Chapter 1

The office is always freezing – I never actually understand why. It was February, the temperature outside was sub-zero and there were rumours of snow falling next week. However, the office just installed a new heating device which appeared to be working for everyone else, apart from myself. Perhaps it was because my office was in the corner, away from everyone else? Probably it. But would I prefer to sit in the middle of the room with the heater next to me, or sit in the corner alone with my headphones and my cases, not having to talk to anyone? I would always pick the latter.

I had been working in the Belfast south police unit for over six years, becoming a detective sergeant in the process. Normally, sergeants in the police get their own offices but I couldn't focus sitting by myself. I had to have stuff going on around me, with music, to even attempt to focus. My mind was always going too fast, running around constantly, and if I had nothing to look at, I would just do nothing. My chief inspector who runs the station understood and gave me the corner desk, where I overlooked the entire office but was hidden out of the way and was allowed a desk plant as well. Only thing is, the corner appears to be freezing. I pulled my hoodie closer to me – thankfully, I didn't have to wear uniform and could wear whatever I fancied. Unlike others, I had no one to impress. So whilst everyone else was in fashionable winterwear and knitted jumpers, I was in fleece lined leggings, some cheap boots, two layers of base layers and a hoodie.

'Have you heard, Loughlin?' Alice said to me and I frowned up at her. Alice was another detective on the squad, one that I work with often and considered a decent friend. I daren't get close to people. I had in the past, and it had ended badly.

'Heard what?' I replied back.

'Bloody hell, it's like the Artic over here.' Alice laughed and I smiled. 'Should have accepted your office when you got promoted, at this rate even Lawrence will be dead.' She touched my desk plant.

'Lawrence is fake. Lawrence is a fake plant.' I said and Alice looked at me and nodded.

'Lawrence will die if it remains this cold over here. No, they have someone coming over from the FBI to help with the missing gems case. He works in the FBI, leads a division about trans-national crimes with allied countries and they've sent him over to help with the gems case. Isn't that your case?' Alice said sitting up on the desk. I looked at her and I frowned. I knew the case; several massive gems and pearls had been stolen from a celebrities house in Belfast and they believed to have been imported illegally to America. But I didn't know they had got someone from the FBI to come over. Didn't seem like a case for the FBI.

'Yeah, why have they got the FBI involved?'

'No idea. Maybe there were more gems involved? The price went up? Or it's part of a bigger case? Mitch has gone to pick him up from the airport.' Alice explained. 'Him.'

'Him?' I asked again, not getting the point.

'Well, you're getting on about and you seem reluctant to go dating.' Alice laughed, and I rolled my eyes. She didn't know the half of it. Alice had no idea about my gift, or how deadly it is, and the real reason I lived alone in a small flat an hour commute from the office. Alice, on several occasions, asked about moving in together and I had to refuse her each time. But I was scared to ruin our friendship. The second we argued, I would get upset or annoyed and I would wipe her mind. I didn't want to do that.

'I'm not just going to hit on the first male that walks through the door, Alice!' I laughed, and she rolled her eyes as we heard the elevator door ping. I looked over, cowing back in my chair as I saw Mitch walk out. Mitch was a rank ahead of me and ran the station detectives, giving everyone the cases and making me take over the office when he was out.

And then the most beautiful man walked out behind him. The man was easily over six foot, brown hair going every which direction. He was built amazingly, muscles in places I wasn't entirely sure muscles could grow. He was dressed in just a pair of boots, some jeans and a plain top. Mitch showed him into the office before looking at me, nodding and winking.

'Oh God, even Mitch wants to hook you up with a beautiful FBI man!'

'Yeah, he ain't bad looking, is he?' I laughed and Alice pretended to have a heart attack.

'What is this? Finley admits someone looks decent? SERGEANT LOUGHLIN HAS HUMAN EMOTIONS, EVERYONE, THIS IS A BREAKTHROUGH.' Alice called loudly and I looked at her.

'Detective, haven't you got cases to be working on?' I said and she looked at me.

'Don't give me that work tone, Loughlin. I'll be watching you and cute FBI man.' Alice said before heading to her desk – directly in front of mine.

I put my headphones back in before typing up the report for one of my old cases, ready to be taken into court. The paperwork was always length, and it had to be correct or the evidence would not be accepted in court and would be thrown out, alongside the case. It was around half an hour later, perhaps even an hour, before the door to Mitch's office opened. I subtly muted the music to hear what Mitch was going to say but continued to type, head down, not paying attention at all.

'Everyone, can I have your attention? This is Will Benedict, he's going to work on the missing imported gem case for a month. Please treat him like one of our own. Sargent Loughlin, he will be working with you to try and find those gems. Don't be an asshole to him.' Mitch said directly at me as I continued to type, pretending not to hear what he said. 'Loughlin.' Mitch said. 'Finley, come on.'

I took out my headphone, pretending just to notice him and beautiful FBI man behind him – what was his name again.

'Don't be an asshole to this one.' Mitch mumbled to me before walking off. Will looked at me nervously, his eyes a wonderful blue-green colour and a lovely stubble.

'So… nice to meet you – Finley, right?' Will said before he took my hand and shook it.

'Yeah, yeah it is.' I said and Will nodded awkwardly before he took a step closing to me.

'Bloody hell why is it so cold over her? I live in mountains and it's freezing.' Will said and I smiled shyly. 'So, the gem case.' He said.

'Yeah, yeah. Come with me, I have a nice board somewhere with it all explained.' I explained, getting out of my chair, walking away and Will didn't follow.

'Finley, don't you need shoes?' Will laughed as he saw my fluffy socks – I had forgotten I had kicked off my shoes when I came in this morning. I blushed and nodded, walking quickly back over and awkwardly fumbling with my cheap black fleece-lined boots as Will just watched. I realised I was shaking. Will, watching me like a hawk, didn't mention my fumbling hands. Instead, he just smiled shyly as I got up – I only came up to his chest – and led him into the investigation room, where I had all my notes on display; the searches, the photographs, the CCTV photos, everything. I wanted to at least look prepared for the beautiful FBI man when really, I had no idea what I was doing with this case.

/\\/\\/\\

Hiya.

I'm expecting this to be quite short story. I was planning on doing a follow-on story from the perspective of Sky, i have a storyline and everything, but the more I started writing this, the more I started to like Finley. So this is the backstory for Finley, which is why it's quite thin and rough. I just wanted to know if people liked Finley before I started - or if you wanted the other story to follow to be written.

Let me know if you like it. I know it's not amazing but it's something.

Also, the character and backstory of Finley were roughly taken from a FanFiction my older sister started two years back but had no interesting in carrying on.