Page 28 of When You're Broken
In the corridor, the dull hum of air conditioning wrapped around him.He paused by a row of vending machines, scanning the meager offerings of stale chocolate bars and bottled water.Yet he couldn’t bring himself to pick anything.Instead, he closed his eyes, letting the low buzz of conversation from distant offices wash over him.
Before he could fully gather his composure, footsteps approached from around the corner.Inspector McNeill emerged, posture stiff as he clutched a ring-bound folder under one arm.The older man’s gaze locked onto Finn with a flicker of surprise, then narrowed.“Wright,” he greeted, voice neutral.
“Inspector,” Finn replied, summoning polite calm.
McNeill paused, as if deciding whether to continue.He settled on a faint attempt at cordiality.“Have you found anything new about Wendell Reed since this morning’s discovery?”
Finn shook his head."Not yet.We're re-checking old files, checking CCTV around Harlin's bar.So far, no game-changer.Amelia, Clint, and I are in the briefing room."He kept his voice even though he recognized the tension taut between them.
McNeill nodded, glancing down the hall."I see."He seemed about to leave, then turned back, something sharper in his expression."Look, I know you and Amelia are… strong-willed," he began."One of my constables said you had some sort of bust-up with each other at the scene this morning.But I trust you're not letting personal drama hamper the investigation?"
A spark of frustration flared in Finn.“Our personal issues have nothing to do with how we handle this case, Inspector,” he said, controlling the edge in his voice.“We want to stop Wendell just as much as you do.”
McNeill exhaled.“You must know, if you look at this objectively, how dangerous it is to have Amelia involved on the team.It’s why I never...”
Finn felt the last of his self-restraint slip.“You keep bringing up how you ‘never wanted her on the team.’You talk about it like it’s an inconvenience.She’s a skilled detective.She’s also risking her life.If you’d show a little empathy or respect—”
McNeill’s jaw tightened.“Don’t presume I haven’t noticed her skill.But I also see how every new kill stabs at her psyche, making her worry her brother has suffered the same fate.She’s compromised, and so are you.You two run off on your own leads—like the children’s home fiasco.That’s exactly the kind of risk that can get you both killed or hamper the case.”
Finn clenched his fists, keeping them at his sides.“I don’t like how you treat her, plain and simple.And I don’t like how you dismiss me, either.But this isn’t about personal likes.We’re in the middle of a manhunt.Maybe we can try to see each other as allies, or at least not sabotage each other.”
McNeill’s eyes flashed.“I’m not sabotaging anyone.I just don’t want another fiasco.Wendell kills people systematically, and we can’t afford misguided heroics.”
Finn forced calm into his voice.“I’m not the hero type, Inspector.I just want to find Wendell and keep Amelia safe.”
McNeill’s tone softened marginally, as if conceding the point.“We all want him stopped.Let’s focus on that, then.”
He started to step away, but Finn caught him with a final remark.“Just so we’re clear: Amelia’s one of the best detectives you’ve got.Don’t treat her like a burden.”
McNeill glanced back, an unreadable expression crossing his face.“If it helps catch Wendell, I’ll swallow my pride.But watch her.She’s a target, and you know it.”
Finn stood there a moment, adrenaline thrumming in his veins.Better than punching each other, I guess.Sucking in a breath, he headed back to the briefing room.As he entered, he found McNeill already striding in behind him, that folder still tucked under his arm.
Amelia and Clint looked up.Amelia’s glance lingered on Finn for a second, as if scanning his face to gauge the tension.Clint had paused mid-sentence, a printout in hand.
“Well,” McNeill said briskly, “any developments?”
Clint shook his head.“Not so far, sir.I’m re-checking older statements.Amelia’s scanning the phone and email records of the bar owner at Harlin’s, but nothing that suggests Wendell was in touch with him before his murder.”
McNeill grunted, placing his folder on a corner of the large table.“I have a team running face recognition software across local station CCTVs.If Wendell is wandering about, we’d see him.So far, zero sightings.Typical.The man’s cunning enough to avoid big cameras.”
Amelia spoke up quietly, but with conviction.“He’s too clever for that, as I said.He either stays off the radar or uses disguises.He’s not the type to walk brazenly into a city center unless he’s orchestrating a kill.”
McNeill’s expression briefly hardened, but he didn’t argue.
A hush settled.The overhead lights hummed quietly, and from the corridor came faint conversation.Clint jotted a note, then looked at them.“Any other angle?We’ve flagged associates of Kelvin Street, the bar owner’s contacts… but that’s all local dead ends so far.We’ll keep pushing.”
McNeill exhaled, rapping his knuckles on the table.“All right.We keep the search wide.Meanwhile, you—” He hesitated, as if about to point at Amelia, then changed his approach.“All of you—keep me in the loop if anything shifts.Right now, we’re short on direct trails.We rely on sifting every scrap of data.Let’s get to it.”
Before Amelia or Finn could reply, Finn’s phone buzzed.He glanced at the screen.The caller ID read “Director Seward.”FBI?Surprised, he quickly excused himself from the table, stepping to the side.“I’ve gotta take this,” he murmured.
He pressed the phone to his ear.“Director Seward!Good to hear from you.Everything okay?”
A warm chuckle resonated from the speaker.“All good stateside, Finn.I got your message about the Wendell Reed fiasco.Figured I’d see if we can help from across the pond.I put one of my best on it.”
Finn felt a grin tug at his lips, ignoring McNeill’s watchful stare.“That means a lot, sir.I appreciate your time.Wendell’s tricky.He’s leaving a trail of bodies.”
Seward’s voice grew serious.“Yes, I read the background.Now, we picked up chatter.It involved a man named Harry Renfield—gun runner, ID forge, that sort of thing.FBI had eyes on him in a fentanyl smuggling ring, even though he’s based in the UK.Word is Renfield told an informer that Reed contacted him about a week ago.Then Renfield vanished.”
