Page 22 of For Us

"Thomas," Morgan said, rubbing her temples, "can you send me all the relevant footage? I need to have a talk with Matt Fischer."

"Of course," Thomas replied, already working on transferring the files.

***

As Morgan pulled up to the Fischer residence, she noticed yellow police tape crisscrossing the front door, a grim reminder of the tragedy that had unfolded within. Officers walked in and out of the house, still collecting evidence while others guarded the perimeter. Morgan spotted Matt sitting on the front porch, his hands clasped together as he stared at the ground.

"Matt," Morgan called out, approaching him cautiously. "I need to speak with you."

He looked up, his eyes red-rimmed and tired. "What is it now, Agent Cross?"

"Can we talk somewhere private?" she asked softly, not wanting to draw attention from the other officers nearby.

"Sure," he said, standing up and leading her around the side of the house, away from prying eyes.

"Matt, I'm afraid I've found something in the security footage that you should be aware of," Morgan began, hesitating for a moment before continuing. "It appears that Alexa had been seeing someone else."

Matt's eyes widened, and he looked away, struggling to process the information. "You're saying... my wife was having an affair?"

Morgan nodded solemnly. "I'm sorry, Matt. But it's important that we investigate every aspect of Alexa's life to find her killer."

"Who was it?" Matt asked, his voice barely audible, the pain evident in his eyes.

"We don't know yet," Morgan admitted. "The man's face was obscured in the footage, but we're working on identifying him."

"Another secret," Matt muttered, shaking his head. "How could I have missed it?"

"Matt, don't blame yourself for Alexa's choices," Morgan advised gently. "Our focus right now is to catch her killer."

"No," Matt said, shaking his head in disbelief. "This can't be true. We were happy. I would have known if she was seeing someone else. I know I was gone for work a lot, but... but I did it for us!"

"Sometimes people hide things, even from those closest to them," Morgan replied gently. Her thoughts drifted back to her own past – the false accusations, the time spent in prison – and she knew all too well how secrets could destroy lives.

Matt shook his head in disbelief, trying to come to terms with the news. "I just... I can't believe it. How could she do this to me?"

Matt looked up at her, his eyes red and pleading. "Please, Agent Cross. Find out who did this. I need to know the truth."

"We will," Morgan promised, her resolve strengthening. "I won't stop until we have answers."

As she rose from the steps, Morgan couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for the broken man beside her. Yet, in the back of her mind, she knew that she had to keep an eye on him as well. Grief and shock could make people unpredictable, and she couldn't afford any surprises in her pursuit of justice.

Morgan stepped away from Matt's home, the weight of the conversation still pressing heavily on her. The wind picked up as she walked down the driveway, rustling the leaves and tossing her dark hair across her face. She scanned the area for the officer she'd requested earlier.

"Officer Jenkins," she called out, spotting the young man in uniform standing by a patrol car. He looked up, his eyes filled with determination.

"Special Agent Cross," he acknowledged with a nod, stepping forward to meet her halfway.

"Listen, I need you to watch Matt Fischer closely," Morgan instructed, her voice firm but laced with concern. "Make sure he doesn't leave town or do anything suspicious. We can't afford any missteps right now."

"Understood, ma'am," Officer Jenkins replied, accepting the responsibility without hesitation.

"Good," Morgan replied with a curt nod, the professional mask she'd perfected over the years slipping back into place. "Keep me informed of any developments."

"Will do, Agent Cross," Jenkins assured her, before turning back towards the house to assume his post.

Morgan sighed, feeling a sudden weariness settle into her bones. Exhaustion was creeping its way through her body, an inevitable side effect of the endless hours spent chasing shadows and digging through secrets. She rubbed her temples, trying to stave off the headache that threatened to bloom behind her eyes.

As she made her way back to her car, Morgan couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of movement amongst the trees across the street. Squinting, she tried to discern if someone was hiding there, watching her.

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