Chapter 3

Morgan stepped out of her patrol car smiling into the late morning breeze. She was still smiling as she walked across the yard toward the station. It was a big old brown, brick building that was in bad need of an over haul. However, just like the so many historic buildings, little to no money had been allotted to this endeavor. Morgan pushed the faded wooden door open and stepped inside the musty station. She was not ready for all this noise and closed her eyes to it for a moment. She clenched the report she and Tracy had worked on, well into the morning, and headed toward the chief's office. Some fellow officers said hello. Others just stared at her. There had been some unspoken knowledge between all the officers that she was a lesbian. And to some it didn't sit well with them. While others who said hello or waved, didn't care either way. She was a good officer with a heart of gold. They'd dispute that fact to any of the other officers who started mouthing off about her. Morgan made her way to the office in the far back corner of the room. She took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled as she knocked on the door, and was waved in by the chief.

"Officer Watson. And how is that cold of yours?" He asked clearing away a few items that had been sitting on the desk in front of him.

"I'm feeling better today... thanks chief." Morgan replied as she sat down in the chair opposite the chief.

"You sure? You look a little flush."

Morgan blushed then added, "I had one of those nights... you know... tossing and turning... didn't get back to sleep until late... doing better now." Morgan concluded with a smile.

"Alright... just wondered. Now you have that report for me?" The chief said changing the subject.

"Ahh... yeah. I interviewed the subject and this is the result." She handed her superior a manila folder. The chief took a few moments to look the contents over before he finally looked up with a curious look on his face.

"You're leaving it like this Watson?"

"It's what happened chief. I tried, but it's what happened."

"You're telling me... some unknown force messed that woman's house up? You do realize I can't use this?" He said shoving the folder across the desk.

"Yeah... read on Chief." Morgan sat as she crossed and uncrossed her legs. Little did the chief know she was very nervous. After a few brief moments she heard the chief sigh, and as he said, "... a history of this? Are you serious?"

"Very!"

"So... case closed?"

"Case closed." Morgan said as a smile formed on her lips.

"Alright. We keep this quiet... No press... cameras... no nothing!"

"Fine by me Chief. I'm sure the suspect will be more than happy to conclude this, " Morgan paused searching for the right word "... ugly mess." She concluded as she stood and straightened her uniform.

"You know what?" the chief siad shaking his finger at Officer Watson. "Get her out of

town. Buy her off... something! Just make sure this doesn't happen again!"

"Chief... buying her off is your department. Second... she has no where to go. Third... she's not leaving. I know this. She's what I would call a homebody. She's not leaving." Morgan added vehemently.

"I'll take care of that loose end."

"How so?" Morgan asked him as he placed the contents of the folder into the shredder.

"Not murder if that's what you mean. I'm a tough guy... I do try to obey the law." He said as he watched the paper when it reappeared as long strands.

"Chief with all due respect... she trusts me. Couldn't she just stay at my house until we find her a place for her to live or fix up her residence?

The chief looked from the shreds of paper, to Morgan, and back again saying, "Alright Officer Watson. I trust you as an officer of the law and I hold you in the highest regard as an outstanding citizen. If you can promise me that you can keep her quiet about all this... she's more than welcome to stay. But," he added as a condition, "if she so much as squalls to the press... she's gone. Do we have a deal?"

"Sure. Thanks Chief." And they shook on it. Morgan said "thank you" again and smiled as she exited the room.

Officer Watson patrolled around the next morning with little to no activity. Just a few speeding tickets here and there and she was ready to call it quits. She had just purchased her lunch and entered the vehicle when the c.b. beeped to life.

"Car 269!"

"Yeah... it's me." she said into the small plastic box in her hand.

"Assistance needed at a suburban residence." When the speaker gave the address Morgan was on it.

"Got it... probably just some kids. I'll request for back up if I need it." More put her bag of food in the passenger seat, turned on her sirens and sped the ten miles to Tracy's former residence.

Morgan slammed on her brakes as she pulled into Tracy's apartment complex, and groaned as her food and cell phone crashed to the floor of the car. It took her seconds to exit the car and ran up the stairs to the apartment. She entered the house once again with her gun drawn.

"Tracy... you here?" She asked into the eerie silence. But there had been no answer. She made her way further into the house, stopping dead center in the living room. She dropped her gun and stared straight ahead at the wall. The remnants of the living room, the debris, furniture and carpet had been shoved up to the wall. Everything looked like some giant hand had pushed it there. Almost as though it had been peanut butter. Morgan reached down to pick up her gun but it wasn't there. She looked just in time to see it dragged across the floor and made part of the mess against the wall.