The police boat's engine hummed as it cut through the dark water, the sun dipping in the midday sky. Morgan Cross stood at the bow, one hand gripping the railing, her eyes scanning the shoreline for any sign of movement. She could feel the weight of her past pressing down on her shoulders, the ten years she'd spent in prison never far from her mind.
Derik stood beside her, his gaze equally intense as they approached the lakeshore. As they neared the dock, Morgan's phone buzzed in her pocket, startling her out of her thoughts. She pulled it out and saw Mueller's name on the screen. "Cross," she answered, her tone clipped.
"Morgan, you aren't going to believe this," Mueller said, urgency heavy in his voice. "Another body has been found. Very fresh – just happened today, maybe an hour ago. About forty minutes outside of town."
Morgan's stomach dropped, a cold dread settling in her chest. "Are you sure? It's connected to our case?"
"It's the same guy, Cross. Trust me."
"We're on our way," she replied, then hung up the phone and turned to Derik. "Another victim," she said, her voice tight with controlled anger.
"Where?" Derik asked, his face tense with concern.
"Forty minutes out of town," she responded, already calculating the quickest route in her head. "Let's get moving."
As the boat docked, Morgan couldn't shake the feeling that time was running out - not just for this latest victim, but for all of them. Each step towards the car echoed the rhythmic beat of her heart, reminding her of the stakes involved, the lives lost and destroyed by someone who remained unknown.
"Drive," she ordered Derik, her voice a whip crack of command. He nodded in silent agreement, starting the car and pulling away from the lakeshore with practiced efficiency.
Morgan's thoughts raced as they sped through the streets, each unanswered question gnawing at her like a hungry beast. She couldn't afford to let her emotions take over - she had a job to do, and she would see it through to the end, no matter what it cost her.
***
The police sirens wailed in the distance, a mournful ode to yet another life lost. Morgan and Derik pulled up to the scene, their car gliding to a stop on the gravel road. The lake lay ahead, a still and glassy surface that belied the horror beneath. A cacophony of birds sang from the surrounding fields, ignorant of the tragedy unfolding.
"Come on," Morgan said, unbuckling her seatbelt as she stepped out of the car. Her boots crunched on the gravel, each step heavy with the weight of responsibility. Derik followed close behind, his own face a mask of determination.
"Agents," an officer greeted them, his voice strained. "You made it."
"Tell us what happened," Morgan demanded, her eyes scanning the tape cordoning off the area.
"An elderly fisherman reported finding a body in the lake," the officer explained, gesturing towards the water. "He came here for his usual fishing trip and spotted something in the water. When he realized it was a woman, he tried to help, but she was already dead."
"Any witnesses other than the fisherman?" Derik asked, his brow furrowing.
"None that we know of," the officer replied. "This place is pretty secluded."
Morgan stared out at the lake, her mind racing with questions. Another victim, another life taken, right under her nose.
"Lead us to the body," Morgan instructed the officer, her voice firm and authoritative.
They followed him as he led them through a long field with tall grass, the blades brushing against their legs as they walked. The sun beat down on them mercilessly, but Morgan's focus remained solely on the task at hand.
As they approached the private lake, a small wooden dock came into view, jutting out into the still water. On the shoreline, a forensics team was already hard at work, examining the lifeless form that lay sprawled on the damp ground.
"Thank you, officer. We'll take it from here," Derik said, dismissing the man with a nod. As he walked away, Morgan's gaze fell upon the body, her heart tightening in her chest.
"Another one," she whispered under her breath, taking a step closer. The woman looked so peaceful, her skin clean and unblemished, her clothes free of any obvious stains or damage. She seemed almost as if she could open her eyes at any moment, yet Morgan knew the terrible truth - this woman's life had been violently cut short.
"Third victim," Derik murmured, his voice heavy with the weight of the situation. "A woman, just like the others."
Morgan approached the body, her mind focused on the task at hand. She couldn't let herself dwell on emotions — not now, with a killer still out there. A gust of wind sent ripples across the lake's surface, and Morgan shivered, struck by the contrast between the serene surroundings and the tragedy that had occurred here.
"Okay," she muttered to herself before slipping on a latex glove. The rubbery smell permeated the air as she gently lifted one of the woman's arms, checking for any signs of struggle or defensive wounds.
"Find anything?" Derik asked, his voice low and respectful.
"Nothing obvious," Morgan replied, her brow furrowed in concentration. "No bruising, no cuts."
"Same as the others," Derik noted, his eyes scanning the area around them. "What the hell is going on here?"
Ignoring his question, Morgan continued her examination, her gloved fingers searching the woman's pockets. Her touch encountered something cold and wet; carefully, Morgan pulled out a waterlogged wallet. The leather was swollen from its time in the water, but she managed to pry it open.
"Let's see who you are," she murmured, extracting a damp driver's license. She wiped away the moisture, revealing the face of Amber Jade, thirty-six years old. A pang of sadness hit Morgan as she took in the lifeless woman's details — her light brown hair framing a soft, round face, her green eyes once full of life, now vacant.
"Her name was Amber Jade," Morgan announced, her voice wavering slightly despite her best efforts to remain composed. "She was only thirty-six."
"Damn," Derik breathed, his expression somber. "Another young life taken too soon."
Morgan beckoned to the forensics team, her voice firm and demanding. "Get her out of here, and sweep the area for DNA. I want this place turned inside out."
As they moved into action, Morgan scanned the scene, taking in the flurry of activity around her. It was then that she noticed a figure standing near two local police officers — an elderly man, his face etched with concern and confusion.
"Derik," she said, nodding toward the old man, "I think that's our witness. Stay here and keep an eye on the forensics team. I'm going to talk to him."
Without waiting for a response, Morgan strode across the grass, her boots leaving a faint trail in the dewy blades. As she neared the man, she caught snippets of their conversation — something about fishing and how he'd never seen anything like this before.
"Excuse me," Morgan interjected, her tone polite but authoritative. She flashed her badge, the gold gleaming in the sunlight. "Special Agent Morgan Cross, FBI. I understand you found the body?"
The elderly fisherman glanced at her, his eyes filled with sadness. "Yes, ma'am. I'm Fred Ericson. I was just telling these officers here... I come to this lake all the time to fish. Never seen anything like it."
Morgan nodded, trying to project empathy while keeping her professional distance. "I can only imagine how shocking this must have been for you. Can you walk me through what happened?"
Fred hesitated, then sighed deeply. "Well, like I said, I was here to fish. Just minding my own business when I saw something floating in the water. Didn't think much of it at first, but then..."
He trailed off, visibly shaken. Morgan felt a pang of sympathy for the man, but she knew she had to keep pressing if they were going to find answers.
"Take your time, sir," she said gently. "What did you do when you realized it was a body?"
The fisherman swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing as he spoke. "I tried to pull her out, but she was too heavy. And I could tell she was already gone... so I called the police."
Morgan pursed her lips, considering his story. It seemed straightforward enough, but there was always more to uncover. She needed to know everything this man had seen and heard, no matter how seemingly insignificant.
"Thank you for your help," she told him, her voice firm but compassionate. "We'll do everything we can to bring this killer to justice. You have my word."
As she turned to rejoin Derik, her mind raced with questions and possibilities. There had to be something they were missing — some clue that would connect Amber Jade to their other victims and lead them closer to the truth.
Fred took a shaky breath, his gaze returning to the crime scene as if it held answers instead of gruesome reality. "Well, like I said, I came here to fish like usual. I'd just set up my gear when I saw something floating in the water." He rubbed his hands together nervously, as if trying to rid himself of the memory. "At first, I thought it was debris or something, but then I could see... her."
Morgan followed his gaze to where the forensics team was still working on Amber Jade's body. The pristine condition of her skin and clothes made the whole situation even more unsettling. She refocused on Fred, knowing she needed every piece of information he could provide.
"Go on," she urged, her eyes locked onto his.
"The lake isn't that deep here, but she was clearly being weighed down by something," Fred continued, his voice trembling. "I tried to pull her out, but she was just too heavy. And I knew... I could tell she was already dead. So I called the police."
As Morgan processed his words, a well of empathy stirred within her. Despite her hardened exterior, she couldn't help but feel for this innocent man who had stumbled upon such a grisly scene. A part of her hoped that he wouldn't be haunted by the image for too long, though she knew that was unlikely.
"Did you notice anything unusual or suspicious before you found her?" Morgan asked, her gaze steady on Fred's face. She tried to read any subtle changes in his expression, hoping for a clue that would lead them in the right direction.
Fred shook his head slowly. "No, nothing at all. This lake is very private—I never expected something like this to happen here." His voice wavered, and Morgan could sense the shock and disbelief that still lingered beneath the surface.
"Alright," she said, nodding. "If you remember anything else, please don't hesitate to contact us."
"Of course, Agent Cross," Fred replied, giving her a solemn nod.
Morgan turned away from him and walked back towards Derik, who had been observing their conversation from a distance. As she approached, she could see the shared determination in his eyes—a reflection of her own resolve.
"Let's get back to HQ," Morgan told him, her voice firm yet tinged with urgency. "We need to hash out everything we've learned so far and figure out our next steps."
Derik nodded in agreement, his eyes narrowing slightly as he processed the weight of the situation. "You're right. We can't afford to waste any more time."
As they made their way back to their vehicle, Morgan's mind raced with questions and possible connections between the victims. She knew that the answer lay somewhere within the details, and she was determined to uncover it—no matter how long it took or how many sleepless nights it demanded.
***
The fluorescent lights flickered above Morgan's head as she sat in her cluttered office at FBI headquarters, the silence and stillness of the late hour pressing down on her. Scattered across her desk were case files, autopsy reports, and photographs—each one a haunting reminder of the lives that had been snuffed out far too soon.
Morgan took a deep breath and opened the latest file on her desk, immersing herself in the details of Amber Jade's life. As she read, she discovered that Amber had lived with her parents until their recent deaths—her mother succumbing to stomach cancer and, just weeks later, her father suffering a fatal heart attack.
"Broken heart, huh?" Morgan muttered under her breath, her own chest tightening at the thought. She knew all too well the pain of losing loved ones, the overwhelming grief that could consume a person whole. It was a pain she had carried with her since her release from prison, a constant reminder of the life that had been stolen from her.
As she continued reading, Morgan noted that Amber appeared to have no other family, no friends or acquaintances listed as emergency contacts. The realization left Morgan with an aching sadness, a hollow emptiness that echoed through her heart.
"Who do I even inform of her death?" she whispered, her voice barely audible in the empty office. The words hung heavy in the air, a stark reminder of the loneliness that seemed to envelop Amber's life—and, if she were honest with herself, her own as well.
Morgan sighed, rubbing her temples as she forced herself to focus on the task at hand. There had to be something more to this case, some connection between Amber and the other victims that would lead them to the killer. And she wouldn't rest until she found it.
But despite her determination, Morgan couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched, that someone—perhaps the killer themselves—was observing her every move. She shivered at the thought, her instincts screaming at her to stay alert and trust no one.
There had to be something to connect these victims—something she’d missed.
She was going to find it.