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"Damn it," Amelia cursed, running a hand through her red hair. "I called for an armed rapid response unit. They're on their way, but they won't be here for an hour."
"That's not very rapid, is it?" Finn said, catching his breath.
"No," Amelia said. "But we're in a rural area and police just don't have the need or permission to carry guns out here."
"Good thinking, anyway. But the shooter will be miles away by then," Finn said, his mind working overtime as he tried to piece together the puzzle before them. "We need to figure out who's behind this and why they're targeting us."
"Agreed. There must be something we're getting close to, something they don't want us to discover," Amelia mused, determination shining in her eyes.
Finn couldn't help but admire her resilience, even in the face of danger. "Yeah, well, whatever it is, they've made it personal now."
"Let's just hope we can get one step ahead before they try again," Amelia said, her voice somber
"Absolutely," Finn agreed, his resolve steeling as he stared at the frightened face of Charles Keatings in the back seat of the car. "And my money is they think Charles might reveal who they are."
CHAPTER TWENTY
Finn's eyes focused on the young man sitting across the table, his hands cuffed in front of him. Charles Keatings, a scion of wealth and privilege, looked more like a frightened child than a potential murderer. Amelia stood next to Finn, her penetrating gaze unwavering as they began the interrogation.
"Charles, we need you to tell us exactly what happened the night the three women were murdered," Finn said calmly, leaning forward slightly. His tone was gentle yet firm, attempting to put Charles at ease while still pressing for answers.
"I already told you, I didn't do it!" Charles stammered, his voice cracking under the pressure. "I wasn't even there!"
"Where were you then?" Amelia asked, her voice cool and collected.
"I told you before and the booking sergeant at the desk."
"Then tell us again, "Amelia said.
Finn knew the trick. Getting a suspect to repeat their story several times was a good way to catch any inconsistencies
"I was playing poker with friends," Charles said sounding defeated.
Finn studied Charles' face, searching for any hint of dishonesty. He knew that the boy came from a family with connections and power, which could easily be used to cover up any misdeeds. Yet there was something about Charles' demeanor that made Finn believe he might be telling the truth.
"Can anyone confirm your alibi?" Finn asked, his voice softening slightly.
"Y-yes, I already told the sergeant at the desk! My uncle can," Charles replied, some confidence returning to his voice. "My friends, and the housekeeper too."
"Charles, we want to help you," Amelia said gently, placing her hand on his shoulder. "But we need to know everything. If there's anything you're not telling us, now is the time."
"Look, I swear, I don't know anything about it!" Charles insisted, frustration creeping into his voice. "All I know is that someone killed those women and dumped them on our estate, but it wasn't me!"
"Who was the shooter?" Finn asked.
"I don't know," Charles answered. "A madman, I can tell you that much!"
"Why would he be shooting at us?" Amelia prodded.
"You're the detectives! Figure it out yourselves," Charles said, his breath rapid. "They were obviously not a fan of the police. They were probably a poacher and decided to take a shot at you."
"Oh, really?" Finn said. "Fantastic theory. But I prefer the one where they were trying to kill you to stop you from saying something."
Charles went sheet white.
Just as Finn was about to ask another question, the door to the interrogation room burst open, revealing a group of impeccably dressed lawyers. The man at the forefront, tall and silver-haired, fixed Finn and Amelia with a steely glare.
"Mr. Keatings," he said in an authoritative tone, "we've been retained by your uncle, Mr. Drake Keatings. We're here to put an end to this farce. We have good reason to believe that the arresting officers were trespassing at the time on the Keatings estate. You have no material evidence to connect Mr Keatings to the murders. Of course, you can try to charge him for defending himself against trespassers in his own home, or we can call this thing a bust and we walk out of here. Now."
