Page 27 of When You're Gone

Nolan's eyes flickered withmemories as he spoke again, this time softer yet laden with emotion. "Imessaged Emily because... because years ago I knew her," he confessedquietly. "And in my own way, I was trying to save her soul from the gripof this technological abyss."

Amelia's skepticism lingered in theair as she absorbed Nolan's words, her gaze unwavering despite the complexityof emotions swirling around them. Finn observed the exchange with a mix ofcuriosity and wariness, recognizing the depth of Nolan's convictions beneathhis seemingly radical beliefs.

"Finn fixed his gaze on TimNolan, his voice measured yet probing. "Mr. Nolan, were you the one whointroduced Emily to the idea of exploring Victorian-era technology?" heinquired.

Nolan's eyes met Finn's with a hintof resignation. "Yes, I did," he admitted quietly. "I lent hersome reading materials, hoping to guide her towards a path away from moderntechnology and its pitfalls."

“Our team will be searching Emily'smessages to confirm any of your story,” Finn said, “just so you should know.”

Amelia's brow furrowed as shedelved further. "Did it anger you when she chose to incorporate Victoriantech into her live streams instead?"

Nolan's expression darkenedslightly before he replied, "It wasn't anger, Detective Winters. It wasdisappointment that she didn't see the potential for change beyond mereentertainment."

With a steely resolve, Nolanasserted, "My alibi is sound. You should check it."

As Finn and Amelia stood up toleave, Finn paused at the door, turning back to face Nolan. "Just becauseyou didn't kill Emily directly doesn't mean you aren't involved somehow,"he stated firmly before exiting the room with Amelia in tow.

The weight of unspoken truthslingered in the air as they departed into the hallway outside.

Amelia glanced at Finn, her browfurrowed in contemplation. "You’re really set on this more than one killertheory, aren’t you? I will say… There's something... off about this wholesituation," she admitted, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

Finn nodded, a flicker of intuitionsparking in his eyes. "I can't shake the feeling that there's more to thisthan meets the eye, that there are others involved," he mused, his tonereflecting his gut instinct.

"I'll have someone check onNolan's alibi," Amelia stated resolutely, tapping away on her phone."But he seems pretty confident about it."

Before Finn could respond, ChiefRob Collins strode into the room with a grim expression etched on his features.The air seemed to thicken as the weight of his presence settled over them,casting a shadow of foreboding over the investigation.

Amelia greeted Chief Rob Collinswith a casual "Hi, Chief," as he entered the room. Finn couldn'tresist injecting some humor into the tense atmosphere.

"Rob, the last time I saw aface like that was when I accidentally broke your aunt's priceless Mingvase," he quipped, a mischievous glint in his eye.

Curiosity and concern mingled onFinn's face as he asked, "What's wrong, Rob?"

The chief's response sent a chilldown Finn's spine. "There's been a sighting of Max Vilne," Robannounced gravely, his words hanging heavy in the air. "He was seen inLondon near the London Eye."

Finn felt his blood run cold at themention of Vilne's name. The elusive and dangerous serial killer had resurfacedin their city, casting a shadow of fear over their already complexinvestigation.

Finn quickly shifted from theircurrent case.

"We should head thereimmediately and look around," Finn suggested, his eyes reflecting a senseof urgency.

"We already have people on it,but if Vilne was spotted near the London Eye, he's long gone by now," Robinformed them solemnly.

"Still, we should check,"Finn insisted, his determination unwavering.

Amelia interjected softly, hervoice calm yet persuasive. "Finn, we still haven't confirmed Vilne'sinvolvement beyond a shadow of a doubt. Our current case involves an activekiller. If it isn't Vilne, then we could jeopardize lives if we focus on chasinghim now."

Finn hesitated for a moment, tornbetween chasing down Vilne and prioritizing the safety of potential victims.Slowly nodding in agreement with Amelia's reasoning, he felt a surge ofadmiration for her unwavering dedication to their mission.

With a sense of resolve settlingover him, Finn acknowledged Amelia's wisdom. "You're right. Let's stayfocused on what matters most," he conceded, a newfound respect shining inhis eyes as they turned back to the pressing case at hand.

CHAPTER TWELVE

The glow of the computer monitorbathed Rajiv Choudhary in a soft blue light, casting stark shadows across hisdetermined face. His office was silent except for the rhythmic clacking of thekeyboard as he coded late into the night. He was on the brink of finalizingsomething groundbreaking, a new algorithm that promised to revolutionize datacompression and ripple through the technological world. It was his magnum opus,a culmination of sleepless nights and relentless dedication.

Despite the lateness of the hour,fatigue seemed a distant concept to Rajiv. The thrill of innovation pulsedthrough him like an electric current, propelling him forward. He paused only tobrush a lock of hair from his forehead before diving back into the labyrinthinecorridors of his code.

As the lines streamed across thescreen, Rajiv's mind wandered to the journey that had led him here. From aprecocious child tinkering with outdated computers in his parents' home inIndia, to the ambitious young man who boarded a plane to the UK with nothingbut a scholarship and a dream. The transition hadn't been easy; the culturalshift was jarring, and the loneliness had been palpable. But Rajiv was drivenby a vision, a belief that his work could make a tangible difference in theworld.

---