Detective Shane was having a terrible morning.
Which, unfortunately, was becoming a pattern.
She stared at the stack of papers covering her desk and slowly lowered her forehead onto them.
"I quit."
"You say that every Tuesday," Finn replied.
"It is Wednesday."
"You said it yesterday too."
Shane lifted her head and pointed accusingly.
"Exactly. This week has been especially horrible."
Finn ignored her and continued organizing files.
The station buzzed with activity around them, phones ringing and officers moving between desks, but Shane's attention remained fixed on a particular file.
Vincent Dara.
Missing person.
Returned safely.
Case unresolved.
Nothing about it sat right with her.
A week ago she had been convinced Lamar was hiding something.
Now she was convinced someone else was.
She just did not know who.
Her eyes drifted toward a photograph attached to the file.
Vinny.
The same unsettling feeling returned.
Everyone around him seemed to be acting strangely.
Lamar.
His family.
Even Griffin.
Especially Griffin.
"Finn."
"Hm?"
"Have you ever met someone who looked completely innocent but somehow made every instinct in your body scream that something was wrong?"
Finn looked up.
"You mean you?"
Shane threw a pen at her.
Finn dodged it effortlessly.
"Very funny."
"You are talking about Griffin."
Shane leaned back in her chair.
"Maybe."
"Definitely."
Shane sighed.
"Maybe definitely."
Before Finn could respond, a familiar face appeared near the reception desk.
Liz.
Shane immediately sat upright.
The young woman looked exhausted.
Dark circles lingered beneath her eyes.
The last few weeks had clearly taken their toll.
"Speak of the devil," Shane muttered.
A few minutes later Liz sat across from them.
Shane pushed a bottle of water toward her.
"You look like you have not slept."
"I haven't."
"Fair."
Liz accepted the water.
For several moments nobody spoke.
Then she reached into her bag.
"I found something."
Instantly Shane's attention sharpened.
"What kind of something?"
Liz placed several sheets of paper on the desk.
Printouts.
Messages.
Notes.
Dates.
Finn leaned forward.
"What are these?"
"I started writing things down."
"What things?"
Liz hesitated.
Then exhaled slowly.
"Things about Griffin."
The room became very quiet.
Shane exchanged a glance with Finn.
"Go on."
Liz looked uncomfortable.
"Maybe I am being paranoid."
"Everyone says that before discovering something important."
Liz nodded.
"When Vinny first started working at Madam Grace's shop, Griffin showed up occasionally."
"Okay."
"Then he started showing up every day."
Shane said nothing.
"Then he somehow always knew where Vinny was."
Finn's pen stopped moving.
"And after Vinny disappeared…" Liz swallowed.
"He was everywhere."
Shane leaned forward.
"Explain."
"He always seemed to know things."
"What kind of things?"
"Things nobody told him."
Now Shane was listening very carefully.
Liz pulled out another page.
"He knew where Lamar lived."
"He knew where Vinny had been."
"He always arrived at exactly the right moment."
The detective's expression darkened.
Not because any single point was suspicious.
Because together they painted a picture.
A very uncomfortable picture.
Meanwhile, across town, another conversation was taking place.
Madam Grace sat quietly in her living room.
Across from her sat a woman in her late fifties.
Elegant.
Composed.
And visibly irritated.
Griffin's mother.
Evelyn.
"You should have called me sooner."
Madam Grace rolled her eyes.
"You always say that."
"Because it is true."
Evelyn crossed her arms.
"Where is he?"
"Who?"
"Mother."
Madam Grace smiled innocently.
"Could you be more specific?"
"Griffin."
"Oh."
Madam Grace sipped her tea.
"I have no idea."
Evelyn stared at her.
Neither woman blinked.
Finally Madam Grace laughed.
"You are just like him."
"That is not reassuring."
"No. It really isn't."
Evelyn sighed.
For a long moment she stared out the window.
Then she spoke quietly.
"He's getting worse."
The humor disappeared from Madam Grace's face.
"I know."
"He gets attached."
"I know."
"He always has."
Madam Grace lowered her cup.
"Not like this."
Silence settled between them.
Neither woman seemed eager to continue.
Finally Evelyn looked toward her mother.
"Does the boy know?"
"No."
"Should he?"
Madam Grace thought about that.
Long and hard.
"No."
Evelyn looked unconvinced.
Back at the station, Shane had reached the end of Liz's notes.
She sat quietly for several seconds.
Thinking.
Analyzing.
Connecting pieces.
Then she suddenly stood.
Finn nearly dropped her notebook.
"Oh no."
"Oh yes."
"You figured something out."
"Maybe."
"That means definitely."
Shane grabbed her jacket.
"I need coffee."
"You always need coffee."
"I need investigative coffee."
"That's not a thing."
"It is now."
Liz looked between them.
"What happens next?"
Shane's expression shifted.
The usual jokes vanished.
For the first time all morning, she looked serious.
Dangerously serious.
"We start asking questions."
"About Griffin?"
"About everyone."
Shane picked up Vinny's file.
Then she smiled.
A very small smile.
The kind that usually meant trouble for somebody.
"Because I think this story is a lot bigger than a missing person case."
Far across the city, completely unaware of the conversation taking place, Griffin stood on the balcony of his apartment.
Watching the sunset.
Watching the city.
Watching the world.
Behind him, Vinny sat inside reading quietly.
Safe.
Protected.
Close.
Exactly where Griffin wanted him.
A phone vibrated in Griffin's pocket.
He checked the screen.
The message contained only four words.
They're starting to investigate.
For the first time in days, Griffin frowned.
Then slowly locked his phone.
His gaze drifted toward Vinny.
The expression on his face softened instantly.
But only for Vinny.
Only ever for Vinny.
And somewhere deep down, a realization settled over him.
If anyone threatened what he had built…
He would not let them take it away.
No matter who they were.