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At that moment, Dell and his other friends rose from their seats and attacked Finn and Sheila.Sheila's instincts kicked in as she ducked, narrowly avoiding a glass bottle swung at her head by another one of Dell's friends.She delivered a swift punch to the man's gut, followed by an uppercut to his chin.He staggered back, surprise etched on his face, before she landed a final roundhouse kick to the side of his head.He crumpled to the floor, unconscious.
Sheila's eyes darted from the fallen man to Dell, who was taking advantage of Finn's momentary distraction to land several punches on him.One of Dell's buddies had a firm grip on Finn from behind, making it impossible for him to defend himself effectively.
"Enough!"Sheila shouted, her voice filled with authority and determination.She charged at Dell.As she reached the drunken perpetrator, she threw a powerful right hook that connected with Dell's jaw, snapping his head back and causing him to stumble.
Finn used the opportunity to drive his elbow into the gut of the man holding him, forcing the air out of his lungs and loosening his grip.He spun around, delivering a solid punch to the man's face and sending him reeling backward.
In the meantime, Sheila continued her relentless assault on Dell.She landed a swift knee to his midsection, causing him to double over in pain.With Dell hunched over, Sheila executed a perfect roundhouse kick aimed at his temple.Her foot connected with a resounding thud, and Dell crumpled to the ground, dazed.
Finn, having subdued his attacker, joined Sheila as they stood above the barely conscious Dell.Their chests heaved with exertion, adrenaline coursing through them both.
"Alright, Dell," Sheila panted, kneeling down next to him."You're under arrest."She pulled out a pair of handcuffs and began to secure them around Dell's wrists.
"Wait, what?"Dell slurred, his eyes struggling to focus on Sheila."I never even met the Hubbards!"
Finn's voice was cold and unyielding."We never mentioned the Hubbards.So what makes you think they're the reason we're here?"
CHAPTER TEN
Sheila handed Finn an ice pack, which he pressed to his bruised jaw with a wince."You okay?"she asked, her voice laced with concern.
"Fine," he muttered through clenched teeth."Looks like you bruised your knuckles pretty badly."
She shrugged."Better bruised knuckles than a bruised face."
They were in the sheriff's department break room, a cramped space filled with the aroma of stale coffee and the hum of an ancient vending machine.A few mismatched chairs circled a small, worn table where officers took their breaks or ate quick meals between shifts.The overhead fluorescent lights cast an unflattering glow over everything, accentuating the tiredness on Finn's face.
As Sheila studied Finn, she couldn't help but worry for him.She hadn't realized he had a drinking problem, and now she found herself wondering how the incident at the bar had affected him.
"Do you want to talk about it?"she asked cautiously, unsure how to broach the subject."What happened at the bar, I mean?"
He shook his head, avoiding her gaze."We need to focus on the investigation," he said."Dell's waiting for us."
Sheila knew Finn was deflecting, but she didn't want to push him too far.Instead, she nodded and followed him out of the break room, hoping that at some point he would trust her enough to open up about his demons.
As they entered the interview room, the first thing that struck Sheila was the pungent smell of alcohol lingering in the air.The small, windowless room was sparsely furnished, with a metal table bolted to the floor and three uncomfortable-looking chairs.One wall was dominated by a large mirror, behind which she knew officers could observe the questioning.
Dell sat slumped in one of the chairs, his unkempt hair hanging over his bloodshot eyes.His face bore several superficial injuries, a mixture of scratches and bruises from the bar fight, and he seemed to be nursing the after-effects of too much alcohol.Despite his disheveled appearance, there was something pitiable about him that tugged at Sheila's heart.
Finn leaned against the wall, arms crossed, as he stared coldly at Dell.The tension was palpable, and Sheila could sense Finn's simmering anger beneath his calm facade.She decided it would be best if she took the lead in the questioning.
Pulling out the business card for Aegis Exterminators, the company Dell worked for, Sheila placed it on the table in front of him.She watched as his bleary eyes struggled to focus on the card."Do you recognize this?"she asked.
"Of course," Dell slurred, gesturing vaguely at the card."It's my company."
"Right," Sheila said, nodding."We found this outside the Hubbard family's house."She paused for a moment, letting the information sink in."I'd ask if you know who we're talking about, but you already mentioned the Hubbards back at the bar.Tell me, how did you know we were going to ask you about them?"
The dim lighting in the interview room cast a shadow over Dell's bruised face, making him look even more haggard and beaten than he already was.Sheila could see him wince as he shifted in his chair, nursing the various scrapes and cuts that littered his body.The stifling air was heavy with the smell of alcohol, an unpleasant reminder of their earlier encounter at the bar.
"Murders like this," Dell said with a dismissive wave of his hand, "they're all over the news.I figured you'd come looking for me sooner or later."His words were slurred, but there was a sharpness to them that caught Sheila's attention.
"Why would we question you about them?"Sheila asked.
Dell hesitated, then finally muttered, "Because I was at their house."
Sheila leaned forward, intrigued."When?"
"A week ago," Dell replied after a moment's thought, his eyes darting around the room nervously.
