Page 24 of For Blood

"Sarah Winters?"Morgan asked, keeping her voice low and calm."I'm Special Agent Morgan Cross, and this is my partner, Special Agent Derik Mueller.We're with the FBI.May we come in?It's urgent."

Sarah's eyes narrowed, her body language radiating suspicion and exhaustion.She was wrapped in a threadbare cardigan that had seen better days, and the lines etched on her face spoke of years of worry and sleepless nights.

After a long, tense moment, Sarah reluctantly stepped back, allowing them entry.As Morgan crossed the threshold, she couldn't help but notice how Sarah kept her arms tightly crossed, maintaining a careful distance from them.

"What do you want?"Sarah asked, her voice rough with sleep and wariness."It's the middle of the night."

Morgan met Sarah's gaze, her mind racing to find the right words.How do you tell someone their life might be in danger?How do you dredge up two-decade-old wounds without causing more pain?

"Ms.Winters, I apologize for the late hour," Morgan began, her tone gentle but firm."We wouldn't be here if it wasn't absolutely necessary.We're investigating a series of recent murders that we believe are connected to cases from twenty years ago, including—" She paused, bracing herself for Sarah's reaction."—including your sister Sadie's murder."

Sarah's face drained of what little color it had, her eyes widening in a mix of shock and barely contained anguish.For a moment, Morgan thought she might collapse, but Sarah's spine stiffened, her jaw clenching as she visibly steeled herself.

"Why now?"Sarah demanded, her voice trembling slightly."After all these years, why are you here in the middle of the night talking about Sadie?"

Morgan took a deep breath, weighing her next words carefully."Because we have reason to believe that you might be in danger, Ms.Winters.Other witnesses from that time have been killed, and we're here to offer you protection."

Sarah let out a bitter laugh, the sound harsh and devoid of humor."Protection?Where was that protection twenty years ago when my sister needed it?"

The raw pain in Sarah's voice hit Morgan like a physical blow.She'd seen this before—the lingering trauma, the anger at a system that had failed to deliver justice.But there was something more here, a depth of bitterness that hinted at a story yet untold.

"I understand your frustration, Ms.Winters," Morgan said softly, taking a cautious step closer."But right now, our priority is keeping you safe.Can you tell us about that night?Anything you remember, no matter how small, could be crucial."

Sarah's eyes flashed with a mix of emotions—grief, anger, and something that looked almost like guilt.She opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again, as if wrestling with herself over what to say.

Sarah's breath hitched, a barely perceptible flinch that Morgan's trained eye caught immediately.The woman's knuckles whitened as she gripped her own arms tighter.

Morgan felt a pang of empathy.How many times had she encountered this – the raw wounds of injustice that never truly healed?She took a breath, choosing her next words carefully.

"I can't change what happened in the past, Ms.Winters," Morgan said softly."But I can try to prevent more tragedy now.Other witnesses have already been killed.We want to make sure you're safe."

Sarah's gaze darted between Morgan and Derik, her expression a battlefield of conflicting emotions.Morgan could almost see the gears turning in the woman's mind, weighing decades of pain and distrust against the very real threat they were presenting.

"Safe," Sarah repeated, the word dripping with bitterness.“I haven’t feltsafein twenty years.”

Morgan's heart ached at the implication.She held Sarah's gaze, trying to convey her sincerity through sheer force of will.

"Tell us what you remember about that night," Morgan urged gently."Any detail, no matter how small, could be crucial now."

The ticking of an unseen clock seemed to grow louder in the ensuing silence, a reminder of the urgency that had brought them here in the dead of night.Morgan held her breath, hoping that Sarah would choose to trust them, to share whatever burden she'd been carrying for all these years.

Sarah's fingers tightened on her worn cardigan, her knuckles turning white.The mention of Sadie's name had hit her like a physical blow, and Morgan could see the woman's carefully constructed walls beginning to crumble.

"You want to know what I remember?"Sarah's voice was low, trembling with barely contained rage."I remember lies.I remember cowards.People who saw what happened and chose to stay silent."

She took a shaky step forward, her eyes blazing with a fury that seemed to have been simmering for two decades."You talk about protecting me, but where was that protection when Sadie needed it?Where was justice when her killer walked free?"

Morgan felt a chill run down her spine, recognizing the depth of Sarah's pain.She glanced at Derik, seeing her own concern mirrored in his eyes.

"Sarah," Morgan said softly, "I know it's been a long time, but if you could tell us anything about that night—"

"I'll tell you exactly what happened that night," Sarah cut her off, her voice rising."I saw him.Andrew Keller.Standing over my sister's body, his hands..."She trailed off, swallowing hard before continuing."I told the police everything.Every detail.But Keller, he had the nerve to say I was confused, hysterical."

Sarah's laugh was hollow, devoid of any real mirth."As if I could ever forget the face of the man who destroyed my family."

Morgan's mind raced, processing this new information."You're certain it was Keller?"she pressed gently.

Sarah's eyes flashed dangerously."Do you think I'd forget?That I haven't relived that moment every single day for twenty years?"She shook her head, her voice breaking."I saw him clearly.I told them everything.And still, no charges.Nothing."

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