The Phantom Ritual (DCI Morgan Chester: Case One)

Epilogue

Two weeks later.

It rained on the day of Olivia's funeral. Not a heavy rain but a fine drizzle. The sky was dark and stormy, with large clouds blocking out the sun. It started yesterday afternoon, followed by the crashing of thunder and lightning that illuminated the London skyline. It was perfect as Olivia loved the sound and scent of a storm; she once told Morgan that a storm is the world's way of cleansing itself.

Morgan's eyes fluttered open. The television was still on, and the QVC adverts played for her in silence. The platinum blonde with hot pink lipstick smiled while demonstrating a food slicer that would easily break after one use. She had fallen asleep on the sofa again.

The alarm on her phone erupted and echoed throughout her flat. She picked up the device and turned off the alarm. Because of her circumstances, Morgan had to allow herself extra time to get ready.

Her leg itched; it had been for three days now. Recently she debated ordering a saw and taking the cast off herself, but that would put her back in the hospital and prolong her return to work. She reached over and grabbed the nail file from the coffee table and slipped it between the plaster and her leg. She thrusted it in and out until the annoying itch subsided.

Is this what it has come to? She thought to herself.

Seven more gruelling weeks, and she would be free from the cast that imprisoned her leg. She had to make modifications to her shower to help keep a good balance as she held her leg out of the shower to keep it dry. Her usual attire of jeans or tight fitted bottoms quickly became her enemy. They were temporarily replaced with elastic waisted leggings and trousers made of a stretchy fabric that would slip over the cast with ease.

"Coffee?" Morgan looked up to see her mum strutting into the kitchen dressed in a silk salmon-pink coloured dressing gown. Her slippers pounded off the floor with every step and deeply aggravated Morgan.

She arrived the day Morgan was released from the Royal London Hospital A&E department. It felt like torture having her mum around all the time, especially when she could not get anywhere fast on her own, even with the crutches. Deep down, she knew her mum meant well.

"I have to get ready for the funeral," Morgan muttered and used the arm of the sofa to help steady herself as she rose from the cushion. The crutches leant against the wall beside the sofa. Her mum raced over and grabbed them for her.

Morgan quickly showered and hopped back into her bedroom. She dried her hair with the dryer while her mum ironed a black dress and placed it on the bed with a pair of leggings.

Much to her mum's dismay, and after a brief argument, Morgan agreed to wear a small amount of foundation to cover her black eye. It was not the ideal day to brave a full face of makeup. She scooped her hair into a tight bun and sprayed a generous amount of hairspray to the stray hairs that came out.

The confrontation with Aaron left her with some bruising and a broken leg. She was lucky to have stopped him before he had done any worse to her.

Aaron Buck was found guilty of the murders of Emma Davies, Olivia James, Yolanda Aya, and Jane Buck. They also charged him with the murder of Emma's unborn child and the attempted murder of Morgan. He was sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole.

The media went into a frenzy. A well-respected doctor that lived a murderous double life and attempted to murder a well known DCI. The whole country was shaken to the core by the news. The court case made headline news and was broadcasted on national television. She remembered the pain on his face when the sentence was handed to him. No lawyer wanted to represent him, and the poor sod that did had to quit his job in law shortly after.