He rang off and she restrained herself from rolling her eyes. She had bigger things to deal with than a break-in, unless the crimes were related. That was good news though. One less body to worry about.

Signy headed inside the hotel, grabbed the keycard, and registered her license plate with the receptionist. Then headed to the elevator through the busy foyer. Why had the chief been so evasive on the phone? Who exactly did he think might be listening in? Or maybe he didn’t trust her? Did he think she was the person who’d leaked the fact they were releasing Darby O’Roarke to the press yesterday?

She’d considered it, but it had only been a fleeting impulse. At the time, she’d been sure Darby had had something to do with Martin Carstairs’s murder. Despite her rock-solid alibi for Adele Surrey, Signy still wasn’t a hundred percent sure of the girl’s innocence. Darby was smart enough to plant the fingerprint evidence if she was so inclined. She might be working with a partner. The FBI agent seemed to have a lot of faith in the girl though.

On the fourth floor, Signy followed the signs to the correct room even as she wondered what was going on.

She hesitated before she knocked. This better not be some stupid prank where the guys thought it was funny to pretend to be the lawyer. Cops were practical jokers, but she was not in the mood. Not until they had this murderer locked up and people of Fairbanks were safe from this lunatic.

From inside the room, she heard the catch rattle. Elliot Byrne opened the door an inch and stood there looking ridiculously handsome with his blond hair which was slightly damp and flopped over his brow. He wore a shirt unbuttoned at the neck and black pants, but no socks, as if he’d quickly dressed after a shower.

He glanced over her shoulder and when he was sure there was no one behind her he opened the door wide enough for her to brush past him into the room. He smelled like fresh soap and her heartbeat raced a little at his proximity.

Then she halted near the doorway as she took in the scene before her. The room was dark except for one lamp that was on beside the king-size bed. Darby O’Roarke sat on a chair in the corner of the room. The young woman looked at her and then went back to staring out into the night.

Signy turned to Elliot who frowned at her.

“You look tired,” he said softly.

She huffed a laugh to negate the effect he had on her. “Great. Thanks.”

His mouth twitched when she looked back at him. “Fishing for compliments?”

She glared. “Yeah. I’m working a double homicide on little sleep but being pretty enough to satisfy your standards is my highest priority. What’s going on?”

“You’re pretty enough by anyone’s standards and you know it.” He rolled his eyes as if it were obvious, but it was news to her.