Creak. Creak. Creak. The sound permeated his sleep. Creak. Creak. Creak.

Morgan opened his eyes, even though he didn’t want to. He knew he was sleeping and was well aware of what morbid scene awaited him.

Her body swung slowly back and forth. His beautiful wife’s neck crooked, just like the horrific day he had found her hanging in their living room. 

Creak . . . creak . . . creak. 

Even more hideously, Debra’s eyes popped open and her arm slowly extended, her finger pointing at him. “Why—-“

Buzz . . . buzz . . . buzz. Morgan’s phone sounded, rescuing him from the awful nightmare. Buzz . . . buzz . . . buzz. 

“Morgan speaking.”

“Yes. Okay. I’m on my way.”

                   *.    *.    *

“Amy Henderson. Age twenty-six. Illinois driver’s license, so she’s not a local.”

Detective Morgan Harper stared hard at the dead blonde’s face. “The file you gave me on the last girl, Jennifer Collins, said she’d been given a fatal overdose and had not been sexually assaulted.”

“Yes. She was given a fatal dose of heroin that would have killed an elephant.” Tamra studied the ground around the victim. “And there was no bruising around her vaginal area.”

“So, do you think we have more of the same here? Are these two dead prostitutes linked, Tam?” He watched the Crime Scene Technician lean forward and pick something shiny out of the mud with tweezers. “I’d say they’re definitely linked.”

Morgan stared at the small silver piece held between the pincers. It was the backing to an earring. A quick glance at the dead girl revealed that she wore no earrings.  

“Looks like you were right.” Tamra dropped the backing into a small plastic evidence bag. “We’ve got us a trophy collector on our hands.  You find those missing earrings and you find your killer. “

The detective ran his hand through his thick hair as Detective Hutch Keller came up. Hutch often partnered up with Morgan and had arrived at the crime scene first, where he had started interviewing the prostitute who found the body. “Looks like Miss Henderson is going to be part of your Collin’s case.” 

“The missing earrings?” Morgan liked the older black homicide detective. Hutch had been a detective much longer than he, and knew his shit.  

“Oh, we have a collector? I didn’t know this vic was also missing earrings.” Hutch squatted down and peered at the dead woman’s earlobes. “No, I was referring to her pimp, Paco Sanchez. According to the hooker over there, this girl worked for him.”

“Paco Sanchez? What’s that low-level bottom feeder have to do with my case?” Morgan had arrested the street punk a couple of times back when he was a street cop.  

Hutch stared at Morgan. “You’d better get a better look at your case file. Didn’t you see Paco was also Jennifer Collin’s pimp? 

Shit. That’s a big miss. Especially since every good detective knows that there’s no such thing as coincidence. “I must have overlooked it.” Morgan shook his head and turned to go.  

“Wait a minute, Mister.  You’re not getting off that easily.” Tamra grabbed his elbow.

“What? What do you mean?” He looked confused.  

“Dinner? You left me hanging.” She frowned at him.  

“Oh . . . yes.”  He shrugged, still unwilling to look the woman in the face. “I forgot. I’ve been very busy with this case.”

“Well, are you busy tonight?” She kept a firm grip on his elbow, staring at him.

“Tonight?” He really wasn’t in the mood to talk about the things he knew she wanted to talk about.  

“Yes. Tonight. I’ll expect you at seven. “ Tamra raised her eyebrows. 

“Seven?”  

“Good it’s settled then. I’ll see you at my place at seven.” She turned back to the crime scene, giving him no chance to protest. Hutch looked at him and shrugged, then walked away.  

Morgan stood there for a moment, hesitating. Then he shrugged his shoulders as well and turned to go.  At least I’ll get a good meal out of it. Besides, I get along well with her boyfriend, Kevin, whom I haven’t seen in awhile. 

When Morgan reached his black sedan, he saw the potbellied reporter, Mac, leaning against the front fender. “Detective.”

“What can I do for ya, Mac?”  

“You have some information for me now, Harper?” The Asian man gave him a fake smile. 

“You know it’s an open and active investigation.”

“So, no comment?” Mac separated himself from the car.  

“Sorry.” The usually aggressive reporter’s demeanor seemed a bit lackadaisical. 

“Well then, I’m going to have to go with my other story. “ Mac shrugged as he started to leave.  

“Other story?” He had Morgan’s full attention now.  

Mac turned back. “Yeah.  My story about a Seattle detective who likes to spend his work time screwing whores.”

Shit. “You would need some serious evidence to back that story up.”

“Unidentified sources. More than one.” Mac smiled. “A story like that would make front page.  The retraction, should it prove false, would be found on page 16.”

“Are you serious right now, Mac? You’d run an unvetted unproven piece of garbage story like that?” Morgan was practically scowling. 

“Not if someone were to give me something to work with.” Mac winked.  

“So much for ethical reporting.” Morgan shook his head. “You’d have to list me as an unidentified source.”

“Unidentified inside source.”

“Fair enough. But you only get one question. Deal?”  

Mac scratched his head. “Deal.”

“So, fire.” There’s only one question I’m worried about.

“Does the department believe they’re dealing with a serial killer here?”

Damn. That was the question. Tread carefully. "We believe both of these women were killed by the same person.”  

Morgan’s answer brought a smile to the reporter’s face. “Thank you, unidentified inside source.”

When Mac turned to go, Morgan hollered at him, “Hey, Mac, don’t I get a question?”  

“Sure, why not?”

“How’d you get a name like Mac?” Morgan smiled. 

This caused the reporter to emit a genuine laugh. “When I was a kid, Macaroni and Cheese was the only thing I would eat. My family started calling me Mac. It has stuck with me ever since. By the way, I still love a nice box of Kraft.” 

“Who doesn’t, Mac?” Morgan climbed into his black sedan and drove away.  

One thought dominated his brain. Jennifer and Amy? What the hell is going on? 
 

CHARACTER/SUSPECT LIST

Homicide Detective Morgan Harper - The heavily faulted main character who never recovered from the suicide of his wife.  

Kelly Pierson - a young, new to the game, prostitute who is frequented by Detective Morgan. 

Debra Harper - Morgan’s deceased wife who committed suicide.  

Tamra Burns- a crime scene technician.

Internal Affairs Officer Brian Anderson - Investigating Morgan Harper  

Homicide Detective Hutch Kelly - Morgan’s partner. 

Doctor Millison Parker - Morgan’s psychiatrist.

Paco Sanchez - A local pimp and street thug.

Mac Yung- Aggressive reporter. 

Jennifer Collins - The first victim prostitute. 

Amy Henderson - The second victim prostitute.