The Phantom Ritual (DCI Morgan Chester: Case One)

Chapter Twenty-Four

"Squad B from the AFO's are on their way up now. They seemed pretty eager to help us out with this one." Morgan announced as she clapped her hands together and strode to her desk. Her trainers squeaked with every step.

"It will be great to work with Dan again." Cole excitedly chirped.

He and Elliott were setting up extra they borrowed from the ground floor storage unit around the whiteboard. Hallie sat at the front desk, leering into her computer and putting the finishing touches on the presentation.

"Do you think we should let Frankie Collins be a part of this?" Dakota asked. She stuck a pin in one of the photographs on the board.

"Sure thing. The poor sod might not have the stomach to hear about how the love of his life and mother of his child has been kidnapped by a Satanic cult, who will rape her tonight to impregnate her." Morgan shrugged her shoulders as she teased.

She turned her eyes to the evidence board in front of her and sighed. Since Cole and Elliott's visit to Hertford, more evidence had filled the board, including photographs from Google Maps of the church. They obtained a copy of the church's blueprints for the AFO's to determine the entry points for the raid.

The image of Bobby Ryan was placed in the centre of the chaos. The word victim wrote above her picture in red ink. Dakota despises the word. She believed a victim was a poor soul that perished. They had the confirmation Bobby Ryan was still alive, and Dakota was determined she would do anything to survive.

"How is that brief coming Hal's?" Morgan called out.

Hallie's head popped up from behind the computer screen and beckoned for Morgan to come. She chuckled and commented on having to buy her dinner first. They looked over the brief together, and Hallie explained certain aspects she would deliver on-screen while the team took turns to deliver. Morgan was impressed with the excellent detail and thought put into the brief.

"Do you think I made it too...simple? I don't want them to think that I think they are not very smart." She panicked.

"I think they know that they are not the brightest bulbs. Hal's it is perfect; please stop panicking." Morgan patted her on the shoulder before stalking back over to her desk.

In the back office, Oliver sat at his desk. Admiring his team's determination to save the victims and save the girls held hostage. But the Olivia James case hung over them like a bad smell.

Every fibre in his being screamed at him to do a routine check-up call on Jane Buck. He somewhat felt guilty for letting her go home with her husband. There was no clear evidence that he did kill Emma Davies and the two sex workers. But he could not stop the gnawing feeling, and deep down, Jane must have had the same feeling too.

Armed Force Officer's Group B arrived at the office on time with their Chief Harry Rogers. They all took their seats in an orderly fashion and without uttering a word to each other. Dakota got to work swiftly, handing them a case file each to read over during the briefing.

Morgan noticed Danny enter the office last. His eyes connected with hers and a warm smile played on his small lips. His dark hair was brushed back, and the stubble showed that he had recently shaved. A couple of years ago, the SCU worked on a case and needed help with an early morning raid. Together, the unites saved a group of vulnerable young women from a sex trafficking ring.

"I would like to thank you all for staying late and offering your help. We know you have homes and families you would rather be with right now, but some families have been ripped apart because of the criminals we hunt. However, we have an opportunity to reunite a kidnapped mother and her baby." She announced to the room as Hallie flicked the projector on.