Page 17 of When You're Gone

Finn walked over to the expansivewindow, hands in his pockets, turning back to face Ms. Corbin. "Mind if wetake a look at this safe?"

"Without a warrant?" shechallenged, though her voice wavered slightly.

“It’s better this way,” Finn said,firmly. “Otherwise, we come in here and go over everything this company issitting on, and that could get very messy, especially if you don’t want MrHenshaw’s fascination with older tech getting into the public eye.”

“You’re perceptive,” Ms. Corbingrinned. “If I’m honest, I thought Lucas was going mad. Why would a techinnovator look to the past with such glee? Clocks. Old cogs and gears. It’s sooutdated.”

“And we’re people in the boardroomworried about this newfound interest?” Amelia asked.

"It was a concern foreveryone," Ms. Corbin said. "Lucas was the face of the company. Hischarisma and self-belief were what fueled the company's meteoric rise."

“Let’s not sully you’re companythen,” Finn said, pointing to the back of the office, where a suspicious,overly-sized painting hung on a wall.

"Consider it a courtesy toavoid further disruption," Amelia interjected smoothly. "We'll be inand out."

With a sigh, Ms. Corbin relented,moving to a painting hanging askew and revealing a state-of-the-art wall safe.She punched in a code, and the door swung open.

"Wouldn't have pegged him fora fan of Victoriana," Finn observed, cocking his head as he peered insidethe safe without touching anything. Books with worn spines, rolled-up diagrams,and a scattering of notes were visible.

"Lucas was obsessed, butbrilliant," Ms. Corbin said, a touch of fondness creeping into her voicebefore it hardened again.

“Would you be averse to us goingthrough some of these?” Finn asked.

“As far as I’m concerned,” Ms.Corbin began, “the further Lucas’s flights of fancy are away from the company,the better the chances are that there will still be a company for me to workat. Knock yourself out.”

Finn pulled on some forensicsgloves and then carefully pulled out the documents and parchments. Amelia thenrevealed an evidence bag, which she unfolded and held open as Finn placed theitems inside of it.

Finn’s mind now went to the secondthread they needed to pull in the case—the anti-futurist, Tim Nolan. The manwho had sent threatening messages to Emily Stanton. Finn felt that there mustbe a connection.

"Did Lucas ever mentionsomeone named Tim Nolan?" Finn asked, watching her reaction closely.

"Can't say he did," sheresponded, her brow furrowing. "Should he have?"

“He’s an anti-tech blogger,” Ameliaexplained. “We believe that he may be connected to some of this.”

“The murderer?” Ms. Corbin asked.

“We wouldn’t go that far,” answeredAmelia. “But a person of interest, and we wondered if Lucas had any dealingswith him.”

“I’ve never heard that name, sorry.Will there be anything else?”

“Would you be averse to us lookingaround here?” Finn asked.

“I don’t think…” Ms. Corbinstarted. But Finn sensed that the protest wouldn’t hold.

“As I said before, we’ll just get awarrant, Ms. Corbin,” Finn explained. “And that’s a hassle, especially if thepress get wind of us coming into your offices through legal force. It would bemuch better for the company, and for you, if we are able to quietly go aboutour business.”

Ms. Corbin glared at Finn for amoment. “Okay, but don’t tell the other board members, and please be quick.”

“Thank you, Ms. Corbin,” Ameliasaid.

Ms. Corbin turned and left theroom.

Finn looked around. The room beyondwas a dim cave of modernity—glass and chrome reflecting the sun outside. Ameliaslipped in behind him, her presence a silent shadow that mirrored his owncaution.

"Lucas clearly had a thing forthe past," Finn murmured, sweeping his gaze over several shelves linedwith leather-bound books, titles embossed in gold declaring their Victorianheritage.

Finn's gaze swept over the shelves,lined with leather-bound books that seemed to whisper of a bygone era. Amongthem, an old, worn book caught his eye. Its spine bore the name "EzraBellamy" in faded gold letters, triggering a surge of recognition deepwithin Finn's memory.

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