Page 3 of When You're Gone

"There's a murder higher-upswant us to take a look at," she said, her voice tight. "A body foundin an abandoned Victorian bathhouse. The scene is...disturbing. They areworried it's Vilne because of the theatricality of it."

Finn felt a chill run through him,a sense of foreboding that he couldn't shake. "Vilne?" he asked,though he already knew the answer.

Amelia nodded. "Nothing wouldsurprise me. We need to get there, see if we can find out if it’s really him.If not, the Home Office wants us to investigate anyway. Apparently it involvedan influencer, and her death has caused a panic on social media."

“Usually the Home Office contact mefirst,” Rob said.

“Don’t feel left out, Chief,”Amelia said. “If you want, I could pretend they didn’t call and you can go overit all again, like you’re sending your trusted duo out there to catch akiller.”

Rob laughed. “Amelia, you’respending too much time with Finn. He’s usually the one making snarky jokes.”

“I resent that,” Finn said.

"Good," Rob said, pattinghim on the back. "But please. Be careful, you two. We can't afford to letour guard down for one second. I can't help but feel Vilne is leading us into atrap."

Finn agreed, his mind alreadyracing with possibilities. He knew they were heading into something dark anddangerous, but he also knew that with Amelia by his side, he could faceanything.

"Keep me abridged,” Rob said,walking off to speak with a constable nearby.”

As Finn and Amelia climbed into thecar, Finn took one last look at the ominous mannequins hanging from the tree.They seemed to stare back at him, their blank faces a mocking reminder of theevil they were up against. But Finn refused to be intimidated. He had a job todo, a killer to catch. And he wouldn't rest until Max Vilne was behind bars andthe world was a little bit safer.

“Winters,” Finn said. “Youmentioned a Victorian Bathhouse?”

“Yes, where the body was found.”

“That watch up on the hill,” Finnmused out loud. “I wonder if it was Victorian, too.”

“It was old, but it might havenothing to do with Vilne or this case,” Amelia said. “It's possibly been acoincidence.”

“Or a cryptic warning of what's tocome from Vilne.”

With a grim sense of determination,Finn started the engine, ready to confront whatever horrors awaited them at thebathhouse. The game was on, and more than ever, Finn was determined to win.

CHAPTER TWO

As Finn stepped out of the car, theabandoned Victorian bathhouse loomed before him, a crumbling monument to abygone era. Beside him, Amelia Winters surveyed the scene, her keen eyes takingin every detail. "I don't like the look of this place," she murmured,her voice low and troubled. "There's something about it that feels...wrong."

Finn nodded, feeling a chill rundown his spine despite the warmth of the day. "You’re frightened ofbuildings, now?"

“Don’t start,” Amelia said beforeaffecting an American accent. “We can’t all be ‘mister American tough guy,taking on the world’s evils, one bad guy at a time’.”

“I understand,” Finn smiled. “Itmust be difficult for you being around such a powerfully handsome individual.But please, hands off. Not during an investigation.”

Amelia shook her head, but he couldsee the glint of playfulness in her eyes.

They ducked under the police cordonand made their way towards the entrance, the gravel crunching beneath theirfeet.

Detective Inspector Grayson, aseasoned officer with a grim demeanor, greeted them with a curt nod."Finn, Inspector Winters. Glad you could make it out so quickly."

Finn shook his hand, noting thetight lines around the inspector's eyes. "Of course. What have wegot?"

Grayson sighed, his gaze flickeringtowards the bathhouse. "It's a nasty one. Victim is Emily Stanton, a youngsocialite and influencer. Found dead in the main bathing chamber while livestreaming, posed like some sort of museum display. The whole scene has thiseerie Victorian vibe. Straight out of Jack the Ripper’s playbook."

Amelia frowned, her brow furrowing."Victorian? That's an odd choice for a murder scene."

"Odd is putting itmildly," Grayson said, shaking his head. "It's like something out ofa penny dreadful. But I'll let you see for yourselves."

As they entered the bathhouse, Finncouldn't suppress the shudder that ran through him. The air inside was thickand heavy, laden with the weight of history and decay. The dimly lit corridorsstretched out before them, the sound of dripping water and creaking floorboardsechoing in the stillness.

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