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

Chapter Eighteen

"So, she just punched you? In front of the whole building?" Hallie fought back the giggle that brewed.

Morgan sat in one of the uncomfortable guest chairs next to her with an ice pack held against her cheek. She was not amused. Her face had swollen, and her eye had started to bruise. Morgan wanted to avoid explaining to Oliver what had happened. Hiding in Hallie's office was her best option.

"Glad you find it funny." She winched. Moving her mouth caused a sharp pain. "Could you turn that music down? Last thing I need is a migraine."

Hallie pressed the volume button on her keyboard. The jumble of electric guitars and banging drums started to fade in the background. Morgan sighed in relief. She enjoyed the music Hallie listened to, but today she wanted silence.

"Do you think she's telling the truth?"

"Only one way to find out." She smirked. Hallie shook her head and chortled at the suggestion.

"Hell no. I know what's going through your head Morgan Chester. I only use my powers for good." She wiggled her index finger. Morgan pouted.

"Oh, please Hallie. If it's true, I can rip him a new one."

"Shoot, you know I like it when you go all American Psycho." Her fingers tapped rapidly on the keyboard while Morgan fed her the information she knew about Martin. Hallie came across a Facebook page and pulled the profile picture up larger on the screen. It was Martin with his arm around the woman, both with wide smiles. His relationship status confirmed he was married to Jane Buck. Morgan cursed and threw the ice pack across the room.

"I'm guessing that's Dr. Sleezy?"

"That lying asshole." She ground her teeth together and ignored the sharp pain that flared.

"Didn't you think to do a check before you got involved with him?"

"Bastard must of blocked me so I wouldn't find out."

Morgan leant over and typed his number on the office phone. She hit the speaker button. Hallie bit her lip as she watched Morgan's body grew more tense. The line eventually went to voicemail. Morgan picked up the phone and ended the call.

"Didn't want to leave a voicemail?" She arched her tinted eyebrows.

"You can't rip someone a new one through voicemail." She rubbed her face with the palm of her hand.

"Stop rubbing your face. Pick up that ice pack and use it. I won't tell you again." Hallie ordered.

Morgan groaned and retrieved the ice pack from where she threw it. She slumped her body in the chair. A long sigh for boredom escaped her lips and Hallie stopped typing to glare at her.

"Did you find anything on that list of people from the hospital?" Morgan asked.

"None have records on the database. They're squeaky clean. It's another dead end."

"I'm not letting this case go cold. She made a poor choice in career; but she was a good person."

"Maybe we're searching the wrong type of background. You asked for criminal records, but what if this person was never convicted or arrested?"

Morgan bit her lip and looked up at the screen that had Martin's Facebook still on show. "Everyone has a Facebook page; they post their life on there. We can search the names and see what we find."

Hallie nodded and started her search. They combed carefully through the social media account's that flagged up. The profiles they looked at had either a basic or a private setting. One name did not show up on Facebook, Toby Charles. She made a note of the name. Hallie searched him on other social media, nothing linked with the name. Morgan noticed one of the profiles belonged to the curly haired doctor she locked eyes with. Tomas Robert.