Page 10 of When You’re Broken (Finn Wright #11)

Finn felt as though he were stepping onto a stage when he and Amelia walked into the conference room for the Wendell Reed taskforce.

The space was much larger than the cramped interview rooms he’d grown used to.

Here, in Hertfordshire HQ’s upper level, broad windows overlooked a night sky where light pollution blurred any stars.

A row of fluorescent fixtures glowed overhead, illuminating the large rectangular table at the center.

Whiteboards lined two walls, one scrawled with times, dates, and a partial map of potential Wendell sightings; another pinned with mugshots, victim profiles, and a huge photo of Wendell Reed’s face.

The entire setup radiated a sense of urgency, as if an elusive thread was waiting to be pulled.

Inside, Detective Robert Clint—blond hair combed tidily, a crisp, navy suit—rose from his seat. He offered a warm handshake to Amelia, then Finn. “Good to see you both,” Clint said, voice bright with an amicable tone and the strength of a man not yet out of his twenties.

Amelia returned the handshake, though her posture remained tense. “Clint, it’s good to see you.”

Finn matched that handshake. “Glad to see you, Clint. Amelia says you’ve been very supportive.”

Clint smiled, but it flickered when he noticed the stiff presence of Inspector McNeill standing at the far end of the table, arms folded across his chest. McNeill wore his usual scowl, the same scowl he’d used earlier when chastising Finn and Amelia in the hallway.

As the only other occupant, he dominated the mood of the room.

Rob—tall, broad-shouldered, his expression subdued—entered behind them and closed the door.

While he wore his Chief Constable’s uniform, Finn was perfectly aware that McNeill was answering directly to the Home Office, despite being below Rob in rank.

Finn set his eyes on McNeill. The inspector’s posture signaled displeasure, tension rolling off him.

Might as well start with an olive branch, Finn thought, inhaling a controlled breath.

He stepped a little forward, hands at his sides.

“Inspector, about earlier… I’m sorry for getting defensive.

I let my frustration come out. That wasn’t the time or place. ”

McNeill’s face remained flinty. “I’m not interested in apologies,” he said. “All I’m interested in is catching Wendell Reed before he kills more innocents.”

Amelia stiffened beside Finn. “That’s what we want, too. It’s all we’ve been working toward.”

McNeill responded with a derisive huff. “I’m not so sure. I feel you’re more focused on personal vendettas.”

Silence weighed in the room. Finn saw Rob shift uncomfortably near the door. Detective Constable Clint cleared his throat, but didn’t speak.

“Seeing how events have unfolded...” McNeill continued, eyeing Amelia, “an unauthorized attempt to chase leads without my knowledge etc. I’m even more convinced you shouldn’t be liaising with us. It’s compromised your objectivity.”

Amelia’s eyes flashed. “I’m not compromised. We went to talk with Brendan Wilson’s parents. They gave us clues about the children's home. We followed up. We couldn’t possibly have known the manager would start shooting.”

McNeill’s stare was cold. “You’re ignoring the chain of command.

This is a large-scale operation, not an ad-hoc detective game.

If you’d come to me first, we’d have approached the children's home in a more controlled manner. Maybe we’d have placed discreet surveillance or tailed that manager, hoping he’d lead us to Wendell. ”

Finn bristled at the insinuation that they’d ruined some grand strategic plan.

He clenched his jaw, trying not to let the anger show.

“I’m not sure how going to a children's home to ask about stolen files would jeopardize anything,” he said, keeping his tone firm but not raised.

“We found proof that Wendell or his associates accessed adoption records. Stanley Peterson had them. Wendell instructed him to kill me if I showed up. That’s not a scenario you can ‘tail to a meet-up.’ Wendell never intended to show up.

He just forced the manager to do the dirty work. ”

McNeill shot him an unimpressed look. “Maybe that’s how they do things stateside, going in guns blazing—” He paused, letting the dig linger.

“But here, we prefer precision. You could have both been killed. If we’d had prior knowledge, we might’ve used the manager to track Wendell’s communications more thoroughly.

Instead, you ended up nearly shot, and the manager is in custody but no closer to giving us Wendell on a silver platter. ”

Finn’s shoulders bunched. He knew McNeill was intentionally stoking conflict. Rob, standing behind them, subtly nodded at Finn, a silent signal: Don’t let it get to you.

Amelia drew a slow breath. “Look, Inspector. We want Wendell stopped as much as you do. We discovered a lead, we followed it—maybe we should have called you, but it happened quickly. And the manager ended up telling us a substantial amount about how Wendell blackmailed him. Isn’t that progress?”

McNeill’s eyes narrowed. “Progress would be Wendell behind bars, not a manager who’s no more than a minion.

” He exhaled, turning an accusatory glare on Amelia.

“And with your personal involvement—Brendan Wilson being your brother, Wendell specifically targeting you—no rational mind can say you’re not compromised.

The moment you’re upset or desperate, you might act rashly.

That’s unacceptable in an operation like this. ”

Finn’s anger flared again. He recalled the manager’s phone, the horrifying images. Wendell thrived on tormenting Amelia, and that was exactly why she was determined to end him. How did that constitute a liability? But before he spoke, Rob stepped forward, voice calm.

“With respect, Inspector McNeill,” Rob said.

“Finn and Amelia are among the finest detectives in the UK’s disposal, and Finn’s experience with the FBI has been invaluable.

They have proven success. They uncovered that manager’s involvement and discovered Wendell’s infiltration of the children's home’s records. ”

McNeill’s lip curled in mild contempt. “May I remind you, Chief Constable, that I am in charge of the task force. One more foot out of line, and I’ll have both Finn and Amelia relieved of duty.

And I’ve been told by the Home Office that Wendell Reed is such a high priority, that I will be backed on all decisions moving forward. ”

Amelia’s mouth pressed into a thin line, but she didn’t speak. Finn could see the anger swirling in her eyes. Let it go, he silently urged, not wanting her to lash out and lose her place on the taskforce.

Detective Clint, who’d been quietly observing, cleared his throat again.

He seemed uncomfortable. “I can see both points, sir,” he ventured, his tone polite.

“But it might be beneficial if we combine forces effectively. Amelia and Finn have unique knowledge of Wendell’s patterns—especially regarding his personal vendetta. ”

McNeill gave Clint a curt nod of acknowledgment but turned back to Finn and Amelia. “If you want to remain in this unit, you abide by my command structure, period. If I say you do not set foot in some place without my green light, you listen. Understood?”

Amelia bristled, but Rob’s subtle glance told her to choose words carefully. She swallowed. “Understood.” Her voice was cool, subdued.

“That includes you, Wright,” McNeill said, casting him a sharp look. “You might have experience in the FBI, but here, we don’t want inter-agency fighting or hotheaded stunts. One more fiasco, and I’ll have your courtesy status revoked.”

Finn’s pulse drummed. He thought of retorting that Wendell was the real threat, not them, but glimpsed the tension in Rob’s face. We can’t risk a blow-up. He nodded stiffly. “We only want to help. We’ll coordinate properly from here on out.”

A faint smirk ghosted across McNeill’s mouth, as if satisfied he’d reasserted authority. “Glad to hear it.” Then he looked around. “Anything else to add?”

“Just that I disagree with your view about Amelia’s involvement,” Rob said quietly. “I’ll fight any attempt to remove her from the taskforce if it comes to that.”

McNeill’s gaze hardened. “Fight all you want, but the Home Office gave me full autonomy over my team. I have official instructions that I can compose and reassign members as I see fit.” His voice dripped with finality.

“So if Amelia proves a liability, or if your American friend here keeps ignoring procedure, they’re both out. ”

Finn exhaled through clenched teeth. He recognized the toxic power dynamic at play. He’s fuming that the Home Office inserted us, so now he’s punishing us. Perfect.

Over near the side of the table, a coffee machine hissed. No one moved to use it. McNeill tapped the face of Wendell’s large photo pinned to the whiteboard, drawing attention to it. “We must remain coordinated. If we waste time bickering, or chasing personal leads, Wendell wins. Are we clear?”

Amelia answered with a simple “Yes, sir,” though a tightness lingered in her voice. Finn managed a curt nod as well. Clint murmured an agreement.

“You should have forensics’ look at the burner phone Wendell gave to Stanley,” Amelia offered. “It might help them pinpoint where Wendell’s messages are being sent from.”

McNeill took a breath, scanning them with a steely gaze.

“Agreed. That’s all for now. I have a night shift team on this evening working over the case.

Tomorrow we meet at 0700 to discuss the next steps.

And if I find out either of you deviate from the plan…

” He left the sentence hanging, letting the threat fill the silence.

Amelia’s eyes flicked to Finn, then she turned on her heel. “Understood,” she repeated.

Finn noticed Rob giving McNeill a silent glare, but the inspector merely waved them away.

The tension in the room was so thick that even Detective Clint looked relieved to see them go.

In a swirl of frayed nerves, Finn, Amelia, and Rob stepped out into the corridor.

The door closed behind them, sealing away McNeill’s presence.

They paused near a row of lockers, the hallway calmer now that the hour was late. Amelia exhaled, pressing a hand to her temple. “The nerve of that man,” she muttered, voice shaking with adrenaline. “Implying I’d sabotage the entire operation. Doesn’t he know how much work I’ve put into it?”

Finn touched her elbow gently. “I know. He’s paranoid. Or he sees you as an easy scapegoat.”

Rob placed a hand on Amelia’s shoulder. “Look, I think McNeill’s got a personal grudge over not controlling everything.

But he’s got the official blessing from the Home Office to run the taskforce as he sees fit.

If you make another mistake, or if something else big goes sideways, I might not be able to protect you. ”

Amelia let out a trembling sigh. “I can’t stand being told not to chase any leads because I’m too ‘emotional.’ I’m not letting Wendell slip away just to spare McNeill’s ego.”

Finn recalled how, in the FBI, he’d seen turf wars sabotage investigations. “In the States, inter-agency turf fights cost us leads,” he said. “I see the same pattern here. It costs time, opportunities. Meanwhile, Wendell’s probably four steps ahead, laying more traps.”

Rob nodded. “Absolutely. But we can’t let that push us into impulsive moves.

” His tone softened as he addressed Amelia.

“He’s not wrong about one thing: if you get fatigued, if you get reckless, that’s exactly how Wendell can exploit you.

And if that happens, you’ll be out, powerless to do anything about your brother. ”

Amelia looked away, blinking rapidly. “I… It’s just so hard. Brendan’s life is at stake. It’s obvious from what we saw on that phone that Wendell kills hostages whenever it suits him. So how can I sit back and wait?”

Rob’s expression gentled. “We’re not telling you to wait. We’re telling you to do it systematically, with enough rest that you don’t slip up. We can’t have you cornered or blindsided again.”

Finn let out a slow breath. “Rob’s right, Amelia. If we’re too ragged or emotional, we could blow an opportunity or walk into a trap. At least if we’re well-rested, we can strategize effectively.”

She dropped her shoulders, tension easing an inch. “Fine, you both win.” Her tone was weary but not entirely opposed. “Let’s go home, gather ourselves, come back fresh. It still feels wrong when every hour might mean more danger for Brendan.”

Rob offered them both a thin smile. “That’s what I wanted to hear.

Now, I’ve arranged for two patrol cars to keep watch outside your cottage, just in case.

Wendell might attempt something. So you’ll be safe.

” Finn was grateful for his friend’s support, but deep down, he knew that he and Amelia would never be safe until Wendell was caught.