Page 32 of When You're Lost

Rob eyed Finn, who spread his hands in awho me?gesture.“If you're worried, don't worry, the Doc is in good hands.”

Rob nodded, though doubt flickered in his gaze.“All right, just making sure.I don’t want any tension scaring away our star consultant.”He offered Eleanor a half-smile.

She returned the smile, though it appeared forced.“Thank you, Rob.We’ll be back soon.”

Rob ducked out again, leaving them in the corridor.It was very strange to Finn that he seemed intent on double-checking everything was okay with Eleanor.Once he was gone, Finn couldn’t help but notice the subtle slump of relief in Eleanor’s posture.Something between her and Rob clearly danced beneath the surface, but Finn pushed it aside for now.

“Let’s go,” Eleanor said briskly.“The quicker we talk to Dawson, the sooner we might make progress.”

Finn nodded, hooking the files under his arm.“Yep.Dawson it is.”

They walked side by side through the police station halls, the morning sun spilling through glass-paned doors at the far end.Uniformed officers bustled about, a chorus of phones ringing and distant conversations forming the station’s daily background noise.As they stepped outside into the crisp air, Finn inhaled deeply, glancing up at a sky streaked with pale clouds.

“We should take my car,” he suggested, leading the way across the lot.“Unless you prefer driving?”

She waved dismissively.“No, you drive.I’d rather not focus on anything except what I’ll say if Dawson tries to manipulate us.”

Finn shot her a curious glance while unlocking his vehicle.“He’s that good, huh?”

Eleanor paused by the passenger door, frown deepening.“Yes.He can be charming, cunning.And if he realizes we suspect him or his associates of forging valuable works… he might spin a web of half-truths to send us on wild goose chases.”

Finn considered that as he slid behind the wheel.“So we stay sharp, ask direct questions, don’t let him steer the conversation.Understood.”

She nodded, fastening her seat belt.“Exactly.And if he does start playing games, let me handle it.I know his tactics.”

Finn started the engine, glancing sideways.“As long as you know what you’re doing, I’ll follow your lead.But you did say he’s dangerous.”

Eleanor exhaled a slow breath.“He is.We have to be ready for him to threaten or bluff.Just—if I give you a sign, I might need you to push back.Because he’ll be less likely to cooperate if he thinks I’m the only one strong-arming him.”

Finn cracked a wry grin and put his sunglasses on.

Putting the car into gear, he eased out of the parking space.The station's modest building receded behind them as they headed onto the main road and towards an encounter with the nefarious Leopold Dawson.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Finn led the way down a narrow, dimly lit staircase into the basement of a London bar he'd never heard of—no sign out front, just a single door guarded by a bulky figure who, after a glance at Eleanor, stepped aside without a word.Immediately, a haze of stale smoke assaulted Finn's senses, mixing with the stench of spilled spirits.The establishment clearly didn't care about Britain's indoor smoking bans.

He paused near the bottom of the steps, scanning the small, low-ceilinged room.Yellowish lamps glowed overhead, giving everything a sickly cast.Leather-upholstered booths lined the walls, and a handful of men in suits or half-unbuttoned shirts sat at tiny round tables, nursing drinks.A couple of them glanced over, sizing him up.Finn felt them marking him as an outsider.

He leaned close to Eleanor, his voice subdued.“This place doesn’t exactly do subtle, does it?And I’m guessing they aren’t sticklers for the rules.”

Eleanor’s expression was cool, but tension pinched her mouth.“None of these people are,” she said curtly.She scanned the room quickly, as though memorizing every face.“Leopold’s men frequent this place.”

“How do you know?And how come the guy on the door didn't even ask who you were?”Finn asked.

“Please, Finn.Don't ask me.”

Finn nodded, letting her take the lead for now, though he worried why it was that she seemed to suddenly fit in so well to the city's underbelly.She wore a smart jacket and blouse—professional attire that clashed starkly with the smoky, clandestine atmosphere.Even so, her posture radiated an uneasy confidence, a discomfort with returning to a world she’d worked hard to leave behind.

Almost at once, a man in his early fifties strode toward them—dressed in a gray suit that had seen better days, with a flamboyant tie.His face was broad, creased with deep laugh lines, and his hair was slicked back.A broad grin lit up his features when he saw Eleanor.

“Ellie!”he said, arms wide.He pulled her into a hug, ignoring her stiffening.“I can’t believe it’s been, what, four years?”

Finn’s eyebrows rose.Ellie?He could practically feel the tension rolling off Eleanor.She cleared her throat, forcing a polite smile.“Hello, Mickey.It has been… quite a while.”

Mickey held her at arm’s length, grinning with a wistful look.“You look just like your dad, you know that?”

A flash of discomfort flitted across Eleanor’s face.“I get that a lot,” she said briefly, then gestured to Finn.“This is Finn Wright.He’s—”

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