Page 102 of Shelter for Morgan

“Morgan Rafferty,” Weston Cooper quipped, “is alive and I bet she’s going to love testifying at your trial.”

Munder rolled over on his stomach and sighed into the loose soil under his face. “Fuck me.”

Two SWAT officers appeared out of the brush on either side of him and Munder heard one of them chuckle. “You’ll be getting plenty of that in prison, man.”

RHETT

He kept a hand on her at all times as they were led through the station building. Rhett wasn’t doing it just to make her feel comfortable. He needed to touch her to reassure himself that she was still there.

He’d heard her recount what happened during those missing hours and it had scared him, terrified him.

The feelings that she’d gone through.

The anxiety. The worry.

The abject fear.

Yes. He wanted to hurt Officer Munder.

He wanted to tear him apart piece by piece, but more important to him was seeing that Morgan had the support she needed to go through what would be another retelling. In a long line of retellings.

Before this was over, she’d likely have to retell her story over and over and that would drag her through those feelings again and again.

He’d be damned if he wasn’t there to support her through all of it.

They were escorted into a room with two men already waiting for them. The men stood and Rhett saw the Texas Rangers badge on one. The other didn’t show a badge of any sort, but given his suit, he was likely part of a federal agency.

“Miss Rafferty.” The suit held out his hand. “I’m FBI Special Agent Vicente Bravo.”

Ah. Rhett recognized the name from the news.

Morgan shook his hand and then the Ranger’s.

“Jake McGowan, Miss Rafferty. Thank you for coming in.”

“Morgan, please.” She managed a smile. “And this is Palmer Butler. Can he stay with me?”

Agent Bravo nodded his head. “Yes, absolutely. As long as he doesn’t add in any facts or comments on things he didn’t personally witness.”

Rhett nodded. He didn’t see the man’s words as anything other than what they were. A well-meant warning. He was protecting the case and Rhett was all for that. “Just here as support.”

The Ranger started first. “We wanted to let you know that SWAT has located and arrested Officer John Munder.”

Rhett noticed the hardened tone of voice when he called the asshole ‘officer.’

“And Mister Stoddard? The chemistry teacher?”

Agent Bravo nodded. “Yes, Miss… Morgan. Evidence techs had just started to process the footage from security cameras along the route from the school to the site of the accident, but before we could identify him through the footage, he turned himself in a few hours ago.”

Beside him, Morgan sat down in a chair as a soft sigh passed her lips.

A moment later she looked at the two law enforcement officers. “And the students?”

The two men shared a look.

"The students are talking," Vicente explained. "We owe that to Benjamin.”

Rhett felt Morgan squeeze his hand. He’d explained to her about Benjamin’s visit to the fire station the night she was hurt.

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