Page 39 of When You're Lost

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Amelia parked her black sedan at the edge of the sprawling industrial estate, a place of stark corrugated warehouses and long rows of loading docks.It was mid-afternoon, and the March sun hung low behind thick gray clouds, casting a pale light over the endless concrete.She switched off the engine and looked over at Rob in the passenger seat.

“This is it,” Amelia said, her heart already thudding with anticipation.“The address that traffic cam showed Finn’s Corvette heading into.”

Rob nodded, leaning forward to get a better view through the windshield.Rows of warehouses lined a fenced perimeter.Machinery whirred somewhere in the distance, and forklifts buzzed back and forth.Everything looked ordinary on the surface—but Amelia’s gut told her Finn and Eleanor were here somewhere, and they might be in danger.

They got out of the car and approached the main gate, noticing a small security post.A heavyset guard in a uniform gave them a cursory glance, but it was the man in a high-visibility vest near a loading bay who caught Amelia’s eye.He was talking to another staffer, gesturing at some paperwork.

Amelia walked right up to him, Rob following.“Excuse me,” she said, displaying her Police badge.“I’m Inspector Winters, and this is Chief Constable Collins.We’re looking for two colleagues of ours—Finn Wright and Dr.Eleanor Matthews.Have you seen them here?”

The supervisor’s eyes flicked between Amelia and Rob, then he forced a neutral expression.“No.Haven’t seen anyone by those names.”

Amelia narrowed her gaze.She sensed tension in his stance, the way he avoided meeting her eye.“You sure?”

He shrugged.“We get a lot of deliveries and visitors, but I’d remember names like that.Sorry, Inspector.”

From the corner of her eye, Amelia noticed a stocky man sitting on a metal crate, casually smoking a cigar.He met her gaze without flinching, exhaling smoke in a lazy swirl.The directness of his stare made her uneasy.She took a half-step past the supervisor, trying to see if there was anything behind him that indicated Finn’s presence.

“Sorry, you can’t go in,” the supervisor said, sidestepping to block her.“Private property, restricted access.”

Amelia ignored him, striding toward the cigar-smoking man.“Hello,” she said, letting her tone carry authority.“I’m Inspector Winters.You are?”

He flicked ash to the ground, unfazed by her approach.“Gerard,” he said.No last name.

Amelia lifted an eyebrow.“Gerard…?”

“Just Gerard.”He took another pull of the cigar, blowing the smoke away from her.“What do you want, Inspector?”

Amelia raised her badge again.“We’re looking for two colleagues, a man and a woman.Finn Wright, tall, blond hair.Eleanor Matthews, average height, blond hair as well.Have they been here?”

Gerard’s eyes glinted with thinly veiled annoyance.“No.And we don’t appreciate the police dropping in, harassing us when we’re just trying to run a business.”

She studied him, hearing the subtle challenge in his voice.“Why do you think I’m harassing you?I just asked a question.”

Gerard flicked a bit of ash.“Because you lot come around all the time, poking your nose in.We’re tired of it.”He glanced at the supervisor.“If you have no warrant, you can’t step foot in our warehouse.Company policy.”

Rob stepped beside Amelia, crossing his arms.“We’ll see about that,” he said, voice steady.

Gerard shrugged, grinding the cigar stub under his heel.“Hope you find your friends.”Then he gave a mirthless grin, adding, “But without a warrant, you’re not getting in that building.”He turned and disappeared through a side door, leaving the supervisor blocking Amelia and Rob’s path.

Scowling, Amelia backed away, motioning for Rob to follow.They retreated out of earshot, the supervisor glaring after them.Once they were near a row of parked vehicles, Rob lowered his voice.“They’re lying, right?”

Amelia nodded, frustration knotting her chest.“I’m sure of it.That supervisor was too defensive, and Gerard basically told us to clear off.Something’s up.”

Rob tried dialing his phone.“Still no response from Eleanor,” he muttered after it rang and went to voicemail.He pocketed it, worry creasing his face.“I don’t like this, Amelia.They might be inside, and these creeps are stonewalling us.But then, I don't see Finn's Corvette anywhere.”

“They could have hidden it,” Amelia replied.

Amelia noticed Rob’s overt worry.He usually kept his emotions in check, but the fact he was so concerned about Eleanor told her something was going on beneath the surface.She let it pass without comment, focusing on the immediate problem.“So what’s next?”

Rob inhaled slowly, scanning the warehouse.“We do it by the book.Stake out the place for a bit, gather intel, get some checks run on the business.If we barge in, we could lose any advantage or put Finn and Eleanor at risk.”

Amelia pressed her lips together, wanting to charge in.But she nodded grudgingly.“Fine.Let’s run a background search and watch for suspicious movement.Meanwhile, I’ll keep calling Finn’s phone.”

They headed back to her sedan, where they settled in.Amelia started the engine, but only to keep the heat on.The spring air still had a chill.She angled the rearview mirror to watch the warehouse gate.For the next couple of hours, they observed employees coming and going, trucks pulling up, drivers exchanging paperwork.The normal hum of commerce, but with an underlying tension that made Amelia's skin prickle.

Inside the car, they tried to keep their minds off the worst possibilities.Rob asked, “How are things going with Finn these days?”

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