When You're Sleeping, page 9
But the job wasn't done yet. They would have to break him in the interview room.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Finn still couldn't shake the cold from his bones. The fight in the rain had seeped into him, but they had to make sure that Terrance was the killer, and get him to admit as much.
The clock on the wall read 11:00 PM. The dimly lit, rundown interview room of Helford police station was eerily silent. Finn and Amelia sat on one side of a rickety wooden table, facing Terrance Feldman, their suspect. Terrance's dark eyes darted around nervously, beads of sweat glistening on his brow. He seemed tense, his hands balled into fists.
"Listen, Terrance," Finn leaned in, breaking the silence. "I know being here isn't fun for anyone."
"Damn right, it ain't," Terrance muttered, avoiding eye contact. "I think you broke one of my ribs!"
"You've been seen by a doctor, you're fine," Amelia said.
"Let me tell you something about myself," Finn continued, trying to find common ground. "I used to work on construction jobs before I became an agent. It's tough work, and I get that."
Terrance glanced at Finn, curiosity piqued. "Yeah? So what?"
Finn leaned back, his voice calm and steady. "So, I understand how sometimes the workers can get a little carried away, wolf-whistling at passing women."
"Hey, we're just having a laugh," Terrance said defensively.
"Yes, but at someone else's expense," Finn replied with a knowing smile. "And sometimes things can escalate unintentionally."
"Like what?" Terrance asked, his eyes narrowing.
"Maybe you saw one of the victims at the castle and you shouted something. Maybe you shouted nothing. But you did see a woman you liked. Perhaps your intentions were benign, but then... You followed her," Finn suggested, watching Terrance's reaction closely. "You didn't mean to hurt her, you just wanted to tell her you liked her, but things got out of hand. Before you knew it, you had fallen onto old habits, habits you had tried to keep under control since prison. The woman died, and then, maybe, the other two women were witnesses, and you saw red and killed them, too. Placing the bodies in the path of the river, knowing it was about to break its banks. You hoped they would be swept away, but that didn't happen."
"Are you out of your mind?" Terrance shot back, anger flaring in his eyes. "I wouldn't do that!"
"Take it easy, Terrance," Finn reassured him, raising his palms in a calming gesture. "We're just trying to figure out what happened. Help us understand your side of the story."
"Look," Terrance muttered, his voice shaking with frustration, "I didn't kill anyone. You got the wrong guy."
"Terrance, we're not accusing you outright," Amelia chimed in. "But you were at the castle recently, you have previous for hurting a woman with a knife, and we need your cooperation to piece everything together. Make it easy on yourself."
Finn could see the turmoil in Terrance's eyes. He knew that connecting with him on a personal level had opened the door, but it was up to Terrance whether he'd walk through it or not.
"Fine," Terrance conceded, finally meeting Finn's gaze. "What do you want to know?"
"Did you ever see a pretty woman at the castle?" Finn asked.
Terrance nodded. "But I didn't do anything. You see a lot of people in my line of work."
"Tell us about the day you saw her at the castle," Finn asked gently. "Start from the beginning."
"Alright," Terrance sighed, slumping into his seat. "We were working on the east wing. I guess it was early in the day. I remember a woman, long hair, and a cute white summer's dress that looked too cold for winter. But I swear, I just remember seein' her, that was it. I didn't do anything else."
"Terrance," Amelia began, her tone firm but not unkind, "we know you went to prison for attempted murder when you were younger."
"Look, that was a long time ago," Terrance replied defensively. "I've changed since then, honest."
Amelia nodded and pulled out a photo from the folder she had been carrying. She placed it on the table in front of Terrance, who flinched upon seeing the grisly image of the dead victims.
"Did you have anything to do with this?" Amelia asked, her green eyes searching his face for any sign of guilt.
"God, no!" Terrance exclaimed, his voice shaking. He seemed genuinely upset by the sight, and Finn could see a flicker of remorse in his eyes. "But I do recognize one of them."
"Which one?" Finn asked, curiosity piqued.
Terrance pointed to the image of Dolores Mayweather, a beautiful brunette with a hauntingly vacant expression. "Her," he said hesitantly. "I saw her at the castle when we were working there. I thought she was really attractive and wanted to ask her out, but never got the chance."
"Why not?" Amelia inquired, leaning forward in her chair.
"Because me and the construction crew only worked there for a few days," Terrance explained, his gaze falling to his hands. "We were kicked off the land by the castle owners before I had the chance to talk to her."
"Kicked off?" Finn echoed, exchanging a puzzled glance with Amelia. "Why?"
"Got no idea," Terrance shrugged. "All I know is that one of the workers found something under the east wing—a piece of an old structure or something. We worried it might be archaeological, y'know? Legally, we'd have to stop all work until it's investigated by an expert. But instead of going through all that, they just asked us to leave."
Finn's thoughts raced as he processed Terrance's words. Was it possible that the castle owners had something to hide? What could have been so important that they would rather dismiss the construction crew than allow the proper authorities to investigate?
"Terrance," Finn said, leaning in closer, his blue eyes locked onto the other man's nervous face. "Did anyone else from your crew have any interest in Dolores or the other women?"
Terrance hesitated for a moment before shaking his head. "Not that I know of, no. But if I'm being honest, we didn't really socialize much outside of work. So, I can't say for sure. But listen to me, I was at my trailer last night."
"Did you stay inside the entire time?" Finn asked.
"No," Terrance answered. "I went for a walk around the park at about eight PM."
Finn turned to Amelia. "There will be security cams on that trailer park. If they show him there and never leaving the park, there goes our case."
Amelia nodded.
"Alright," Amelia said, straightening up and folding her arms across her chest. "Thank you for your cooperation, Terrance. We'll get someone to contact the caravan site and see if there's footage backing up your story. Until then, I'm afraid you'll need to wait in one of our cells."
Terrance nodded, mournfully.
As they left the interview room, Finn couldn't help but replay the conversation in his mind. Something about Terrance's story didn't sit right with him, and he felt a growing sense of unease as he tried to piece together the puzzle. The problem was not Terrance, it was whoever had kicked them off the site.
"Amelia," he said quietly, glancing over at his red-haired partner. "I can't shake the feeling that there's more going on here than we realize. The castle owners kicking out the construction crew without a proper investigation... it doesn't make sense."
"I feel that, too," Amelia agreed, her brow furrowed in thought. "Edward Keatings should have told us about that. We need to dig deeper, find out what's really happening at that castle."
Finn nodded, determination coursing through him like an electric current. Whatever secrets lay hidden within the walls of the east wing, he was prepared to uncover them—no matter the cost. Then a pang of doubt made itself known as a thought.
There you go, Finn. Throwing yourself into a case again just to avoid your own problems.
He did his best to ignore that train of thought, but the echo of it remained. He did his best to stay present.
"Amelia," Finn whispered, as they exited the dimly lit interview room, "what if we went back to the castle tonight? Checked out this east wing Terrance mentioned?"
"Under the cover of night?" Amelia asked, her emerald eyes glinting with curiosity. "That could work, but we'll need to be discreet."
"Discreet is my middle name," Finn grinned, his tension momentarily eased by the sense of adventure that coursed through him.
"Really?" Amelia raised an eyebrow. "I thought it was 'never pays for dinner'."
"Ah, you got me there." Finn chuckled, letting his playful nature shine through for a moment. The seriousness of the situation quickly took hold again, and he continued in a hushed tone. "But seriously, I think we need to see for ourselves what's going on with that east wing. If there's a chance it's connected to these murders..."
"Agreed," Amelia nodded decisively, her red hair shimmering under the harsh police station lights. "We should grab some torches and head out as soon as possible. We'll need to avoid security there."
"Perfect," Finn replied, feeling the urgency of their mission weigh heavily on his broad shoulders. He was determined not only to solve this case but also to protect Amelia from any danger they might encounter.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Finn felt the car grumble beneath him in the dark. The tires of Finn's borrowed car crunched over the gravel as they approached Castle St Martins. The rain had ceased, leaving a cold, somber air in its wake. He glanced at Amelia, who sat next to him, her fiery red hair contrasting with the gloomy atmosphere surrounding them. She seemed lost in thought, checking her watch several times during their drive.
Finn was still worried about her. Something was eating her up, but it only made itself known in the quiet times, like the train journey to Cornwall that morning.
As the clock struck midnight, Amelia let out a sigh, shaking her head before turning her gaze toward the dark landscape outside the window. Finn couldn't help but notice her unease.
"Amelia," he said, his voice tinged with concern. "I'm worried about you."
"I'm fine, Finn," she replied, offering a halfhearted smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
"Look, you've been acting strange a few times today, and it seems like you were just trying to get through the day." Finn hesitated for a moment, searching her face for any hint of what might be bothering her. "When I asked before, you said it was the time of year that was getting you down. I don't mean to pry, but I'm worried about you. Is it the anniversary of something?"
Amelia laughed softly, though it sounded more bitter than amused. "Can't get anything past you, can I? Yes... It's... It's the anniversary of my fiance's death."
"Ah, Amelia, I'm so sorry." Finn felt a pang of regret for bringing up such a painful subject. "I shouldn't have mentioned it."
She shook her head. "No, it's fine, really. It's just... difficult sometimes, especially around this time."
Finn nodded, understanding all too well the weight of grief and guilt that could settle on one's shoulders. He wanted to offer comfort, to tell her that he knew what it was like to have your heart ache for someone you'd lost. But instead, he focused back on the road, driving them closer to the looming shadow of Castle St Martins.
"Hey, Finn," Amelia said after a moment of silence. "Do you believe in cursed days?"
Finn raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the question. "Cursed days?"
“Yeah, you ever had a day that you felt was just rotten to the core? I'm curious if you've ever had a day like that.”
Finn's mind went back to the hostage situation that had all but scuppered his career. “Nancy Milligan. That day seems pretty cursed. I was tracking a serial killer named Max Vilne. He had Nancy in the penthouse of a fancy hotel. I was told to wait for backup. But I knew she'd have been dead by then. Vilne fought like a madman when I got there. The guy... He was stronger... Faster... He'd gotten the best of me, but I got lucky.”
“Lucky?” Amelia asked.
“Yeah,” Finn said. “Vilne used an incendiary device at one point and the building caught fire. Just as he was about to kill me, the fire brought the ceiling down on him. I... I don't remember much else. They told me I walked out of the flames carrying Nancy Milligan. I'm ashamed to say I wasn't too sad about leaving Vilne to die. But firefighters rescued him."
“You left him to die?” Amelia said, sounding surprised.
“I... I think so, I can't be sure,” Finn said. “You have to understand the things that man did to people. Murder, torture... He was the most twisted killer I ever came across. Smart, stronger than most, and with a deep desire to hurt as many people as he could. If I did leave him... I try not to feel bad about it."
“You shouldn't be too hard on yourself,” Amelia offered.
“Yeah, but... That day was a rotten one,” Finn said. “I don't know if I believe in curses, but it felt like it. That day hurt me professionally, it hurt me financially, it hurt me physically and mentally, and the stress of spending two years chasing Vilne before it may have driven Demi into the arms of another man. So yeah... But look at me, making things about myself. I was wanting to know what was going on with you, remember?”
Amelia nodded.
“Do you have a cursed day?” Finn asked, quietly.
"I did... I do... Ever since my fiance died, I've always felt like something terrible will happen on the anniversary," she admitted, her voice barely audible above the hum of the car's engine. "Like the day is destined to be filled with horrible events. Something else will happen... But it never does."
"Amelia, I'm not superstitious about that sort of thing," Finn replied, trying to reassure her as he navigated the winding roads leading to the castle. "But I know what it is to be haunted by the past. It doesn't take a cursed day for those feelings to surface."
She nodded, her gaze fixed on the dark countryside passing by. The somber atmosphere weighed heavily on them both, making Finn all the more determined to solve this case and bring some closure to Amelia.
The imposing silhouette of Castle St Martins finally loomed ahead, its ancient stone walls casting eerie shadows under the moonlight. Finn parked well before the entrance, ensuring their arrival would remain inconspicuous. They exited the car, the cold air biting at their cheeks as they moved closer to the historic structure.
"Let's try the South East wing," Amelia suggested, her voice hushed as if afraid the very walls could hear them. "There's a perfect view of the river below from there."
Finn followed her lead, his senses heightened, every small creak or rustle setting his nerves on edge. They walked along the deserted road, listening to the gravel crunch beneath their feet before slipping to the side of the castle walls. They wandered around the perimeter, their breaths visible in the frosty air.
As they reached the South East wing, the river below glistened in the moonlight, its hypnotic flow contrasting with the stillness surrounding the castle. The beauty of the scene did little to ease the tension that clung to them, the knowledge that they were trespassing on hallowed ground filling the air with an undeniable sense of foreboding.
"Let's be careful here," Finn whispered, his eyes scanning their surroundings for any sign of danger. "We don't know what we might find."
"Agreed," Amelia replied, her gaze never leaving the ancient stones that held countless secrets within their depths. "But we have to uncover the truth, no matter how unsettling it may be."
The scaffolding surrounding the castle's South East wing seemed to stretch endlessly into the night sky, a skeleton clinging to the ancient stones. Finn could feel the weight of history pressing down on him as if the very air was thick with secrets and whispers.
"Hey, Finn," Amelia murmured, her voice barely audible over the gentle lapping of the river below. "Do you think this will be our last case together?"
He hesitated, considering his still-uncertain future. "I don't know," he admitted. "I'm still waiting on a court date back in the US. It could go either way. I'm hoping it will be in the new year, but who knows?"
Amelia looked at him with those striking green eyes that always seemed to see right through him. "You know, I half expected to find out you were leaving earlier today." She paused and then added softly, "It wouldn't have been a tragedy, but... it would have been bad if you had left."
Finn felt a surge of warmth towards her, an urge to reach out and hold her close. He knew their partnership was more than just professional, but the memory of Demi – his estranged fiancee who wanted to patch things up – held him back. Guilt gnawed at him as he struggled with the conflicting desires that tugged at his heart.
"Amelia, I–" he began, but the words caught in his throat when he took a step forward, his foot landing on a few loose boards of wood hidden in the shadows. They shattered beneath his weight, and suddenly, he found himself falling into a dark abyss.
"FINN!" Amelia's scream echoed through the cold night air as she lunged for him, her fingers grasping futilely at empty space.
Finn tried to grab hold of anything, but it was too late.
And then there was nothing but darkness.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Finn grunted as he hit the cold, damp ground of the tunnel. The wind knocked out of him and for a moment, he panicked. Checking his side, he didn't think he'd broken a rib, just fallen awkwardly. Instinctively, he staggered to his feet.
“Finn!” Amelia yelled from about ten feet above him, her voice filled with concern. “Are you okay!?”
“One minute,” he gasped, still trying to catch his breath. Slowly, the pain in his chest and side subsided and he was able to speak properly.
Now, he felt relief wash over him that he had landed without injury. He quickly scanned the darkness around him with keen eyes, taking in his surroundings before turning back to help Amelia.
"Are you alright?" Amelia called down again, her soothing voice echoing within the confined space.
"Nothing a stiff drink can't fix," Finn replied, chuckling at his wisecrack despite the tense situation and rubbing his side. "I'll give you a hand," he said, reaching up to help Amelia climb down into the tunnel.
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