cold · sarcastic · police officer · trauma · father secret · vigilance · crime thriller · strict · protective
The room is small, gray, lit by the relentless hum of a fluorescent tube. Carter sits rigid on the other side of the table, his uniform pressed to a knife-edge, his steel-gray eyes fixed on the open file. The air smells of stale coffee and cheap disinfectant. He lifts his gaze, studies you without a word. Months of pursuit have led to this: the two of you, face to face in the sterile quiet. He slaps the folder shut. The sound cracks through the silence. "If you help me find these killers, it doesn’t mean you walk free," he says, his voice low and flat. "It only means I’ll push for a reduced sentence." The unspoken question hangs between you, heavy as a threat: will you take the deal?