Page 28 of For Blood

Morgan leaned forward, her entire body tense."What was it?"

"A necklace," Vanessa said softly."The man was wearing a necklace.I caught a glimpse of it when he turned.It was...it was a cross.A silver cross."

Morgan's eyes widened, meeting Derik's shocked gaze.A cross necklace - a detail that could potentially link the killer to Keller, the pastor.

"Are you absolutely certain about this, Vanessa?"Morgan pressed.

"Yes," Vanessa replied, her voice stronger now."I remember thinking how wrong it was - someone wearing a symbol of faith while committing such a horrible act.I think that was part of why Sarah was so convinced it was Keller.”

“Was this part of why you moved away?”Morgan asked.

“Of course.I felt like I had nothing left in Dallas.”

“Well, you should be safe there, but please keep an eye out,” Morgan said.“Thank you for your time.”

Morgan ended the call and slumped back in her seat, the weight of frustration settling on her shoulders like a lead blanket.She pinched the bridge of her nose, eyes closed, trying to quell the growing headache.

"Dammit," she muttered, more to herself than to Derik."It's like trying to grab smoke."

Derik leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees."What are you thinking?"

Morgan's eyes snapped open, her gaze distant as she stared out into the dark parking lot."It's the same pattern Whitaker described.Vanessa, Rachel...they all saw something, but they're dancing around it.Like they're afraid to say a name for one reason or another."

She turned to face Derik, her voice low and intense."Can you imagine being so convinced of someone's goodness that you'd doubt your own eyes?That's what we're dealing with here."

Derik nodded slowly, his brow furrowed."Keller was a pillar of the community.A man of God.It's a hell of a cognitive dissonance to overcome."

"Exactly," Morgan said, her fingers drumming restlessly on the steering wheel."And Sarah Winters?She's the only one who stood her ground, who insisted it was Keller.And look where it got her."

She could still see Sarah's face, etched with bitterness and disillusionment.The years hadn't been kind to a woman who felt betrayed by both the killer and a system that failed to believe her.

"So what does this mean for us?"Derik asked, his voice tinged with frustration that matched Morgan's own.

Morgan sighed, running a hand through her hair."It means we're dealing with more than just a killer.We're up against a legacy of doubt, of people's unwillingness to confront an uncomfortable truth."

She turned to Derik, her eyes blazing with determination despite the exhaustion."But here's what I can't wrap my head around.If Keller's dead, who the hell is committing these new murders?And why now?What’s the motive?"

Derik leaned back, his face a mask of concentration."Someone with intimate knowledge of the original cases.Someone with a stake in all this."

Morgan nodded, her mind racing."Exactly.But who?And what's their endgame?"

The silence that fell between them was heavy with unanswered questions.Morgan stared out into the night, the darkness beyond the car windows seeming to mirror the mystery they were facing.

"We're missing something," she said softly."Something big.And I have a feeling that if we don't figure it out soon, more people are going to die."

Morgan's fingers drummed restlessly on the steering wheel as she turned to face Derik.The pale glow of the dashboard lights cast shadows across their faces, accentuating the weariness etched into their features.

"Alright, let's break this down," she said, her voice low but intense."We've got two possibilities here, and neither one is comforting."

Derik nodded, his eyes focused on the tablet in his lap."Option one: Keller wasn't our guy, and the real killer's been out there this whole time."

"Which means," Morgan continued, "that for twenty years, this monster has been living among us, maybe even watching as an innocent man took the blame."

She shook her head, disgust evident in her tone."And now, what?He's decided to come out of retirement?"

Derik's brow furrowed."It's possible.But why now?What's changed?"

Morgan's gaze drifted to the empty parking lot beyond the windshield."That's what we need to figure out.But there's also option two."

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