The last thing Morgan could remember was climaxing. Now he was lying facedown on the back seat with his head pounding and his pants around his ankles. It’s not like I can get any lower than this. Or can I? 

Morgan pulled his face from the puddle of drool that stuck it to the seat. Damn, I need a bottle.

He saw his wallet lying open on the center console. Morgan reached over and grabbed it. After rifling through his billfold, he realized the cash was gone, about $200. Beth was nowhere to be seen. Ah, who cares. She more than earned it.  

Shit. He popped up the console lid and saw that Paco’s .38 was also missing. Damnit! 

Morgan quickly dressed, realizing the sun was already up. When he exited his Charger, he froze in his tracks. Sitting against the alleyway wall was Beth Mackie.  

The woman’s eyes were rolled back up into her head, showing only the whites. Her mouth and chin were covered with frothy spit. Her legs were slightly spread, exposing her privates.

Beth was obviously dead, but he reached out to check her pulse anyways. Then he hesitated. I don’t want to leave my DNA on her. Dumbass, my DNA is already all over this woman. A quick check of her wrist and neck verified she was long gone.  

Holy shit, her earrings are missing! Okay, what should I do?  Think. Think! Take the body? Hide it? No. If I get pulled over with a dead hooker in my trunk there’ll be no explaining that, ever. Besides, they’re gonna have tons of damning evidence from the back of my police sedan. DNA links to a third dead hooker won’t really make much difference to a jury.  

Morgan had hopped in the front seat of the Charger when a new thought stormed into his mind like a tornado. Holy shit, did I kill her? The last thing I remember was pounding her hard when I got angry about that damn shrink’s words.

Morgan took one last look at Beth. Damn it, she’s a human being. He got back out of the car and grabbed a blanket from the trunk. He laid it over her exposed body. Morgan knew he was possibly placing more trace evidence, but he just couldn’t leave her lying there displayed like garbage.  

When Morgan drove forward to exit the alleyway, he saw Mac Yung, the aggressive reporter standing across the street. Mac recognized Morgan and waved him over. Not a chance!

Morgan sped off, heading straight north and out of Seattle. I’m done with this nonsense! Someone murdered four women I'm associated to and is trying to pin it on me. Time to disappear. Canada’s the ticket!  

Twenty minutes north, red and blue lights, followed by a siren, alerted him that he was being pulled over. Holy crap, how did they get me so quick? Panic threatened to overtake him and the thought to take off hit him full on.  

A second later, he pulled over, the panic having subsided when logic won out. No way they figured out anything yet. Nobody gets DNA results that fast. I must’ve been speeding. 

“Holy Crap! Morgan Harper! I thought it was you!” The Washington State Trooper who walked up pulled off his sunglasses. “Don’t tell me you don’t remember me?” 

“I do . . . Berry . . . Berry Marson? The Hatfield killing?” 

“Close. Berry Marston.” The deputy beamed a huge smile. “Yes, we worked the task force together when the Hatfield boy went missing. Damn shame that hadn’t turned out better.”

“Yeah, it’s never easy when a parent kills their own child.” Morgan grimaced. 

“Anyways, just thought I’d pull you over for old times sakes, and say hey.” He shook Morgan’s hand. “How’s things in the big city down there?”  

“Not great.” Morgan sighed. “Work troubles.”

“Oh boy.” Marston sighed back. “Well, you’ll work it out. The way you worked that dead kid’s mother into confessing and leading us to the body. Everyone else thought it was a random abduction. But not you. You read her like a book.”

“It was nothing, Berry. That woman did a lot of crying but there were no real tears coming out of her eyes. It clued me in.” He smiled at the trooper. 

“Regardless, I’m sure you’ll take your problems head on, like you do everything. You’re a damn good cop.” He patted Morgan on the shoulder and headed back to his cruiser. Morgan waved as the deputy headed back out onto the highway. “

Once Morgan was back on the road, a voice in his head started as a minor nuisance. About an hour from Seattle, it had become a full blown nuisance. Harpers don’t run.

He tried to ignore his father’s voice. It didn’t work. Harpers don’t run. 

Morgan punched his steering wheel several times in anger, then shouted, “I know Pops, but what do you want me to do? Rot in some jail cell for the rest of my life!?” 

He didn’t need an answer for that one. Morgan already knew. His dad had been a Korean War Vet and had fought the Chinese in the great fighting withdrawal from the Frozen Chosin.  

His dad had never talked about his Marine Corps years, but Morgan knew the man had engaged the enemy several times all along the Korean Peninsula. He also knew his old man would rot in a jail cell before he would ever run. I bet you’d be pretty ashamed of me right now, Pops.

Didn’t matter. Morgan had already pulled over into the parking lot of a diner near Lacey, Washington. Dad also liked a juicy steak. 

Morgan parked and entered the rustic cafe.  Once seated by a middle-aged waitress with her hair in a bun, he ordered a 12-ounce T-bone steak with all the fixings. Better get a good meal before they lock me up and throw away the key.  

“You look troubled, handsome.” The waitress had returned to refresh his coffee. Her name tag identified her as Bonnie.  

“Well, Bonnie, you’re looking at a real genuine shit show.” Morgan laughed.  

“Awww, honey, it can’t be all that bad.“ She winked at him. 

“Wanna bet?” Morgan shook his head.  

“I’ll tell you what. I get off work in a couple of hours and, if you’re interested, we can go back to my trailer and ‘discuss’ it over a bottle of whiskey.” The waitress eyed him like he was a T-bone. 

Morgan gave her his best smile. “As good as it sounds, Bonnie, I just can’t. I have to get back to Seattle and face my ghosts.” My dick has gotten me into enough trouble. 

“Well, it’s your loss, sugar.” She walked away.

“I bet it is, Bonnie, I bet it is.” 

After his nice dinner, Morgan found himself back on the highway. Only now he wasn’t heading to Canada. He was heading back to Seattle, because Harpers don’t run. 
 

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. 

Tamra Burns- a crime scene technician who is Debra's identical twin.

Internal Affairs Officer Brian Anderson - Investigating Morgan Harper.

Homicide Detective Hutch Kelly - Morgan’s partner. 

Captain Howitz - Morgan’s boss who runs the Homicide Unit. 

Ronny Tate - Street cop who can't stand Morgan.

Darrin Belzar - Religious by-the-book street cop. 

Paco Sanchez - A local pimp and street thug.

Hugo Chavez - Paco's thug/bodyguard.

Doctor Millison Parker - Morgan’s psychiatrist.

Mac Yung- Aggressive reporter. 

Ted 'Teddy' Norton - Morgan's old academy training officer. 

Steve Vance - Vicki's husband.

Vicki Vance - An old friend of Morgan and Debra’s. Murdered in her bar by the killer. 

Beth Mackie - A murdered prostitute. 

Jennifer Collins - The first victim prostitute. 

Amy Henderson - The second victim prostitute.

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