Page 37 of For Mercy

Morgan felt a surge of anger course through her veins.She'd seen this type before - men who used their power to crush those beneath them, to keep them small and controllable.

"Mr.Reeves," she said, her voice low and steady, "can you tell me about the last time you saw your sister?Anything at all might help."

Darren's face contorted, as if physically pained by the memory."It was the day before...before she..."He swallowed hard, unable to finish the sentence."I stopped by her office to try one last time to convince her to quit.She was at her desk, writing something.Hawthorne walked by, like he always did, making his rounds."

Morgan watched as Darren's grief swelled, his voice thickening with emotion.She could picture the scene - Sarah, hunched over her desk, pen in hand, the weight of her despair evident in every line of her body.And Hawthorne, cold and imperious, striding past without a care in the world.

"He saw what she was writing," Darren continued, his voice barely above a whisper."I don't know what it was, but the look on his face...It was like he knew.He knew something was terribly wrong, and he just...kept walking."

Morgan felt a chill run down her spine.The pieces were starting to fall into place, a picture forming that was as tragic as it was infuriating.She glanced at Derik, seeing her own grim realization mirrored in his eyes.

Darren's voice cracked as he continued, his eyes glistening with unshed tears."It was a suicide note.A desperate cry for help, right there in front of him.And that bastard just kept walking.Didn't say a word.Didn't ask if she was okay.Didn't stop."

Morgan's heart clenched, the weight of Darren's words settling heavily in her chest.She could picture Sarah, alone and desperate, pouring her pain onto the page while the very man who had pushed her to the brink simply ignored her suffering.

"That night," Darren whispered, his voice barely audible, "she took her own life."

The room fell silent, the gravity of the revelation hanging in the air like a physical presence.Morgan struggled to maintain her composure, her mind racing with the implications of what she'd just heard.She glanced at Derik, noting the tightness in his jaw, the way his hands gripped the arms of his chair.

Darren's hands clenched into fists, his knuckles turning white with the force of his grip.His voice trembled with a mixture of grief and rage as he forced out the words."My sister might still be alive today—if someone had just cared enough to stop."

Morgan felt a surge of empathy for Darren, remembering her own losses, her own battles with those who should have cared but didn't.She leaned forward, her voice gentle but firm."Darren, I can't imagine how painful this must be for you.But your sister's story, what happened to her...it might be the key to solving these murders."

Darren looked up, confusion mixing with the pain in his eyes."Murders?What do you mean?"

Morgan hesitated, weighing how much to reveal.She caught Derik's eye, seeing him give a slight nod of encouragement.Taking a deep breath, she began to explain, carefully omitting any classified details."We believe the person responsible for Judge Hawthorne's death may have been motivated by a desire for justice...or revenge."

As she spoke, Morgan couldn't help but wonder: Was this the connection she'd been searching for?A vigilante, punishing those who had the power to help but chose to do nothing?The thought sent a chill down her spine, even as it ignited a spark of hope that they might finally be on the right track.

"Darren," she said, her voice low and intense, "I know this is difficult, but I need to ask you something.Did your sister ever mention anything about Michelle Knox?"

Darren's brow furrowed."Michelle Knox?I don't think so.Who is she?"

Morgan exchanged a quick glance with Derik before continuing."She was an investment banker.Recently murdered."She paused, carefully choosing her next words."Like Judge Hawthorne, she...she had an opportunity to help someone in need.And she chose not to."

Darren's eyes widened, a flicker of understanding crossing his face."You think...you think there's a connection?"

Morgan nodded slowly, her mind still processing the implications."It's possible.Both victims had the power to save a life, and both did nothing.They just...kept walking."

As she spoke the words aloud, Morgan felt a chill run down her spine.The parallel was undeniable, and it stirred something deep within her – a memory of her own past, of the injustice she'd faced, of those who had turned a blind eye when she needed help the most.

She thought of Richard Cordell, of the corrupt system that had stolen ten years of her life.Of Thomas, gunned down on that pier.Of her father, forced into hiding.All because people in power had chosen to look away, to keep walking when they should have stopped.

Morgan's jaw clenched, a familiar fire of determination igniting in her chest.This case wasn't just about solving murders anymore.It was about confronting a deeply rooted injustice, one that resonated with her own experiences in ways she was only beginning to understand.

She turned back to Darren, her voice steady despite the tumult of emotions swirling within her."Thank you for sharing your sister's story with us.It might be more important than you realize."

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Morgan's skull pounded.She blinked hard, fighting against the heaviness of her eyelids as she leaned over the scattered files on the briefing room table.The coffee in her mug had long since gone cold, a testament to how long she and Derik had been at this.

"We're missing something," Morgan muttered, more to herself than to Derik.Her fingers traced the edge of a photo, Linda Worth's grief-stricken face staring back at her.

Derik's chair creaked as he shifted."Maybe we should take a break, get some fresh air."

Morgan shook her head, wincing at the movement."No time.Two people are dead, Derik.We can't afford breaks."

She could feel his concerned gaze on her, knew he was cataloging the dark circles under her eyes, the slight tremor in her hands.But she couldn't let herself rest, not when the killer could be planning their next move.

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