Page 29 of When You're Lost

She nodded, exhaling.“I will be.I’ve done worse.But I appreciate you worrying.”She stood on tiptoe and kissed him lightly on the lips.“Thank you.”

A faint flush colored his cheeks as he set down the sunglasses, apparently deciding the comedic effect wasn’t worth it.“Of course.I’m about to head out anyway.Another day of Doctor Matthews rolling her eyes at my jokes.”

Amelia shot him a sympathetic grin.“Try not to wind her up too much.I can guess she’s not the type to see humor in dire circumstances.”

Finn shrugged.“I’ll do my best.We’ll see if I survive.But it’s more art references, more potential forgeries, more to unravel.”

She finished adjusting her laptop and checking the internet connection.The clock on the screen read 08:59.One minute to the call.She glanced toward the window that overlooked the front lane."Don't you need to be off soon?"

Finn joined her, peering out the blinds.A small, unmarked police car sat on the opposite curb, the silhouette of an officer visible inside.“Rob must’ve arranged for someone to keep an eye on you.Good,” Finn said under his breath.“But I still hate leaving you like this.”

Amelia placed a gentle hand on his arm."We both have jobs to do, Finn.I'll manage.And yes, having an officer outside does help."She turned to face him."Go before you're late."

They exchanged another soft kiss.His warmth lingered a second longer before he grabbed his coat from a hook near the door.“See you tonight,” he promised, stepping out onto the cottage porch.She watched him wave to the officer in the car, then the cottage door closed behind him, leaving her alone with her unsettled thoughts.

Amelia took a steadying breath, dropping into one of the chairs at the dining table.The laptop glowed softly, waiting.She checked the time again—09:01 now—and stared at her reflection on the dark screen.A pang of anxiety flared.Shankland had lost his sister in a vicious, unimaginable way.Wendell’s brutality was personal—aimed at anyone he deemed responsible for his imprisonment.What if I’m next?She inhaled, shaking the thought aside.Focus.This call might glean crucial intel.

A blinking icon at the corner of the screen signaled a message: "Ready?"from the messenger app.Her pulse kicked up a notch.She typed a short response: “Yes.Let’s talk.”

Then she hit the call button.The app rang twice, and the screen flickered before revealing a tired-looking man in a casual polo shirt.He had thinning hair and faint gray around the temples—Robert Shankland, the same guard who’d escorted Wendell Reed during that ill-fated transfer.Amelia recognized the lines of stress in his brow, the drawn look of someone living in fear.

“Robert Shankland?”she asked gently, leaning forward to appear reassuring on camera.

He nodded, shifting in what appeared to be a small, cluttered living room.“Yes,” he replied.His voice sounded hoarse, and his eyes darted about as though expecting something else to happen behind him.“You’re… Inspector Amelia Winters, right?The one that caught Reed the first time around?”

“Yes,” she confirmed softly.“I’m so sorry for your loss.The entire police force extends its condolences regarding your sister.”

A tremor flickered across his face.“I still can’t—still can’t believe she’s gone.”His voice cracked on the last word.“She never had anything to do with Wendell, you know?She was just my sister.I loved her.”

Amelia’s throat tightened.“Wendell Reed has shown he’s willing to hurt anyone connected to those who oversaw his capture or detention.”She glanced away briefly, remembering the scene of that poor woman.“Do you have any idea why he targeted her specifically?”

Robert shook his head, eyes wet.“It’s because—he… he used to make these threats.But I never believed… I never believed he’d do something like this.I thought it was just talk.”

Amelia’s heart squeezed.“He threatened your family?”

“Yes,” Robert confirmed with a shaky sigh.“He threatened to visit my daughters, if you want to know the truth.So I refused to cave in.The day he escaped, I was one of the guards that loaded him onto the train.I wish I'd gone with him.He stole my key...It still haunts me.Now that he’s free, he’s punishing me.My sister… oh God.”

Amelia frowned at the trembling camera feed.“Are you safe right now?Is there a police detail with you?”

Robert sniffed, nodding.“Yeah, some officers are stationed outside.We—I keep the blinds closed.My wife’s at her sister’s house with our girls.I can’t… can’t risk them staying here.”

She softened her tone."I understand.We can organize official witness protection for your whole family, Robert.Move you somewhere, Wendell can't find you.Would that help?"

“Yes,” he breathed, voice ragged.“Please.Anything.I just don’t want anything happening to my kids.”

Amelia mustered a small smile.“All right.I’ll speak to my superiors, see what we can do.In the meantime, stay put with the officers.We’ll keep you informed, too.”

Just then, the sound of raised voices muffled through Robert’s microphone.He turned his head, alarm etching his features.“Wait—there’s shouting outside.”

Amelia leaned forward, heart lurching.“What’s happening?Robert, talk to me.”

He shot the camera a frightened look.“I—I don’t know.”The feed jostled as he apparently stood, carrying the laptop or phone with him.The living room’s background blurred.“Maybe the officers are confronting someone.”

Suddenly, a door in the background swung open.A uniformed policeman stepped into the frame, breathless.“Mr.Shankland, sorry to intrude, but this was delivered at the perimeter just now.”He held out a plain envelope.

Robert’s eyes widened.“Delivered?By who?”

“The man was gone before we could question him,” the officer said, looking uneasy.“We have men searching the area.I’m sorry, sir.”

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