cross, we have an ID on the victim. Seventy-eight-year-old Mary Jenkins."
Morgan nodded, her jaw tight. Putting a name to the victim only made her death feel more brutal. She had been a person, someone who'd lived an entire life... and now it was gone.
No, it had been stolen.
