*FIRST DRAFT* The Cover of Darkness (DCI Morgan Chester Series)

Chapter Twenty-Three

"Group two from the AFO's are on their way up. Seemed pretty happy to help out." Morgan announced as she clapped her hands together. Her trainers squeaked with every step she took towards her desk.

"Be great to work with Dan again." Cole chirped.

Cole and Rowan were setting up extra chairs they borrowed from storage around the office. Hallie sat at the front with her computer.

"Do you think we should let Frankie Collins be a part of this?" Dakota asked from her desk.

"Sure. The poor sod might have the stomach to hear that the mother of his child is part of a Satanic sex cult." Morgan gently teased and pointed to the evidence board.

Since Cole and Rowan's visit to Bayford, more evidence had filled the board including photographs of the property. The image of Bobby Ryan placed in the centre with the word victim wrote above in red ink. Dakota disliked the word. She believed a victim was a poor soul that perished. Bobby Ryan was alive; she was surviving.

"How's the brief coming Hal's?" Morgan called.

Hallie's head popped up from behind the monitor and mentioned for Morgan to come. She chuckled and made a comment about having to buy her dinner first. They looked over the brief and Hallie explained certain aspects she would oversee while the team delivered.

"Do you think I made it too simple? I don't want them to know I think they're not very smart." She worried.

"I think they know they're not very smart, Hal. It's perfect." Morgan chuckled and patted her on the shoulder before she went back to her desk.

In the back office, Oliver stood in the doorway. Admiring his team's determination to close the case. Layla James' case hung over them like a bad smell. Every fibre in his being screamed for him to call and check up on Jane. He regretted letting her go home with her husband. There was no evidence her husband killed either Emma Davies or Layla James. Deep down, Jane must have known too.

The group from the armed force unit arrived with their chief. They took their seats without uttering a word to each other. Morgan noticed Danny enter the office. A few months ago, she worked on a case and needed help with an early morning raid. They saved a group of vulnerable young women from slavery. His eyes connected with Morgan and he gave her a warm smile. She noticed his dark hair was brushed back and he recently shaved.

"I want to thank you all for staying late. I know you all have homes and families you rather be with. But some families have been ripped apart in this case. We have the opportunity to reunite a missing mother and her new-born tonight." She announced as Hallie flicked the projector on.

Morgan and her team delivered a forty-five-minute brief. They each took a turn on their findings. The shocked and disgusted reactions received were exactly what they had expected.

"Are there any questions before we prepare the raid?" Dakota asked. The AFO's shook their heads.

"Excellent. Our witness has said the ritual usually takes place around midnight. We have three hours to prepare and execute this." Morgan mentioned for Hallie to bring up the property on the projector.

There would be two teams. Morgan with one team at the front of the property, another with Cole at the rear. Together, they would enter the property and secure it. Rowan would show the warrant. Dakota would lead the captives to the safety of the ambulances.

"Please can we call it operation spit roast?" Cole joked as he balanced on the back legs of his chair.

Hallie rolled her eyes. "Honestly, is every joke you make have to be so crude?"

"I thought you liked crude Hal's." He shrugged.

"I'd like it more if you listened to me. Stop doing that! You could hurt yourself." She barked.

Cole held his hands up in defence and returned his chair to the normal position. She threw a sarcastic look his way.

"Guys, give the flirting a rest for a minute, please." Morgan whined without looking up from the paperwork littered on her desk.

Her head was swimming, and her cheek ached. They were one step to bringing Bobby home. Morgan is thrilled that Bobby is still alive, but the clock is ticking and there could not be any implications to their plan. She didn't notice Hallie had placed a chair next to her and sat down.

"Any luck with Bobby's parents?" Morgan asked as she continued to read one of the reports.

"They're on their way from Greenwich. I managed to find and contact the families of Alicia Green and Shannon Lyle. They are making their way here too."

"What about Amanda Moore?"

"Her parents are deceased, and her brother lives in America." Hallie sighed.

"Will you be okay to tend to the families while we're on the raid? I know it's usually Dakota's job."

"Say no more, I am happy to help." She smiled.

Oliver sat at his desk looking out of the window. The blustering wind outside made the Thames choppy. A few stationed boats along the embankment rocked. The winter sun started to descend, and darkness threatened to swallow London hole.

Hallie knocked her knuckles on his door. He turned to face her.

"Sir, I got the email you sent me during the brief. Is everything okay?"

"Close the door and have a seat Hallie."

Her heart thumped in her chest as she closed the door slowly behind her. As she took a seat opposite him, she noticed the pictures of his wife and children placed on the windowsill. School photographs of the children in their uniforms, one of his and his wife on their wedding day, and another of the family with warm smiles on a trip to Cornwall.

"Am I in trouble, sir?" Her palms started to sweat.

"Hallie, just call me Oliver like everyone else does." He chuckled as her tense shoulders relaxed and she exhaled. "You're not in trouble. I just need you to do something for me while the team execute the raid."

"Of course, I can get to work on it right now for you si- I mean Oliver." She quickly corrected herself.

"I need you to access Emma Davies' social media accounts." He spoke bluntly. Hallie's eyes widened.

"But that would mean hacking, and that breaks all the protocol's you have set." She stammered.

"It's not breaking the law by accessing a victim's social media. I can get authorisation from higher up if needs be."

"What exactly am I looking for?"

"She was having an affair with Dr. Martin Buck and got pregnant. I believe he got angry about the pregnancy and killed her to cover up it up. Any communication between them would be a start."

"The husband of the woman who attacked Morgan earlier?" Oliver nodded. "Sweet biscuits."

"His wife confirmed the affair but denied any knowledge of the pregnancy."

"Martin blocked Morgan on all social media platforms to hide the fact he is married; he probably did the same to Emma. It would be best if I got access into her phone. That way we also won't break any laws."

"They couldn't find anything on her phone when the case was open."

"But you didn't have an experienced tech like me working for you at the time. I can dig up any messages or voicemails she may have deleted by overriding the software."

"I will let you deal with the technical side, and I will deal with throwing the arrest warrant in his face."