his hand over his gun.
Finn's hand hovered towards his knife.
“There’s a lot of bad men out in the world right now,” the officer said, now addressing Minty again. “Not many are willing to offer food without wanting something in return.”
Minty seemed to grow pale as if the comment made full sense to him. “Finn is all right. He’s a good guy.”
Finn bristled at the words. There he goes again.
The officer eyeballed Finn. “Is that so?”
“No, it’s not,” said Finn. “I’m not a good guy, officer. In fact, I’m a pretty bad guy, even by today’s standards. It still doesn't make me someone who hurts kids.”
Finn thought of the little girl in the rubble.
At least, not any more.
“I gave Minty food because he needed it. In return, he is helping me find a warehouse called Latif’s.”
The officer was quiet for a moment while he digested what Finn had told him. Gradually, his hand moved away from his gun and relaxed by his hip. “Well, I suppose that’s the best I can expect nowadays. If you’re looking for Latif’s, you found it. It’s right at the end of this road. I wouldn’t advise going there though.”
Finn took a step towards the officer which made the man flinch and touch his gun again. Finn had to raise his hands to show no threat. “Why wouldn’t I want to go there, officer?”
“Because it burned down. I heard shooting last night, and when I went to check things out this morning, the warehouse was a blackened ruin.”
Finn ground his teeth. Had Dom set a fire, or had he been inside the building when it went up? Was he already dead? A twist of irony Finn would not appreciate.
I want that fucker to know who I am before I kill him. I want him to know he’s dying because of what he did to Marie. I want a confession. For my ma.
“I still need to check it out.” Finn turned to Minty. “You should stay here.”
“No way. I don’t know this guy.” He reached down and clutched Wonder Dog as if looking for agreement.
“He’s a police officer.”
“So? You know all those people I told you about? The ones who walked right on by while that woman lay on the ground begging for help? One of them was a pig.”
Finn winced at the slur, but the officer didn’t seem insulted. The time for sensitivity had long passed.
The officer sighed. “I’m sorry about that, son. Truth is, many of my colleagues who tried to do their duty when things went bad were beaten or stabbed to death. There's a lot more bad in this world than good, I'm afraid. I’ve been on my own for weeks now. A few of the junior officers took off early on, but most of the older guys stayed as long as they could stand. Police officers are human beings too—not all of them are good, I’m afraid. You’ll be safe with me though, son. Both of you, in fact. I have food, some water.”
Minty shook his head without even considering it. “I’m going with Finn.”
“No, you’re not!” Finn growled. “Look, kid, I appreciate you wanting to help me, but let’s not forget it was me who got you out of that room. I don’t owe you anything. Time to say goodbye. This fella is obviously the best bet for you.”
“I’m not staying here.” Minty moved to Finn’s side. Wonder Mutt followed, tail wagging. “I don’t know this guy.”
“No, you don’t, but you don’t know me either.”
“You’ve protected me instead of hurting me. That’s not something I’m about to give up.”
“It’s not your choice.” Finn walked away.
Minty and the dog followed.
“I’ll just follow you,” said Minty.
Finn turned, and was about to yell at the kid when he froze solid. Minty was oblivious to what was going on behind him and kept on arguing. “You saved me, so now you have to take care of me. I’m not stay—”
“Minty! Shut up and turn around.”
“No, I won’t stay—”
“Minty! Turn your empty head around.”
Wonder Mutt growled.
Minty frowned, but seemed to finally get the message. He turned around
Finn's hand hovered towards his knife.
“There’s a lot of bad men out in the world right now,” the officer said, now addressing Minty again. “Not many are willing to offer food without wanting something in return.”
Minty seemed to grow pale as if the comment made full sense to him. “Finn is all right. He’s a good guy.”
Finn bristled at the words. There he goes again.
The officer eyeballed Finn. “Is that so?”
“No, it’s not,” said Finn. “I’m not a good guy, officer. In fact, I’m a pretty bad guy, even by today’s standards. It still doesn't make me someone who hurts kids.”
Finn thought of the little girl in the rubble.
At least, not any more.
“I gave Minty food because he needed it. In return, he is helping me find a warehouse called Latif’s.”
The officer was quiet for a moment while he digested what Finn had told him. Gradually, his hand moved away from his gun and relaxed by his hip. “Well, I suppose that’s the best I can expect nowadays. If you’re looking for Latif’s, you found it. It’s right at the end of this road. I wouldn’t advise going there though.”
Finn took a step towards the officer which made the man flinch and touch his gun again. Finn had to raise his hands to show no threat. “Why wouldn’t I want to go there, officer?”
“Because it burned down. I heard shooting last night, and when I went to check things out this morning, the warehouse was a blackened ruin.”
Finn ground his teeth. Had Dom set a fire, or had he been inside the building when it went up? Was he already dead? A twist of irony Finn would not appreciate.
I want that fucker to know who I am before I kill him. I want him to know he’s dying because of what he did to Marie. I want a confession. For my ma.
“I still need to check it out.” Finn turned to Minty. “You should stay here.”
“No way. I don’t know this guy.” He reached down and clutched Wonder Dog as if looking for agreement.
“He’s a police officer.”
“So? You know all those people I told you about? The ones who walked right on by while that woman lay on the ground begging for help? One of them was a pig.”
Finn winced at the slur, but the officer didn’t seem insulted. The time for sensitivity had long passed.
The officer sighed. “I’m sorry about that, son. Truth is, many of my colleagues who tried to do their duty when things went bad were beaten or stabbed to death. There's a lot more bad in this world than good, I'm afraid. I’ve been on my own for weeks now. A few of the junior officers took off early on, but most of the older guys stayed as long as they could stand. Police officers are human beings too—not all of them are good, I’m afraid. You’ll be safe with me though, son. Both of you, in fact. I have food, some water.”
Minty shook his head without even considering it. “I’m going with Finn.”
“No, you’re not!” Finn growled. “Look, kid, I appreciate you wanting to help me, but let’s not forget it was me who got you out of that room. I don’t owe you anything. Time to say goodbye. This fella is obviously the best bet for you.”
“I’m not staying here.” Minty moved to Finn’s side. Wonder Mutt followed, tail wagging. “I don’t know this guy.”
“No, you don’t, but you don’t know me either.”
“You’ve protected me instead of hurting me. That’s not something I’m about to give up.”
“It’s not your choice.” Finn walked away.
Minty and the dog followed.
“I’ll just follow you,” said Minty.
Finn turned, and was about to yell at the kid when he froze solid. Minty was oblivious to what was going on behind him and kept on arguing. “You saved me, so now you have to take care of me. I’m not stay—”
“Minty! Shut up and turn around.”
“No, I won’t stay—”
“Minty! Turn your empty head around.”
Wonder Mutt growled.
Minty frowned, but seemed to finally get the message. He turned around
Similar Books
