Chapter Text
CHAPTER 1: MISBEGINNINGS
Morgan strutted into the precinct, the sharp clicking of her heels falling into sync with the music blaring through her headphones. As she made her way to the locker room, her eyes scanned the empty space, cataloging every task that required her attention. The overflowing garbage cans. The grimy handprints on the glass doors. The empty box of donuts, surrounded by crumbs... Morgan sighed. It's no wonder cops were often referred to as "pigs."
She opened up her locker, stowing her bag before slipping on her apron and lanyard. After swapping her boots in exchange for a pair of sneakers, she set out to retrieve her supplies from the cleaning closet. Then, she began her night the same way she had for the past month - taking out the trash, wiping down the windows, and mopping the floors.
Janitorial work certainly wasn't her life's aspiration. But it kept her busy at night, when her mind was the most active. And with her unique mind came a unique set of flaws. One that made it quite difficult to hold down a job. So she found herself employed at the only pace that would hire her - the Los Angeles Police Department. Morgan was sure she would quit this job too, once the novelty wore off.
When she was done taking out the trash, she bounced across the bullpen, dancing to the upbeat sounds of Gossip's "Heavy Cross." She grabbed the mop from her cart and began cleaning the floor. Her lip curled in disgust as she dragged it over the dried puddle of spilled coffee. Morgan wasn't known to be the most organized person, but these police officers put her to shame. She found it hard to believe these were the same people responsible for preserving the integrity of a crime scene. Though, she would know better than most. After all, she was married to one of them.
She never considered a man like Adam Karadec to be her type, and she knew for a fact that she wasn't his type, either. But she had just quit her job when she'd bumped into him at a bar, a little over a year ago. A few missed birth control pills and several cocktails set the stage for a drunken one night stand, and nine months later, she found herself standing on his doorstep, introducing him to their newborn daughter.
Morgan would never forget the look on his face when she dropped the bomb on him. He'd turned so pale that she thought he might pass out. Or throw up. Or both. It took him a good five minutes before he could even formulate a response. Then, after a paternity test and a tense discussion over coffee, they'd decided that the best course of action was for them to get married.
For Karadec, it was purely logistical - easier tax returns, better health insurance, and no tricky custody arrangements. On the flip side, Morgan was more concerned about Chloe's emotional stability. As much as she tried to compensate for Roman's mysterious disappearance, Ava was clearly affected by his absence. And while Ludo was a rockstar when it came to co-parenting Elliot, Morgan wasn't sure if she could juggle two separate parenting schedules. Something was bound to fall through the cracks, and she wasn't going to let Chloe suffer because of it. So, against her better judgement, she joined Adam at the courthouse where they'd tied the knot unceremoniously.
Their relationship was anything but traditional. They'd decided on an open marriage, allowing them to see other people. It's not like they spent much time together anyway, with their opposite work schedules and separate bedrooms. They never kissed. They never touched. They barely even knew each other. And neither one of them was inclined to remedy that fact. All they had to do was maintain this arrangement for eighteen years, then they could part ways amicably. It seemed like a small price to pay for their daughter's well-being.
After snatching a lollipop from one of the desks, Morgan surrendered to the music, busting out her most ridiculous moves. The one upside to working night shift was her freedom to dance like nobody was watching. She swung the mop in circles, scooting backward with each thump of the bass. Then, suddenly, she felt the sharp piece of cardboard thrust into her back. She spun around to find that she'd knocked over an evidence box, scattering its contents across the linoleum floor.
"Dammit," Morgan muttered under her breath. Just another mess for her to clean.
She pulled her headphones from her ears and hung them around her neck, then knelt down in front of the pile of papers and photographs. As she gathered them up one by one, her brain latched onto several of the images - a pillow on the couch. A missing tie on the curtains. A number of tiny hairs, stuck to the leg of a chair... Morgan froze in place, deciphering the pattern until she came to a shocking realization. Her lips spread into a smile as she slowly pulled the lollipop from her mouth.
"Yes..."
"Where is your mother?" Adam whispered testily.
He bounced Chloe on his hip as he paced back and forth across the living room, sparing the occasional glance out the window. It was already 8:45. Ludo had come and gone, picking up Ava and Elliot for school. He was supposed to leave for work twenty minutes ago, but for the third time this week, Morgan was running late.
Chloe began to fuss at the mention of her mom, whimpering as she tugged on his maroon patterned tie. Adam sighed, running his fingers soothingly through her whisps of curly, brown hair.
"I know, honey. She'll be home soon."
It had been three months since Adam learned he had a daughter. The revelation had turned his entire world upside down. Even still, he never considered her a mistake. More like a surprise... A very big surprise. One that came with its own set of challenges, including a wife who didn't seem to understand the concept of time.
Truthfully, Adam never could've imagined that he'd be married to anyone, let alone someone as messy, scatter-brained and facetious as Morgan Gillory. Though, their arrangement could hardly be considered a marriage. They were more akin to roommates. No rings. No date nights. Just two people cohabitating while they raised a child together.
Adam huffed in exasperation as he pulled his phone from his pocket. Just as he was about to call Morgan and lay into her over her lack of punctuality, he heard the faint jingle of her keys as she unlocked the deadbolt. The front door swung open, and she strolled into the room, tossing her teal purse onto the console table. Karadec stormed over to the entryway, depositing Chloe into her arms before she even had a chance to remove her cheetah print jacket.
"You're late." He snapped. "Again."
"I know, I know," Morgan groaned. "I got caught up with something at work, and my bus was running behind schedule."
"You know, we wouldn't have this problem if you just fixed your car."
"Are you gonna spot me five thousand dollars for a new carburator?" She asked rhetorically. Adam rolled his eyes as he slipped into his brown suede jacket. "Didn't think so."
"Well, you'd better figure something out, 'cause I can't keep showing up late to work. And if she spends anymore time with Henry, we're gonna have to start paying him."
"Says you..." Morgan muttered under her breath.
Adam didn't bother issuing a response. He snatched his bag from the hook on the wall and raced out the front door. As he drove off in the direction of the precinct, he tried to shift his focus to the case at hand. Anthony Acosta, a high-profile attorney, had been found murdered at his home in Encino. He'd taken a shotgun blast to the chest, and his wife, Lynette, was nowhere to be found. Right now, they considered her their prime suspect, though the motive remained unclear.
Maybe she'd grown tired of him leaving his empty dishes on the counter. Watching TV on full blast while she was trying to sleep. Completely disrespecting her schedule by showing up late for the third time in a week... Adam shook his head, trying to brush off his frustration. He couldn't let his own petty grievances get in the way of this case. Perhaps some coffee would help him get his head on straight.
He spotted a Starbucks about a block away and made the split-second decision to stop for a cup. Adam cursed under his breath as he pulled into the drive-through, realizing too late that the line was much longer than he'd anticipated. He glanced back through his rearview mirror cursed again. Someone had already pulled up behind him, leaving him no choice but to wait it out.
After placing his order and pulling up to the window, he was greeted with a bright-eyed barista, smiling from ear to ear.
"Good morning, Sir!" She chirped. "Would you like to round up your total and donate to-"
"No." Adam barked. "I don't wanna donate anything. Just give me my coffee so I can be on my way."
The girl reared back, startled by his sudden outburst. Adam closed his eyes and sighed. He had no business taking his anger out on this poor barista, who probably made minimum wage and had no health insurance.
"Look, I'm sorry. I'm just having a rough morning, and I'm already late for work."
"No problem," she nodded in understanding as she handed him his paper cup. "I hope your day gets better."
"Thanks..." Adam grumbled.
Ten minutes later, he pulled into the parking lot of the precinct. He grabbed his coffee from the cupholder and slung his bag over his shoulder, then exited his cruiser and sulked across the pavement. He stepped through the front doors and made his way over to the elevator, where he found Oz waving enthusiastically.
"Morning, Karadec," he beamed.
"Hm. Morning." Adam grunted. Oz raised an eyebrow apprehensively.
"What's up with you? Woke up on the wrong side of the bed today?"
"Something like that," he mumbled.
In the interest of discretion, he hadn't told anyone about his wife and child. The situation was... messy, to say the least. And he wasn't sure if they would understand. Though, it was all the same, since he rarely shared details of his personal life to begin with.
They rode up to the fourth floor in awkward silence. As soon as the doors opened, Karadec lunged forward. Oz fell into lockstep behind him as they walked briskly down the hall. When they reached the bullpen, he threw open the door and stalked over to his desk.
"Morning," he announced flatly. Daphne looked up and smiled.
"Lieutenant slept great."
"I didn't ask," Adam snarked. "And no, she did not."
Before he could explain how Selena's incessant emails had kept him up, he spotted her sauntering out of her office. In one hand, she clutched her favorite mug with the Dominican flag, filled to the brim with cheap coffee from the kitchen. In the other, she held an open case file.
"Mason puts Anthony Acosta's death between three and five pm," she noted.
Adam pressed down on the nozzle of his hand sanitizer, dispensing a small dollop into his palm. He was already losing control of this day. But at the very least, he could assure that his hands were clean.
"Confirmation on the shotgun?"
"It's the murder weapon." Soto nodded. "Next of kin?"
"Primary suspect is the wife, Lynette Acosta. Vanished. They have one daughter, Letty. Studying up at Santa Cruz. She should be on her way down here now."
Selena looked up at him sympathetically.
"You gave her the news?"
Adam met her gaze, burying his inner turmoil beneath his stolid façade. He nodded solemnly. Selena's emails weren't the only thing that had kept him up last night. She pressed her lips together in understanding, then turned her attention to the rest of the team.
"So... how do we find the wife?"
"The only next of kin is her sister," Adam replied, turning to face the evidence board. "Sofia Bellier-"
He froze in place as his eyes trained on the photo of Lynette Acosta - one of the many pieces of evidence that he'd meticulously gathered. Beneath her picture, someone had crossed out the word "suspect" in red marker, then replaced it with a hastily scrawled "victim." And Adam knew exactly who that someone was.
He immediately recognized the sloppy handwriting from the many notes Morgan had left him on the fridge. What could she possibly be doing at the precinct? She'd told him she was working as an overnight janitor at some stuffy office building downtown. Unless...
Adam seethed. Leave it to Morgan to omit the fact that they shared a workplace. As if this day couldn't get any worse. Not only was his wife messing up his schedule, she was tampering with his case files, too. Though, he couldn't just come right out and point the finger at her. That would raise questions that he wasn't prepared to answer. So he played dumb, acting just as shocked as the rest of the team.
"Who did this?" Adam demanded. When his question went unanswered, he raised his voice, fully committing to the bit. "Hey! Who did this?"
He smacked his pen against the board, pointing to the vandalism in question. The rest of the bullpen stood in stunned silence, watching as he failed to rein in his rage.
"Who changed our board? A man is dead, and our primary suspect is missing. This is not a joke."
A few of the uniformed police officers murmured quietly amongst themselves, but no one stepped up to confess. Exactly as Adam had expected. He clenched his jaw and flared his nostrils as he pointed to the security camera in the corner of the room. He was fully prepared to pull the footage, haul her ass down to the precinct, and watch her get fired on her own merits.
"Daphne?" He gestured toward the board. "I wanna know... who did this."
Morgan bounced around the kitchen, still ruminating over her tiff with Adam as she put away the groceries. They didn't interact often, but when they did, it was almost always laced with sarcasm or bitterness. He didn't seem to understand her at all. Though, in the three months since they'd gotten "married," she couldn't bring herself to let her guard down. Her mind was like a labyrinth. And every man who'd attempted to set foot inside had inevitably given up. For the sake of her daughter, she figured it was best to keep him at an arm's length. But that didn't mean she had to put up with his disrespect.
As she tossed an expired ham into the freezer, Henry sat at the kitchen island, bouncing Chloe on his knee while he spoonfed her applesauce. Morgan turned to face him and sighed, leaning up against the counter. She arched an eyebrow curiously as she emptied out the remaining contents of her grocery bag.
"Henry... It doesn't bother you that we don't pay you, right?"
He pursed his lips and tipped his head side to side, contemplating her question.
"I mean, it would be nice... But no. It doesn't bother me." He smiled as he pinched Chloe's cheek playfully. "I'm always happy to spend some time with this sweet girl."
"Right?" Morgan scoffed, feeling vindicated.
She grabbed the loaf of bread and the box of cereal, then turned to place them on top of the fridge.
"If she spends anymore time with Henry, we're gonna have to start paying him," she whispered mockingly, imitating Adam's voice.
Morgan grabbed the last few items off the counter, when suddenly, she heard someone knocking on the open door. She made her way over to the entryway, a can of beans in one hand and a bottle of ketchup in the other. Much to her surprise, she found her husband standing on the doorstep of his own house, alongside a man she had never seen before. He narrowed his eyes slightly as he pulled his jacket to the side, flashing the badge on his belt.
"Morgan Gillory?" Adam began, all business with just a hint of annoyance. "I'm Detective Karadec, and this is Detective Ozdil. We need you to come down to the station."
Morgan glanced back and forth between the two of them, her brow furrowed in confusion. Why was Adam knocking on his own door, introducing himself as if they'd never met before? And why would he want to bring her with him to work?
"Do you have a neighbor who could watch your kids?" He added, hoping that she could take the hint.
Hearing the commotion, Henry stepped around the corner to see what all the fuss was about. Adam fought the urge to roll his eyes. Of course, she had already called him.
"I can watch Chloe..." He muttered, equally confused.
"Great. Thank you."
She handed him the beans and ketchup, then grabbed her purse and her cheetah-print fur jacket before following the two men outside. Karadec placed a firm hand on her shoulder as he gestured toward the cruiser.
"This way, ma'am."
Ma'am... Morgan nearly laughed in disbelief. This had to be some sort of joke, right? She looked up at him and caught a glimpse of him shaking his head, almost imperceptibly. Then, he opened the door and ushered her into the back seat of his cruiser.
After a tense car ride, they arrived at the precinct. Adam opened the back door and led her inside before Oz took off, uttering something about a holding cell. Thus, they found themselves alone in the elevator as they rode up to the fourth floor.
"Adam-"
"Not now, Morgan." He hissed through his gritted teeth.
"I'm just trying to understand-"
"Not. Now."
Morgan rolled her eyes.
"Well, aren't you cantankerous today?" She remarked sarcastically.
"Funny." Adam huffed. "I didn't know they taught vocabulary in janitorial school."
Before she could issue a scathing response, the elevator dinged, and the doors opened. Adam grabbed her by the elbow, then led her down the hallway and through the bullpen. They stepped into the Lieutenant's office, where they found Soto waiting with an open laptop. Adam gestured toward the chair opposite her desk.
"Sit." He ordered.
Morgan huffed in frustration before taking a seat begrudgingly. Meanwhile, Adam hung back, leaning against one of the file cabinets. If he opened his mouth, there was no telling what he might say. So he let Selena take the lead.
Soto turned the laptop to face her, displaying a video from the bullpen's security camera. She hit play, and they watched as Morgan danced around the bullpen with a mop. Morgan cringed, clearing her throat uncomfortably while Adam glared at her. So much for "dance like nobody's watching."
"Sometimes the music takes control," she shot him a smug smile.
Selena raised an eyebrow cautioningly.
"Tampering with a criminal case is a serious crime," she warned.
"So is obstruction of justice." Adam chimed in.
Morgan scoffed.
"I wasn't tampering. I saw a problem, and I tried to fix it."
"You were trying to help us?"
"No. I don't care about you. I wanted to be able to sleep." She shot back.
Karadec clenched his jaw, but he bit his tongue. That seemed to be the first honest thing she's said all day. For a beat, Selena was silent, staring at her expectedly. Then, Morgan leaned back in her chair, rolling her eyes.
"I have a compulsion to put things right," she explained, gesturing wildly with her hands. "If I see a mistake, I need to correct it, otherwise I'm up all night obsessing. That's all I was doing. Cleaning up your mess. You wanna arrest me for that? Fine. Go ahead."
"You got it," Adam sneered.
He rose to his feet and reached for his handcuffs in his back pocket. Before he could withdraw them, Selena grabbed the case file, tossing it down in front of Morgan. She flipped it open and leaned back in her chair as she folded her hands together.
"What mistakes did you see?"
Adam shot her a disbelieving look. This can't be happening, he thought. She cannot seriously be asking his wife for assistance on a case. He'd done a lot of unusual things in this line of work, but that was where he drew the line.
Morgan hesitated for a moment, then straightened in her seat as she zeroed in on the case file. Her expression morphed into something Adam had never seen before. She looked focused... Fully engaged. Morgan spread the photographs haphazardly across Selena's desk as she launched into a detailed explanation.
"Okay... So, you've got a dead body." She pointed to the photo of Anthony Acosta.
Adam crossed his arms, fuming as she picked up a picture of Lynette Acosta.
"I'm assuming you think this lady offed her husband, but that's not possible."
She tossed the photo to the side and grabbed another one, depicting the Acosta's living room.
"Look at this room. Look at this couch." Morgan bounced her finger across the page. "All of these pillows are evenly spaced with alternating colors. And check out these shelves. Those objects are perfectly sized. Even the choice of metals is consistent. This house is immaculate. The owner is a tidiness freak. Except..."
She held up a third photo, pointing to the curtains.
"All of these curtains are fastened with a tie back. Except for one, for some reason."
Selena shot Adam a pointed look as Morgan continued, narrowing her eyes.
"That's odd, isn't it? You're telling me this woman who meticulously arranges her couch cushions doesn't care about her curtains? So the tie back must have been used for something else."
Morgan spun around another photograph, dragging her manicured finger down the leg of the Acosta's living room chair.
"See? Look... You've got hairs stuck to the chair leg. Somebody put tape around it, ripped it off, the glue stayed and trapped the little bits."
Adam's brow creased in frustration as he locked eyes with Selena.
"The samples are at the lab," he said tersely. "We found no tape at the scene."
"That means someone was tied up with the curtain cord and taped to the chair around their ankles." She went on. "And since there are no marks on the victim's wrist... it wasn't him who was tied up. Which means there was a third person. We have our victim on the ground, Lynette tied to a chair, and our unknown bondage freak, who has either kidnapped or bumped off Lynette. That's the person you need to find."
Morgan slapped her hands against the desk.
"So... you guys made mistakes. I fixed 'em." She held her palms outstretched and smiled sweetly. "Let's not make a big deal out of this. You've got a suspect to find. I have some expired ham to fry up before tomorrow."
She quickly rose to her feet.
"So, if you'll excuse me-"
"Sit down." Adam hissed. Morgan lowered herself back into her chair. "Let's wait for the lab results. For now, this is all just speculation."
Morgan rolled her eyes. She didn't have a chance to push back before a pair of detectives rushed into the office - a strikingly beautiful black woman, along with the same brunette man she had seen on her doorstep earlier that day.
"We have the surveillance footage," she began. "A woman was seen entering the house at the time of the murder."
Morgan lit up with excitement, nearly rocketing out of her seat.
"The third person!"
Selena glanced at Adam knowingly. He took a moment to gather himself, his lip curled with fury. This insufferable woman had messed up his work schedule, tampered with his evidence, and now, she was showing him up at his own job. He sighed in exasperation as he stared intently into Morgan's eyes.
"Oz, please escort Miss Gillory to the holding cell."
"What?!" She squawked.
"We have to check your story out."
Selena held out her hand, trying to diffuse the situation.
"If it all checks out, then you have nothing to worry about." She said evenly.
Oz grinned apologetically as he grabbed Morgan by the elbow. She yanked her arm out of his grasp and shot him a sharp glare.
"Yeah, I know how to stand!" She mouthed off. "Thanks."
As Oz led her out of Selena's office, Morgan glanced over her shoulder.
"I was just cleaning up your mess!" She screeched. "You're welcome!"
They disappeared around the corner, and Adam turned to face Selena, stuffing his hands in his pockets.
"Since when do you show an open case file to..." He hesitated. To my wife, he thought. To the mother of my child. He settled on something a little more broad. "To a civilian? A potential suspect?"
"Can you refute anything she said?" Selena retorted. She raised an eyebrow questioningly. "And why are you treating this like a personal attack?"
Adam sighed. He took a seat facing her and slouched back in his chair.
"She messed with my case board. I take that personally," he lied. Selena tipped her head forward slightly. A warning.
"I don't know what's gotten into you lately, but you need to start being a little more objective," she cautioned. "We take whatever help we can get. You know that."
"Well, we have to be sure. Because if she's right..."
"Then we currently have a botched homicide investigation with no leads." Selena griped. "And even worse?"
"We have a second victim."
After a long-winded explanation about church architecture and a second arrest for assaulting a police officer, Morgan found herself sulking in the back of Karadec's cruiser as they made their way across town to interview their victim's sister - Sofia Bellier. It wasn't exactly how she preferred to spend her afternoon. But it was either this, or sit in a holding cell. So she decided to hedge her bets and take the Lieutenant up on her offer to drop the charges in exchange for assistance on their case.
Adam was equally displeased about the situation, and he made sure to give Selena an earful. Though, there was very little he could say without disclosing his current... living arrangement. He had no choice but to bite the bullet. He kept his eyes locked on the road as he drove through the streets of Koreatown, his shoulders tensed and his knuckles blanching around the steering wheel. Meanwhile, Oz shifted uncomfortably as he stared out the passenger side window. The tension in the air was palpable - thick like molasses and suffocating like a cloud of smoke.
When they arrived at Sofia's apartment building, they exited the cruiser, and Morgan jumped as Adam slammed the door behind him. Itching to avoid the impending confrontation, Oz led the way. They followed him up the stairs and onto the second floor balcony, Morgan's black leather boots clicking against the cement floor with each step. Then, suddenly, Adam threw his hand out, stopping her in her tracks before turning to face her. He glanced over his shoulder and watched Oz disappear around the corner.
"Okay, let's be very clear." He lowered his voice. "You are not gonna say anything. You are not gonna touch anything. And you are not. Going to do. Anything."
"Right. Right..." Morgan narrowed her eyes, then pointed a finger at him playfully. "I should probably be strapped in case things pop off."
"I'm serious. Do nothing."
"Then what am I here for?" She threw her hands up in frustration.
"Honestly? I have no idea. Apparently, Selena thinks you're some sort of secret genius."
"Well, it's a lot more problematic than she makes it out to be." Morgan crossed her arms. "And it's really not much of a secret. You'd know that if you ever bothered to talk to me. You know... your wife?"
Adam's eyes widened. He held his hands out as he whipped his head around, making sure Oz was still out of earshot.
"Shhh!" He whispered forcefully. "Lower your voice!"
Morgan reared back, her face twisted in confusion. Then, her furrowed brow dissolved into a look of realization.
"Wait... they don't know about us, do they?"
"No. They don't." Adam shook his head. "And I'd like to keep it that way."
"Unbelievable..." Morgan scoffed. "You didn't think it was important to let your boss know that you have a three month old daughter?"
"Oh, don't give me that!" He spat. "You're the one who lied about your new job!"
"You think I wanna work with you?! I was probably gonna quit soon, anyway!"
"Great!" He clasped his hands together as he grinned sarcastically. "Then let's just get through this day so you can hand in your letter of resignation."
Morgan rolled her eyes. Adam leaned in closer, staring her daggers.
"You will stand there and do nothing, and this will go smoothly."
But of course, it didn't go smoothly. Morgan couldn't keep herself from touching Sofia's belongings, insulting her line of work and employing entirely too much sarcasm. Within minutes, Adam had stormed out the door, incensed by her absolute lack of tact and professionalism. Oz followed a few paces behind him, while Morgan brought up the rear, jogging to catch up.
"If you can't keep your mouth shut, then please, treat our witnesses with some respect!" He shouted.
Morgan held her hands out questioningly.
"You don't think the Sarah thing was a little weird?" She pressed. "If you died today, I'm tellin' people about it, and we've only known each other for-"
"Morgan, enough!" Adam snapped, cutting her off before she could spill the beans.
Oz's eyebrows shot up in surprise. For a moment, they stood in awkward silence. Then, the junior detective stepped forward cautiously.
"She's right, Karadec..." He said gently. "We have to get our hands on that letter."
Morgan lit up with excitement, pointing at him enthusiastically.
"Yes! Exactly! Let's do it!"
Adam's lip curled with fury as he flung open the car door.
"We will go ask Henry Walker to search Acosta's office. You will wait in the car."
"Oh please, Adam," she huffed. "I know you. If I get in that back seat, you're just gonna lock me in there."
She turned to face Oz, raising an eyebrow inquisitively.
"Am I right?"
Oz hesitated for a moment, glancing back and forth between the two of them. Then, he cringed as he looked down at his feet.
"Probably..."
Morgan threw her hands up before slapping them against the sides of her pink, leather skirt.
"What am I even doing here?! Do you want my help or not?!"
"No! I do not!" Adam bristled. "I thought I made that clear! I think this whole idea is moronic, and I am praying that you will just quit and-"
Morgan spun on her heels and stomped down the sidewalk, waving her hand dismissively over her shoulder.
"... and walk away." He finished. Then, he turned to face Oz, placing his hands on his hips. "Okay, let's confirm the sister's alibi. You go to the university. Talk to the colleagues, and I'll deal with Henry Walker."
"What about her?"
Oz tipped his chin in Morgan's direction, watching as she vanished around the corner.
"Not our problem anymore." He shrugged.
Adam hoped that that would be the end of it. But Oz continued to stare at him as if he was waiting for him to finish.
"What?" He demanded.
"Nothing, it's just... Why do you hate her so much?" Oz pried. "Have you two met before? She said she 'knew you...' And she called you Adam."
Karadec instantly tensed. He floundered as he tried to come up with an explanation that sounded believable.
"We may have crossed paths once before... Obviously, she made a lasting impression."
"Oh?" Oz perked up, immediately intrigued. "What happened?"
"We don't have time to gossip." Adam deflected. "We have an open murder investigation and a missing woman."
He waved him off impatiently.
"Let's get to work."
Karadec stood over the bathroom sink, scrubbing his hands vigorously under the stream of scalding hot water, like the answers he needed were lurking just beneath his skin. Henry Walker had refused to cooperate, citing "attorney client privilege," and some other legal jargon. All of it translated to another layer of red tape, preventing them from locating Lynette Acosta. As he reached for the paper towels, a familiar face popped out from over his shoulder.
"Hi bathroom friend!" Morgan beamed.
"Jesus!" He nearly jumped out of his dress shoes. "What are you doing here?!"
"I figured I'd find you in here after the meeting. Did you think I wouldn't notice you compulsively washing your hands, like some sort of clean freak? You do know that's a cry for help, right?"
Adam scoffed. He tried to play it cool, but he felt a deeply uncomfortable feeling settle in the pit of his stomach. Vulnerability. Like Morgan could see right through him. As usual, he disguised it beneath his rage. He turned to face her with an irritated expression.
"You can't be here."
"Oh, I know." Morgan scrunched her nose in disgust. "Imagine what a men's room is like for somebody who notices every little detail."
Adam narrowed his eyes. He opened his mouth to speak, but she quickly cut him off.
"Calm down..." She smiled as she held up a white envelope. "I found the Sarah letter."
"What?" He snatched it from her hand. "How?"
"Oh, I broke into her office and took it. Read the letter! Sarah Atkinson was a paralegal on the Brian Dimon case. And guess what? Brian Dimon assaulted her also." Morgan gestured toward the letter. "It's all in there! Same pattern as before. She begs Acosta to take action against her client. I figure Lynette Acosta had a crisis of conscience, was gonna turn on Dimon, and he did something about it."
Karadec closed his eyes and sighed. She waved her hands wildly as she continued.
"We have motive! We have a serial criminal! Let's go arrest him!"
"Stop!" Adam barked. "You have no idea what you've done. We have nothing here! This letter is inadmissible. I can't have this in my possession."
Morgan stared at him in disbelief.
"You're gonna let him go on a technicality?"
"No! These are not technicalities!" He raged. "These are laws! Principals that I have devoted my entire life to protecting."
"Jesus... I thought my life was sad."
"Your life is sad! We have shopping carts from three different grocery stores in our yard!"
"I wouldn't have to go to three different stores, but Safeway has those weird wheel locks!" She motioned aggressively. Adam pressed his palms together and leaned in closer.
"Get your fucking car fixed, Morgan! I will not have you dragging our daughter around on the bus!"
"What part of 'I'm broke,' don't you understand?!" She snarled. "You think I take public transportation for the fun of it?!"
"Then trade in that piece of crap for something that doesn't need to be repaired every month!"
"Don't talk about her like that! She not a piece of crap!" Morgan wagged her manicured finger in his face. "And you're one to talk! Your car is paid for by the LAPD!"
"Well, when you learn to hold down a job, maybe your employer will pay for your car too!"
"I'm here, aren't I?!"
"Oh, you're here alright!" Adam hissed caustically. "You're here making my life a living nightmare!"
"How about, 'Thank you, Morgan!'" She shot back mockingly. "'Thank you for saving my ass and doing my job for me, 'cause I lack the capability!'"
As their argument continued to escalate, the door swung upon, revealing a tall man in a crisp, navy suit. He took a few steps forward before Morgan and Karadec whipped their heads around, glaring at him.
"Get out!" They shouted simultaneously.
The man jumped. He threw his hands up and slowly backed out into the hallway. Adam closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose as he turned to face Morgan, handing her the letter.
"Okay." He began, calmer this time. "This didn't happen. You're gonna take this letter, and you're gonna put it back exactly where you found it. And if you get caught? I am going to arrest you myself."
Morgan rolled her eyes.
"Then what?"
"Then we're gonna go talk with Brian Dimon."
Morgan's eyebrows shot up in surprise, and her lips slowly spread into a smile. She swiped the letter from his hand and scampered out of the bathroom. Adam leaned into the sink and hung his head as he took a deep breath, puffing out his cheeks. He prayed that she could return the letter undetected. Or he may have just burned his entire career to the ground.
His interview with Brian Dimon would turn out to be one of the most memorable of his life. At first, it was unremarkable. Brian seemed evasive, but he claimed to be in Fontana at the time of the murder. Before Karadec could even confirm his alibi, he was interrupted by the sound of Morgan banging on the two-way mirror.
"HEY!" She screamed, her voice muffled behind the glass. "ASK HIM ABOUT FONTANA!"
As if that wasn't bad enough, he would quickly come face to face with Henry Walker, who demanded the release of his client and accused Morgan of an unlawful search. For the second time today, Adam found himself storming out the front doors.
"Adam, wait!" Morgan called as she chased after him. "Dimon was in Fontana on the day of the murder! You've gotta ask him why!"
He grit his teeth and flared his nostrils as he spun around to face her.
"Stop." He hissed. "We're done. This entire idiotic experiment is finished."
"No, it doesn't make any sense! It-"
"Stop pretending you can do this." Adam stepped closer, his eyes burning with rage. "Go home and put Chloe to bed, Morgan. Henry is probably half asleep by now."
He shook his head annoyance. Then, he spun on his heels and walked away, leaving her standing in stunned silence.
"Leave this to the professionals."
Morgan stepped out of Ava's room, carefully shutting the door behind her. It hadn't been the first time she'd tried to talk to her about Roman, but it hurt just the same. Ava was convinced that her father had abandoned her. That he'd never loved her. And there was nothing Morgan could say to change her mind. She would do anything to spare her children from that level of pain. Including marrying a man who looked down on her. Who disrespected her every day.
She leaned back against the door, crossing her arms over her cardigan as she broke down in tears. It was nights like this that reminded her why she had stayed single for so long. Her love life had always been a battlefield, and it pained her to see her children caught in the crossfire.
Morgan hung her head and let out a single, strained sob. Then, suddenly, Karadec's bedroom door swung open, and he stepped out into the hallway. He took one look at her and stopped dead in his tracks. Morgan turned away, wiping her tears with the heel of her hand.
"Oh, sorry," he mumbled. "I was just going to get some water... Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," she huffed.
It occured to Adam that he had never seen Morgan cry before. Honestly, he wasn't even sure if she was capable of it. For a moment, he wondered if he had been too hard on her back at the precinct. He shifted uncomfortably as he rubbed the back of his neck.
"Is this because of what happened earlier?"
Morgan huffed a laugh, shaking her head.
"No. Just teenage girl stuff," she conceded, lowering her voice as she brushed past him. "You'll find out for yourself, eventually."
Adam watched with a puzzled expression as she disappeared into her room. He had always seen Morgan as confident and self-assured. What on earth could possibly rattle her? The question lingered on his mind as he grabbed a glass of water and returned to his bedroom. Though, he would barely get a wink of sleep.
The next morning, Morgan was back to her normal self by the time he strolled into the kitchen. Adam found her dashing around the room, cradling Chloe on her hip and barking orders at the kids as she got them ready for school. He took a seat at the island and leaned back in his chair, watching her go about her business. Suddenly, he felt like he was missing a pivotal piece of the puzzle. The key to deciphering the enigma of Morgan Gillory.
With a loaf of bread in hand, Morgan spun around and spotted him eyeing her curiously. Her brow knit in confusion as she tossed it down on the counter.
"Are you just gonna stare at me like an idiot? Or are you gonna tell me what's on your mind?"
Adam blinked his eyes as he came to his senses. He felt off-balance. Like he'd just realized that he had been living with a stranger for the past three months. For some reason he couldn't quite understand, he was eager to see what she was capable of.
"Why did you want me to ask Dimon about Fontana?" He asked, against his better judgement.
Morgan hesitated for a moment. Then, with a sigh, she handed over Chloe before placing a bowl of pureed peaches in front of him.
"This mush needs to go into your kid."
Adam kissed Chloe softly on the cheek, then began shoveling the peaches into her mouth. Meanwhile, Morgan waved around a butter knife as she packed the kids' sandwiches.
"Dimon is not a Fontana guy," she explained. "More importantly, I noticed something in Sofia's apartment yesterday. All of the little chachkis on her shelves were dusty... except for one. Sofia was in Fontana recently. And so was Dimon."
"So what?" He shrugged. "People go to Fontana."
"Both of them?" Morgan scoffed.
"What does it matter? They both have alibis for the time of the murder."
Morgan's gaze wandered around the room as the wheels of her mind spun to life. She assumed the same expression that Adam had seen in Selena's office. He arched an eyebrow as he watched her keenly. Then, out of the blue, she picked up her phone and began dialing.
"Who are you calling?" He asked.
"I'm calling Henry."
"Leave the poor man alone." Adam sighed. "He was here until nine o'clock last night."
Morgan ignored his comment. She huffed in exasperation as the call went to voicemail. Then, she strode over to the window and hoisted it open.
"PICK UP THE PHONE, HENRY! COME OVER HERE!"
Within minutes, Henry was shuffling through the door. He made his way over to the kitchen and lit up with joy as he pinched Chloe's cheeks.
"There's my little angel!"
"How long does it take for flowers to die after you deliver them?" Morgan wasted no time. "Like 'wilted and brown' died."
"Depends on a few factors." He replied, taking the spoon from Adam's hand. "Mainly the type of flower."
"Ranunculus." She recalled almost instantly.
"Four days. At least."
Morgan leaned forward, smiling brightly as she grasped Henry's hand in both of hers.
"Henry!" She kissed him on the knuckles. "You are a good man. And an even better babysitter. Which leads me to my next question... Do you think you could watch Chloe for a few hours?"
Adam groaned.
"Morgan-"
"Do you wanna find your missing woman, or not?"
Henry shook his head in amusement.
"Of course I can watch her." He grinned.
"You're the best!" Morgan gushed. She turned and shouted down the hallway. "Let's go!"
"Wait. Morgan... What are you talking about?" Adam stammered.
"I'll explain on the way."
After dropping the kids off at school, Morgan insisted they circle back to their original crime scene - Lynette and Anthony Acosta's home. For a few minutes, they rode in silence. Then, Adam cleared his throat, cutting through the tension like a knife.
"So this gift you have-"
"It's not a gift." She interjected.
"Okay... So what exactly is it, then?"
Morgan closed her eyes and sighed.
"It's called high potential intellectual." She said quietly. "High IQ. Intellectual creativity. Photographic memory... That sorta stuff."
"And you work as a cleaning lady?"
"Well, it makes it pretty hard to hold down a job, if I'm being honest. It's like my mind is always spinning out of control. I can't sleep, I can't stop obsessing over every little thing... I can barely maintain a conversation."
As they pulled up to a red light, Adam turned to face her. His brow twitched slightly as he observed her slouched back in her seat, staring out the window with a somber expression.
"It's not a gift."
Adam stood outside a weathered cabin in the woods, his hands stuffed in his pockets as Lynette Acosta ran into the arms of her daughter. He'd watched in astonishment as Morgan deconstructed the crime scene with nothing more than a glance around the room. She quickly deduced that Brian and Sofia had adjusted the temperature, changing Anthony's time of death to give them rock solid alibis. Then, they doctored the security footage and drove Lynette to her childhood home until they could devise a plan.
After locating Lynette and assuring her safety, the front lawn was bustling with activity. Uniformed police officers ambled about, cataloguing evidence and documenting the scene. But Adam couldn't seem to take his eyes off Morgan. He stared at her from afar, as if he was truly seeing her for the first time. Not as a nagging presence in his life, but as an intriguing addition to it. Someone who was worth getting to know.
After a beat, Morgan turned and met his gaze. They nodded at each other wistfully. A moment of silent recognition. Of unspoken understanding. Then, she turned her attention back to the emotional reunion playing out in front of them.
He swallowed back the lump in his throat, noting the way her icy blue eyes glistened in the flashing lights. The way she crossed her arms tightly over her chest, as if she wanted to disappear altogether. The way she seemed to feel everything so deeply. And for the first time, he felt an unusual sensation, taking hold somewhere deep in his chest.
Admiration.
Maybe this wouldn't be so bad, after all.