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"Ready?"she asked Finn, who seemed even more on edge than before.
"Sure," he replied, though his voice lacked conviction.
As Sheila reached for the door handle, Finn hesitated, his hand hovering above his sidearm.She looked at him, eyebrows raised, waiting for an explanation.
"Look, I made a promise to myself not to go into a bar again," he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.
"Why?"Sheila asked.Even as she asked the question, however, she knew the answer was obvious.There was only one reason a man like Finn would make a decision like that.
He sighed, running a hand through his hair."It's complicated, okay?It's...not easy to talk about.Suffice it to say that I try to stay away from places where the liquor is flowing freely."
Sheila knew better than to push him further.She could sense the pain he was trying to hide, and it wasn't her place to pry.Instead, she said, "You really don't have to do this, you know.I can handle Dell alone."
"No," Finn insisted, his jaw clenched."I'm not letting you face a dangerous suspect by yourself.I can do this."
"Alright," Sheila said, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder."Just focus on why we're here.We'll get in, talk to Dell, and get out.Okay?"
He nodded."Okay."
As they stepped through the door, the atmosphere inside the bar enveloped them.The smell of stale smoke hung in the air, mingling with the scent of beer-soaked wood.A few patrons slumped over their drinks, their faces barely visible under the dim lights.A jukebox in the corner played a slow country tune, giving the room a melancholy feel.
Finn's eyes darted around the room, avoiding the rows of liquor bottles that lined the shelves behind the counter.He swallowed hard, his breathing shallow.Sheila could see the strain in his posture but also the steely determination not to give in to temptation.
"Hey there," the bartender called out, a forced smile on his face as his gaze lingered on Finn's crisp uniform."What can I get you two?"
"Nothing for me," Finn replied a bit too quickly, glancing away.
The bartender raised his hands in mock surrender."Fair enough.No drinking on the job, am I right?"He chuckled a little too forcefully.
"Thanks," Sheila said."We're actually just looking for someone."She glanced around the room, her gaze seeking out the man from the picture on Finn's phone.
"Best of luck to you," the bartender said with a tight smile, turning his attention back to wiping down the counter.
Sheila scanned the dimly lit bar, taking in the motley assortment of patrons nursing their drinks in the early afternoon.A flicker of movement near the back caught her attention, and she spotted a group of men huddled around a corner table.There, at the center of the raucous laughter, sat a man who matched the image of Dell Dempster from Finn's phone.His unkempt beard and greasy hair framed a flushed face, his eyes glazed over with intoxication.
The men surrounding him were a mix of rough-looking characters—some sporting tattoos that snaked up their arms, others with scruffy beards and worn clothing.It was evident that this wasn't their first round of drinks, given the collection of empty glasses scattered across the table and the boisterous atmosphere they'd created.
"Looks like we found our guy," Sheila whispered to Finn as she subtly gestured toward the table.Finn nodded, casting a wary glance at the group before steeling himself for the confrontation.
As they made their way toward Dell, it became apparent that he was in the middle of slurring out a joke, his words barely coherent."So, this guy walks into a bar with a set of jumper cables around his neck…" His friends chuckled, anticipating the punchline even as Dell struggled to deliver it.
Finn interrupted before Dell could finish, causing the laughter to die down and all eyes to turn toward them."Excuse me, are you Dell Dempster?"
Dell squinted at Finn and Sheila, a puzzled expression on his face."Yeah, I'm Dell.Who're you?What do you want?"He took a swig from his beer, not bothering to hide his irritation at being interrupted."I'm just having a drink with my friends here, not harming anybody."
Finn's gaze darted between Dell and the empty glasses strewn about the table."Seems like you're having more than just 'a drink,' don't you think?"he remarked, his tone dripping with disdain.
Sheila could see the tension in Finn's posture and knew that being surrounded by so much alcohol was taking its toll on him.She also knew they needed to keep their focus on Dell and get the information they came for before things spiraled out of control.
"Look, we're not here to cause any trouble," she said, attempting to placate Dell."We just need to ask you a few questions, and then we'll be on our way."
Dell ignored her, however, and stood up, swaying slightly as he drunkenly told Finn, "Listen, buddy, I have the right to drink as much as I damn well please.It's none of your business."
Finn's eyes narrowed, but he didn't back down."What's got you drinking so much?Guilty conscience?"
One of Dell's buddies, a burly man with a scruffy beard, took offense at Finn's words.He got up from his seat and shoved Finn hard in the chest."You can't come in here and harass us for no reason!"he snarled.
Finn stumbled backward but quickly regained his balance, shoving the man back with equal force."Back off," he growled, his eyes flashing with anger.
