When You're Sleeping, page 11
The guard sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as he considered Finn's words. "Alright," he conceded, his voice barely more than a whisper. "But if I get in trouble for this, I'm telling them it was your idea."
"Deal," Finn replied, offering the guard a grateful smile. As they moved to continue their search, Finn couldn't help but feel the weight of responsibility settle onto his shoulders. He was putting this man's job on the line, and he couldn't let that be for nothing.
"Let's find Charles Keatings," he whispered to Amelia, determination burning in his chest. "And let's make sure this was worth it."
"Hey, don't worry about getting in trouble," Amelia chimed in, her voice soft but reassuring. "I'll vouch for you with Edward Keatings. We thought an ongoing crime was taking place, and you were compelled to let us stay with a flash of my badge."
The guard hesitated for a moment before nodding in agreement. "Alright. Charles Keatings' room is on the second floor, West Wing - the Purple Room. Just don't make too much noise, okay?"
"Thank you," Amelia said, offering the guard a warm smile.
As Finn and Amelia ventured upstairs, the dimly lit corridor seemed to stretch on forever, lined with dusty portraits of stern-faced aristocrats who seemed to watch their every move. The air was heavy, as if weighted down by the castle's long history, and the creaking floorboards beneath their feet only added to the eerie atmosphere.
"Is it just me," Finn began, casting a sidelong glance at Amelia, "or do we always end up in creepy places like this together?"
"Creepy? I find it rather charming," she teased, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Besides, it wouldn't be a proper mystery without some spine-tingling ambiance, would it?"
"Charming, huh?" Finn grinned, shaking his head in disbelief. "You must have a different definition of 'charming' than I do."
"Maybe it's a British thing," Amelia replied with a playful grin, her accent adding an air of sophistication to her words.
"Ah, yes," Finn drawled, putting on his best approximation of a posh English accent. "Nothing says 'charming' quite like haunted hallways and cobwebs in every corner."
"Haunted? Now you're just being melodramatic," she chided, although her smile never wavered.
"Maybe," Finn admitted, his voice returning to its normal pitch. He had never shook the feeling that during their previous case on Huldra Island, he possibly encountered something supernatural. It hadn't quite made him a believer, but it had swayed his worldview to change somewhat. "But I can't help but feel like we're being watched."
"By whom, the ghosts of disgruntled aristocrats?" Amelia asked with a laugh.
"Or maybe by someone who doesn't want us snooping around," Finn mused, his tone turning serious. He knew that they were treading on dangerous ground, and it was important to stay alert.
"Either way, let's just find Charles Keatings and get out of here," Amelia agreed, her eyes scanning the dark hallway for any signs of the Purple Room.
As they continued down the corridor, Finn couldn't shake the feeling that they were closing in on something vital - a piece of the puzzle that could bring them closer to solving the case. But with each step they took deeper into the castle, he also felt the shadows creeping closer, threatening to swallow them whole.
Amelia's eyes caught a glimpse of something distinct amid the shadows. "Finn, look there," she whispered, pointing towards an intricately carved door up ahead.
As they approached the door, Finn noticed a purple coat of arms adorning its wooden surface. This had to be the Purple Room they were looking for. He gestured for Amelia to keep quiet as they neared the door. Voices from within drifted out into the dim corridor.
"Name your price, ladies," Charles Keatings' voice oozed with arrogance.
"Ugh, I think you're disgusting!" one woman retorted.
"Everyone has their price," Charles snapped back, his temper flaring.
"Maybe, but not with you," the other woman chimed in defiantly.
"We'll see about that," the man's voice snapped angrily.
Finn couldn't help but feel a mixture of disgust and anger at Charles' behavior. But they needed to find out more information before confronting him. They were treading on thin ice, and one wrong move could jeopardize their case.
He looked over at Amelia, who was clearly sharing his feelings. Her eyes were narrowed, and her jaw clenched. Yet, she remained silent – waiting for his lead. Finn knew they couldn't linger in the hallway for much longer; it was only a matter of time before someone discovered them.
"Let's go around the corner," he whispered to Amelia. "I want to listen in for a bit longer."
They moved silently down the hall and positioned themselves behind a tapestry that provided some cover. From here, they could still hear the conversation inside the room without risking being seen.
"Look, Charles, we're not interested," one of the women said firmly. "Find someone else."
"You don't get to say no to a Keatings," he growled, clearly frustrated.
Finn wondered what Charles Keatings was involved in and how it might connect to the case. His mind raced with theories, each darker than the last. He knew they needed to gather more evidence, but the urge to burst into the room and confront Charles was growing stronger by the second.
"Give it a few more minutes," Amelia whispered, seemingly sensing Finn's restlessness. "We might learn something useful."
Finn nodded, knowing she was right. Patience wasn't his strongest suit, but he trusted her judgment. As they continued to eavesdrop on the conversation within the Purple Room, Finn's thoughts drifted back to the case, the victims, and the horrors that had brought them to this dark and ominous castle.
"Get your hands off me!" one of the woman said in disgust.
Finn couldn't take it any longer; he knew they had to act. He caught Amelia's eye and saw the same resolve in her expression. They exchanged a silent nod, then burst through the door into the Purple Room.
"Charles Keatings!" Finn barked, his voice echoing throughout the room. "We need to talk."
Charles looked up from where he was standing by the fireplace, his face a mixture of surprise and fury. The two women glanced at each other nervously before hurriedly gathering their things and slipping out of the room.
"Who the hell are you?" Charles demanded, his eyes narrowing as he took in Finn and Amelia's presence.
"I'm Finn Wright," Finn replied coolly, "and this is my partner, Inspector Amelia Winters. We're investigating the recent murders outside your castle, and we have some questions for you."
"About what?" Charles scoffed, trying to maintain an air of indifference even as he clenched his fists in anger.
"Your use of what I assume are prostitutes, for starters," Finn said, his gaze unwavering. "We overheard your conversation with those women just now. You must have suggested something really bad if they were turning down your money."
"Look, I don't know what you think you're doing here, but—"
"Charles," Amelia cut in, her voice calm yet firm, "we found three victims on the riverbank near your property. One is still unidentified, but she might have been a prostitute. Did you have anything to do with her death?"
"I'll call my solicitor! And have my Uncle get you both fired!" Charles seethed.
"The only person that's in danger of having a life changing moment, is you, Charles. One behind bars," Amelia said in return.
Her words hung heavy in the air, and for a moment, no one moved or spoke. Then, without warning, Charles erupted into a rage, his face contorted with fury as he lunged toward Amelia.
"Get away from me, you filthy liars!" he snarled, his hands reaching for her throat. "Wait until my Uncle Drake hears about this!"
Finn reacted instantly, stepping between Charles and Amelia. He easily deflected Charles' attack, using his height and strength to his advantage. As the two men grappled, Finn's mind raced with strategies, searching for the right one to subdue Charles without causing serious injury.
"Charles!" Amelia shouted, her voice ringing with authority. "Stop this now, or we'll have no choice but to arrest you!"
He didn't listen, continuing to thrash and snarl like a cornered animal. Finn saw an opening and seized it, twisting Charles' arm behind his back and forcing him to the ground. Amelia quickly moved in, securing handcuffs around Charles' wrists as he continued to spew curses and threats.
"Charles Keatings," she said sternly, "you are under arrest for assaulting a police officer."
As they dragged him out of the room and into the dimly-lit corridor, Charles seethed about his connections and what he would do to both of their careers.
Finn couldn't shake the feeling that things were about to get more complicated. And more deadly.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Finn's grip tightened on Charles Keatings' arm as they escorted him through the dimly lit castle corridors. The musty scent of ancient stone filled his nostrils, and he couldn't help but marvel at the history that surrounded them. But his mind quickly snapped back to the task at hand when Charles' voice boomed against the walls.
"Edward!" Charles shouted, his face flushed with anger. "Edward, where the hell are you?"
"Keep it down, would you?" Finn said, glancing over at Amelia, who rolled her eyes in agreement. He didn't want to alert the entire castle to their presence, although it seemed Charles had other plans. "You'll wake up the dead, and the dead might want to have a word with you."
"Let go of me, you bloody Yank!" Charles spat, his British accent thickening with his rage. It reminded Finn of how out of place he sometimes felt there, thousands of miles from the US and the familiarity of home.
"Edward!" Charles bellowed once more, and this time, heavy footsteps echoed towards them. Edward Keatings appeared around a corner, his face pale and concerned.
"What's going on here?" Edward demanded, glaring first at Finn and then at Amelia. "Let my brother go!"
"Sorry, can't do that," Finn replied, not loosening his grip on Charles. "We need to question him. He just tried to assault us."
"Assault?!" Edward's eyes widened in disbelief, and then his expression hardened. "I'll call the Prime Minister and have you taken off this case! This is outrageous!"
Finn fought the urge to roll his eyes again. Instead, he focused on keeping his hold on Charles and maintaining a level-headed demeanor. "That won't be necessary. We're just doing our job, and if your brother didn't try to attack us, we wouldn't be having this problem."
"Unbelievable," Edward muttered under his breath, his gaze darting between Finn and Amelia. "Fine, but I'm staying right here while you question him."
"He's coming to Helford Police Station," Finn said in no uncertain terms.
As they continued down the corridor, Finn couldn't help but think about the tangled web of relationships in this family. He wondered if more than Charles was involved in everything.
"Edward, just wait until Uncle hears about this," Charles threatened, his voice shaking with barely contained fury.
"Shut up, Charles," Edward snapped, his own frustration bubbling to the surface.
Finn exchanged a glance with Amelia, sensing that the situation was far from over. The tension in the air was palpable, like a thick fog threatening to suffocate them all. Their investigation had become more than just a simple murder case – it was now a battle of wills and a race against time, perhaps even against the powers that the Keatings family could wield against them. And as Finn tightened his grip on Charles' arm once more, he knew that every move they made from here on out would be crucial. One procedural mistake, and the higher ups would have an excuse to can the entire operation.
Amelia crossed her arms, her green eyes narrowing as she assessed the situation. "It seems to me," she began, her voice steady and confident, "that the Prime Minister is more concerned with his cousin Dolores Mayfield's death than catering to the whims of the Keatings family."
Edward's mouth tightened into a thin line, but it was clear that Amelia's words had struck a nerve. Finn seized the opportunity to press further. "Why didn't you and Joseline tell us about Charles staying at the castle?" he asked, his blue eyes locked onto Edward's.
"Because…" Edward hesitated for a moment before exhaling sharply. "Because Charles is an embarrassment to our family. And his philandering ways would only have made you suspect him. When really, he is simply a fool who cannot keep it in his pants."
A muscle in Charles' jaw twitched, and his face flushed a deep shade of red. "An embarrassment?" he seethed, his anger boiling over once more. "I can't believe you'd say that!"
"Believe it," Finn said firmly, tightening his grip on Charles' arm. He led him down the grand staircase and out through the heavy double doors of the castle, Amelia following closely behind. The night air was damp and chilly, a stark contrast to the stifling tension inside the castle walls.
Charles continued to mutter obscenities under his breath as they approached the car parked on the gravel driveway. The headlights cast eerie shadows on the surrounding trees, making the estate feel even more foreboding than usual.
"I'll call our solicitor!" Edwards shouted, but refraining from following.
"Get in," Finn ordered, opening the rear passenger door and pushing Charles inside. The disgruntled man huffed but complied, sinking into the leather seat with a scowl.
As Finn closed the door, he couldn't help but wonder how far they would get with Charles Keatings if he lawyered up immediately. And going by his threats, that was exactly what he intended to do.
"Are you okay?" Amelia asked, her voice softening as she placed a hand on Finn's arm. Her touch was warm, a small comfort in the otherwise desolate night.
Finn nodded and forced a smile, trying his best to reassure her. "Yeah, I'm fine," he lied, his mind still reeling from the events of the day. But one thing was clear: they were far from done with the Keatings family and the secrets they kept hidden within their castle walls.
Finn slid into the driver's seat and started the engine, his eyes scanning the darkness for any signs of danger. Amelia settled in beside him, her gaze fixed on Charles in the backseat.
"Alright, Charles," Finn said as they pulled away from the castle, "If you're innocent, then tell us where you were last night."
"Playing poker with some friends," Charles replied bitterly, crossing his arms. "Not that it's any of your business."
"Names and addresses?" Amelia asked, her tone cool and professional. "We'll need to verify your alibi."
"Fine. I'll give them to you," Charles grumbled, digging out his phone to find the information.
As they drove deeper into the estate, the darkness seemed to close in around them, the shadows swallowing up the narrow road ahead. Finn's knuckles tightened around the steering wheel as he navigated the winding path, his senses on high alert. For a moment, he thought he saw a shadow moving between the trees.
"Got a feeling we're not alone out here," he muttered to Amelia, who nodded in agreement.
"I saw it too. If Charles is telling the truth, then maybe the killer is actually on the grounds and he doesn't want us getting too close to the truth," she suggested, her eyes flicking between the rear view mirror and the treacherous road.
"Could be," Finn conceded, his mind racing through possible scenarios. "But if someone is watching us, that means we're on the right track."
"Let's just hope we can stay one step ahead of them," Amelia said, a note of worry creeping into her voice.
"Trust me, we will," Finn assured her, but even he didn't sound entirely convinced.
Suddenly, the sharp crack of gunshots shattered the silence, followed by the splintering of glass as the car's windows exploded inward. Finn instinctively swerved off the road and toward a nearby copse of trees, narrowly avoiding a head-on collision with an ancient oak.
"My God!" Amelia cried, ducking down to avoid the flying glass.
"Stay low!" Finn ordered, bringing the car to a screeching halt behind the tree line. He threw open his door and rolled onto the damp earth, scanning the darkness for any sign of the shooter.
"Amelia, grab the wheel and keep driving!" he shouted, "I'll circle around and try to get a bead on them."
"No, wait..."
"Amelia, you can't come with me. It's too dangerous," Finn insisted, his eyes scanning the darkness for any sign of movement. "You have to protect our prisoner. He might know something."
Amelia hesitated for a moment, the worry evident in her gaze, but she finally relented. "Fine, Finn. But be careful."
"Always am," he quipped, giving her a reassuring smile before slipping into the shadows.
"Maybe if I..."
"Go!" Finn insisted, his heart pounding in his chest as adrenaline surged through him. This was no time for hesitation; they needed to gain the upper hand before the situation spiraled even further out of control.
As Amelia sped away, tires squealing against the gravel, Finn crouched low and crept through the underbrush. He'd seen a muzzle flash from somewhere up ahead, and he knew that if he could just get close enough, he could put an end to this deadly game of cat and mouse.
"Show yourself," he muttered under his breath, pushing himself harder, determined to bring the shooter to justice. "Your little hunting party's over."
Finn moved silently through the woodland, his senses on high alert as he searched for the shooter. His mind raced with thoughts of who could be trying to kill them and why. Could Charles be involved somehow? Or was this just another faceless enemy lurking in the shadows?
How he wished he was in the US and had his gun on him. But in the UK, he wasn't allowed to carry a gun, most cops weren't even allowed to, and that made chasing down dangerous criminals even more perilous.
As he rounded a bend in the path, Finn caught sight of a figure standing between two trees, their silhouette illuminated by the faint glow of the moon. The shooter was right there, within reach. Finn could tell from the stance that he had military training. If the man had been armed with a rifle rather than a handgun, it was likely they would already have been dead.
Picking up a large piece of broken log on the ground, Finn hurled it with all his might. It slammed against the back of the shooter, who fell to the ground with a loud gasp.
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