Page 33 of For Blood

"One last thing, Pastor," Morgan said, her tone casual but her eyes sharp."Did Keller ever wear a silver cross necklace?"

Ellis's eyebrows rose slightly."A silver cross?I...I'm not sure.It's possible, I suppose.Many of our clergy wear such things, but I can't say I specifically remember Andrew with one."

Morgan nodded, filing away the uncertainty.As she stood to leave, she couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to Andrew Keller's story—and to Pastor Ellis's knowledge of it—than met the eye.The weight of the investigation pressed down on her, a familiar burden she'd carried since her release from prison.But this time, she was determined to uncover the truth, no matter where it led.

Morgan's gaze drifted to the stained-glass windows, their vibrant colors a stark contrast to the somber atmosphere that had settled over the small office.She felt the familiar tightness in her chest, a mixture of frustration and determination that had become her constant companion since her release from prison.

She turned back to Pastor Ellis, who was watching their exchange with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension."Pastor, was there anyone in the congregation who seemed particularly...devoted to Keller?Anyone who might have taken his death especially hard?"

Ellis hesitated, his fingers drumming lightly on the desk."I...I can't think of anyone specific.The congregation has changed a lot since then."

Morgan felt a surge of irritation.It was like trying to catch smoke with her bare hands.She took a deep breath, reminding herself that her time in prison had taught her patience, even if it didn't always feel natural.

"Alright," she said, her voice steady despite the turmoil in her mind."Thank you for your time, Pastor Ellis.We'll be in touch if we have any more questions."

As they stepped out of the office, Morgan caught Derik's eye.The unspoken communication between them was clear – they were both feeling the same sense of unease.Whether Keller was guilty or not, he was dead.But someone out there knew enough about these old cases to recreate them with chilling accuracy.

Morgan paused at the threshold of the sanctuary, her eyes drawn to the kaleidoscope of colors cascading through the stained-glass windows.The soft hues painted the empty pews in a mosaic of light, creating an illusion of serenity that felt jarringly at odds with the brutality of their case.

"It's almost beautiful," she murmured, more to herself than to Derik.

Her partner stepped closer, his presence a comforting warmth at her side."Yeah, if you forget what happened here twenty years ago."

Morgan's jaw tightened."That's the problem, isn't it?Someone hasn't forgotten.Someone's making damn sure we all remember."

She turned to face Derik, noting the dark circles under his eyes that mirrored her own exhaustion."What do you make of all this?A copycat?A devotee?"

Derik ran a hand through his slicked-back hair, a habit he'd picked up during his struggles with alcoholism."Could be either.”

Morgan nodded, her mind racing."We need to consider every angle.But one thing's for sure – whoever this is, they're intimately familiar with the original cases."

As they stepped outside, the crisp morning air hit Morgan like a slap to the face, sharpening her senses.She inhaled deeply, tasting the hint of autumn on her tongue.But even the fresh air couldn't dispel the heaviness that had settled in her chest.

"If Keller had a follower," she continued, her voice barely above a whisper, "someone who watched, learned, and waited...they could be reliving his work as some twisted act of devotion."

Derik stepped closer, his hand brushing against hers in a subtle gesture of support."It's a solid theory.But it doesn't explain why they'd wait so long to start killing again."

Morgan's eyes narrowed as she gazed out at the quiet street."Maybe they needed time to prepare.To study.To make sure they got every detail right."She turned back to Derik, her expression grim."Or maybe something triggered them.Something that made them decide now was the time to bring these old ghosts back to life."

As they walked to their car, Morgan couldn't shake the feeling that they were missing something crucial.The pieces were there, scattered before them like a macabre puzzle, but the picture they formed was still frustratingly unclear.

"We need to dive deeper into Keller's past," she said as they climbed into the vehicle."And we need to keep a close eye on the remaining witnesses.If this killer is working through some sort of list..."

She left the thought unfinished, but Derik nodded in understanding.The weight of their task pressed down on them both, as heavy as the secrets buried in this quiet church's past.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

The flickering blue glow from the television danced across the walls of Gregory Phillips' living room, casting eerie shadows that seemed to twitch and writhe with a life of their own.An old episode of "I Love Lucy" played at low volume, Lucy's shrill laughter punctuating the otherwise oppressive silence of the house.

Gregory wasn't watching.From his perch in the darkened kitchen, he could just make out slivers of the TV screen through the doorway.His weathered hands gripped the cool metal of his pistol, index finger resting lightly against the frame just above the trigger guard.Every muscle in his body was coiled tight, ready to spring into action at a moment's notice.

"Come on, you bastard," he muttered under his breath, eyes flicking between the front and back doors."I know you're out there."

The tick-tick-tick of the kitchen clock seemed to grow louder with each passing second.Gregory's throat was dry, his tongue sticking to the roof of his mouth.He longed for a drink – whiskey, preferably – but he needed to stay sharp.Alert.

A car drove by outside, its headlights sweeping across the kitchen window.Gregory tensed, gun raised slightly, before forcing himself to relax as the vehicle continued down the street.False alarm.Again.

He exhaled slowly, trying to steady his racing heart."Get it together, old man," he chided himself."You've been through worse than this."

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