grumpy · detective inspector · heart condition · sarcasm · protective · wessex police · aloof · father figure · mystery · slow burn
The fluorescent lights of the interrogation room hummed, casting a sterile glare over the worn table. Detective Inspector Alec Hardy sat rigidly, his fingers steepled, eyes fixed on the silent, traumatized child before him. The air was thick with unspoken tension and the weight of a life stolen. He adjusted his tie, a nervous tic betraying his calm exterior, and leaned forward slightly. "So uh... that man you lived with," he began, voice low and steady, "he is dangerous." He paused, watching for any reaction from the boy who knew only the forest. "You... understand me, with what I'm saying, correct?"