Anti-Hero | Tim Bradford

Chapter Thirty Four - Hiding

"Have a nice day off, did we?" the voice of Sergeant Caradine rang out from behind Morgan, causing her to jump in her seat. Quickly, she whipped her head around to face her boss. "Didn't take you for a slacker, Bradford."

"Please, I'm not a slack-"

Caradine rolled his eyes, "Don't act like you don't have more coffee breaks than anyone else in this department. And don't get me started on the amount of times I've caught you playing computer chess."

Morgan guilty looked down at her lap, "So... you've come to fire me?"

"Not yet, if you were anyone else I would've. But despite your flaws, you're damn good at your job." Cardaine looked like he wanted to smile, but fought the urge off. Slamming down a file on Bradford's desk, he continued. "I got a case for you. Homicide. Lopez had already been briefed. You two are going to be partnered for the time being."

"Cool-"

Caradine cut Morgan off again. "What have I said about the word 'cool?'"

"That it isn't 'cool'"

The sergeant just huffed, demanding that Morgan get out of his sight.

—

Lopez tried to keep her focus on the road, focussing on the case at hand even but she couldn't help herself. Pulling up on a red light, she turned her head to her partner "Bishop told me that you and Tim went on a date..."

"We're married." Morgan deadpanned.

"Still. Was it fun? Sexy even?"

"Why do you care, Ange. You're also in a committed relationship. Unless you have something to share?"

Angela lightly punched Morgan on the shoulder as she saw the lights turn green. Turning back to the road, she rolled her eyes. "It's a little dry. He's a lawyer, he doesn't have any cool work stories to share. So spill."

"He took me to where we had our first date."

"Ooo. Let me guess! Romantic restaurant? Walk on the beach? Wait no- it's Tim. Football! He took you to see the football!"

"Shooting range." Morgan revealed, laughing at Angela's insistence.
"Damn it!" Lopez groaned, pulling the car to park next to the sidewalk. "That's not romantic."

"It wasn't too bad. But we're here now, let's be a bit more professional." Morgan tried to reason as she looked across to Angela who had an eyebrow raised. "And I will tell you more later."

"Good, let's go." Morgan went to get out of the car before she realised where she was. It shocked her that she did not recognise the address in the file, but looking at the house, there was no way she could mistake it now.

This was Kade Sullivan's house.

"Do you know who died, was it the homeowner or...?" Morgan said, letting her voice trail off, the implications running through her mind.

"Yeah, the homeowner. Did you know them or something?"

Morgan hummed in acknowledgement before getting out of the car and towards the house.

—-------

The patrol officers shot her strange looks as she made her way directly into the kitchen, Morgan had her mind only on one thing only. The bug that she had planted with Harper. Looking over her shoulder to make sure she wasn't being followed, She ran her hand under the counter until she found the device. Quickly, she pocketed it before heading back out to the living room where the body lay.

Around the body, several patrol officers stood, waiting for the coroners. Most of the officers Morgan didn't recognize. She had never bothered to learn most of their names, most people relocate before bonds were formed, but she clocked onto two standing in the corner immediately.

"Chen, Bradford. Come here, I have a job for you." She beckoned, waiting as the two came over.

Quietly, she told Chen to come to her side, slipping the bug into her hand once she was close enough. "Take this back to the station, don't stop for anything. Upload any data it may have that hasn't been looked over and destroy it."

"Destroy it? Doesn't it need to be reported?" Chen asked, keeping her voice as low as Morgan's.

"Yes, tell Grey. Don't give any details. Once me and Lopez wrap up here, we will meet. Don't tell Grey anything he doesn't need to know." She said, before turning to her husband. "You do the talking. I will be back soon. Let Harper know if you see her. And both of you, don't say anything on the radio."

Morgan walked further into the house as soon as she finished talking, not giving Bradford or Chen any room to argue.

"You heard her," Tim said, looking at his boot as Lucy stood still, "Move!"

———————

After watching her partner examine the crime scene one to many times, Angela finally managed to drag her partner out of the house and back into the shop.

They drove in silence for a bit, Angela deliberately taking the scenic route back to the precinct. Eventually the quietness got to her and she couldn't hold back nah longer. "Are you okay?"

(Y/N) just hummed in response, looking out of the window to avoid Angela's concerned look.

"You know this isn't the end of the world. We will be able to find another way to Dyer." Angela didn't need to say the name for Morgan to know who she was talking about. "It'll work out."

"I know... it's just-" Morgan trailed off

"Just what?"

"It just feels real now. Seeing Sullivan dead... before, I knew the threat was there but I could ignore it. Other cases to work on, you know? But now, with him gone. Another pawn off the board."

It was Angela's turn to hum, processing her partner's words. After a few moments, she spoke again. "This just means we're one step closer to ending this."

"But so is she."

—————

It didn't take long for the coroner's report to come back; the death was ruled as suspicious. No foul play, just a lonely man, too burdened by the world. Or by guilt. That was how he died but the real mystery came post-mortem. The call had been sent out as a homicide but all violent markings had been inflicted after death. As if someone was staging him.

Morgan sighed as she ran her hand through her head. Looking down at the file, she reread the words over and over, as if she couldn't fully comprehend them. There was something else that she was missing, something familiar.