Page 34 of When You're Forgotten

Finn picked up his phone, and in unison they answered.He put his device on speaker for Amelia to hear.“Rob,” he greeted, leaning forward.“Are we in for more complications?”

Rob’s voice came through with surprising clarity, though a hint of background noise suggested he might be in a busy station hallway.“Complications?You have no idea.If Amelia is with you and you two are alone, mind if we go loudspeaker?I’d rather talk to both of you.”

Finn’s eyebrows rose.He turned the volume up.“You’re on.Amelia’s here.”

“Hey, Rob,” Amelia chimed in, curiosity lacing her tone.

“Good,” Rob said.“Well, I’ll cut to the chase.Have you two caught the news broadcasts these last twenty-four hours?Because James Penrose’s death is front and center.”

Amelia exchanged a glance with Finn, tension crackling in the quiet sitting room.The only sound beyond Rob’s voice was the hiss of the low-burning fire.“We’ve not had time for TV,” she admitted.“We’re up to our ears in the local tragedies.”

Rob gave a short, humorless laugh.“I know you’re still dealing with James and Catherine Penrose’s untimely deaths, and I hate to complicate things… Well, apparently someone caught wind of the Home Office involvement and snagged the story—there’s speculation swirling about James’s suspicious death and now Catherine’s.They named you both on camera, said ‘Famed Home Office consultant detective team, Finn Wright and Inspector Amelia Winters, are investigating to see if it’s murder.’”

Finn scrubbed a hand across his face.“Not great.The last thing we need is the murderer or potential suspects seeing a sensational angle on the news.”

“That’s not why I’m calling,” Rob said, tone dropping.“Wendell Reed must’ve seen it, too.He sent me an envelope this morning, addressed to me personally at HQ.Inside was a photo of Brynmor Hall, with these crude drawings.He scribbled in bodies hanging from the windows by their necks… it’s vile.It’s obviously a threat, a message that he knows where Amelia is, and that you’re both in danger.”

A cold wave prickled over Amelia’s arms.She leaned in, voice lowered.“Wendell?Are you certain he did it?”

Rob’s sigh transmitted through the line.“The envelope has his handwriting on it.Listen, if he’s got a personal vendetta, and now he’s seeing you at Brynmor Hall, it means he’s aware of your location.Could be planning to come after you, especially you, Amelia.”

A hush fell.Finn felt his pulse tick up, spiking adrenaline at the mere mention of Wendell returning to their orbit.“So he’s not content with scaring Amelia in London, now he’s pointing at Wales,” he murmured.“We thought bringing you here would take you away from the danger, but this definitely blows that.”

Amelia’s mouth set in a grim line.“He’s trying to separate me from the case, isn’t he?He’s threatening me so I’ll leave Brynmor Hall, leave Finn alone to handle it.He’s… he’s intimidated by Finn’s track record.”

Rob cleared his throat.“It’s possible.Specifically, his track record with Max Vilne.Wendell Reed knows how that ended.So yeah, maybe he’s aiming to rattle you, get you out of the picture.”

Finn felt a flicker of fierce protectiveness surge.He recalled how Amelia had nearly died chasing Wendell’s phantom once before.“Amelia,” he said softly, “Rob might be right that it’s too dangerous for you.Wendell’s proven he can be relentless.And if the murderer inside Brynmor Hall is also active— that’s a double hazard.”

She bristled, narrowing her eyes.“I’m not leaving.We’re in the midst of a murder investigation.Catherine’s been killed, James possibly murdered.I can’t just pack up because Wendell’s sending pictures.”

“Don’t be reckless,” Finn urged, swallowing a pang of frustration.“It’s not just about finishing the case.It’s about your life.”

Amelia let out a tense breath.“My life matters, obviously, but so do the Penroses.If Wendell is trying to scare me away, that means he’s counting on me to panic.I won’t give him that.”

A moment of awkward silence ensued.On the phone line, Rob cleared his throat again.“I get where you’re coming from, Amelia, but from a purely tactical standpoint… it might be wise to remove yourself from a location Wendell can identify.We can’t risk him showing up, guns blazing, while we’ve got a vulnerable family already being picked off.”

“I’m not leaving,” Amelia repeated, voice firm.“I appreciate the concern, but if Wendell’s truly on the warpath, he could find me anywhere.At least here, I have Finn and the local police inspector’s constables.I’m not going into hiding.”

Finn felt caught between worry for her safety and respect for her resolve.He exchanged a look with Amelia, reading the determination in her eyes.“We can’t make Amelia do anything,” he said quietly, addressing Rob.“But we can up the security on the estate.That might help.The local police can patrol more heavily, set up a tighter perimeter.”

Rob exhaled.“Right.I’ll liaise with them, request additional units from Inspector Thomas Lloyd’s station.But if something else happens, or if Wendell escalates, promise me you’ll reconsider, Amelia.”

Amelia nodded once, even though Rob couldn’t see.“All right.If there’s a direct threat, I’ll think about it.But for now, we press on.”

The tension in the call was palpable, but Rob’s voice softened a fraction.“Okay, be safe, both of you.Wendell’s not a subtle person—he might want to sabotage your presence or push you to slip up.Don’t give him that opening.”

“Understood,” Finn said.“Anything else from London?”

“No real updates beyond that,” Rob replied.“The Home Office is still cautious about labeling James’s death homicide.With Catherine’s death, though, they might shift stance.Let me know if you need any resources from my end.”

Amelia forced a small laugh.“We need resources for everything, but we’ll be fine.Thanks, Rob.”

“Good luck,” Rob said, and the call clicked off with an air of lingering concern.

Finn dropped his phone onto the table’s surface, letting out a tight breath.“Damn Wendell.He never misses a chance to rattle us, especially you.”He shot Amelia a worried glance.“I’ll keep an eye out, day and night.We’ll coordinate with local police for extra patrols.”

Amelia exhaled, leaning back in the armchair.“I hate that he still has this power to unnerve me, but I won’t let him succeed.Meanwhile, we can’t forget the suspicious deaths under this roof.”

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