Page 7 of For Blood

Mueller's jaw clenched as he pulled another folder from the stack on his desk.The cardboard was worn, its edges frayed with age.He laid it open, revealing a set of photos that made Morgan's breath catch in her throat.

"Maria Santos," Mueller began, his voice heavy."A young nurse at Dallas General.Found murdered in the same parking garage, almost 20 years to the day."

Morgan leaned in, her eyes scanning the grainy, faded images.Despite their age, the similarity to the recent crime scene photos was undeniable.The body positioned in an X, the single stab wound to the neck, even the eerie emptiness of the garage around the victim.It was like looking at a ghostly echo of Rachel Martinez's murder.

"Jesus," Morgan muttered, her fingers tracing the edge of a photo."It's identical."

She could feel her pulse quickening, that familiar surge of adrenaline coursing through her veins.This wasn't just another case.This was something else entirely.

Morgan's mind raced, piecing together the implications."Maria Santos's case was never solved, was it?"

Mueller shook his head."Rachel Martinez claimed to have seen someone suspicious that night, but her testimony wasn't enough to make a case.Now, 20 years later, she ends up dead, in the same place, in the same position."

The weight of it all settled on Morgan's shoulders.She'd been so caught up in her own past, chasing shadows in the woods, that she'd almost forgotten there were other mysteries out there.Other victims who needed justice.

"Coincidence?"she asked, already knowing the answer.

"I don't think so," Mueller confirmed, his expression grim.

Derik leaned forward, his green eyes intense with focus."What do we know about Santos's murder?Any suspects at the time?"

Mueller's mustache twitched as he shook his head."A few, but nothing stuck.It's a messy case, and you're going to need to dig into it if we want to figure out why Rachel Martinez was killed."

Morgan nodded, her mind already shifting into investigative mode.The exhaustion from her fruitless trek into the woods earlier that morning seemed to melt away, replaced by a familiar determination.This was what she was good at, what she'd been trained for.Solving puzzles, catching killers.

"We should head to the crime scene," she said, glancing at Derik."Get a closer look for ourselves."

As they stood to leave, Mueller's voice stopped them."Cross, Greene."His tone was softer than usual, almost paternal."Be careful out there.This case...it's got a bad feeling to it."

Morgan met his gaze, recognizing the concern behind his gruff exterior.For a moment, she was reminded of her own father, of the letter that had led her on a wild goose chase just hours ago.She pushed the thought away."We’re always careful, sir."

The drive to the parking garage was tense, filled with a heavy silence.Morgan stared out the window, her mind racing.Why now?Why after 20 years?The questions swirled in her head, mixing with her own unresolved mysteries.

"You okay?"Derik's voice cut through her thoughts.

She turned to him, seeing the worry etched on his face."Yeah," she lied, then sighed."No.I don't know.This case, on top of everything else..."

Derik reached over, squeezing her hand."We'll figure it out.All of it.Together."

Morgan squeezed back, grateful for his presence.As they pulled up to the hospital, she steeled herself for what lay ahead.

The parking garage loomed before them, a concrete monolith cast in shadow.Yellow police tape cordoned off the area, and forensic techs lingered nearby, their faces grim.As Morgan and Derik stepped out of the car, the smell hit them – a nauseating mix of concrete, gasoline, and the faint metallic tang of blood.

Morgan took a deep breath, pushing down the memories of other crime scenes, other bodies.This was different.This was now.And somewhere in this dim structure were answers – to Rachel Martinez's death, to Maria Santos's long-cold case, and maybe, just maybe, to the web of corruption that had ensnared Morgan's own life.

She glanced at Derik, seeing her own determination mirrored in his eyes."Ready?"she asked.

He nodded, and together they ducked under the police tape, stepping into the shadows of the garage.The case awaited, and with it, the chance to bring a killer to justice – no matter how long they'd been hiding in the dark.

***

Rachel Martinez's body lay near the center of the garage, a stark figure against the dull concrete.The overhead fluorescents cast a harsh, unforgiving light, illuminating every detail of the grim scene.Morgan's eyes were immediately drawn to the victim's posture - arms and legs splayed outward, forming a macabre 'X'.Dark, viscous blood pooled beneath her, its jagged edges a stark contrast to the precise positioning of the body.

Morgan crouched beside the corpse, the familiar snap of latex gloves echoing in the cavernous space.She leaned in, her trained gaze zeroing in on the fatal wound.

"Single stab to the side of the neck," she murmured, her voice low but carrying in the eerie quiet."Not a throat slit.The angle suggests the killer was facing her."

As she examined the wound more closely, a chill ran down her spine.The precision was unsettling."It's controlled, Derik.Whoever did this knew exactly where to stab to imitate the first crime perfectly."

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