She let out a long breath. “That actually sounds like a lot of fun.” She sniffed back a watery laugh. “Look, I’m not going to pretend I’m okay with what just happened. I’m not. As tempting as it is to run away and hide, I can’t do it either. Not when this killer is out there probably planning their next murder while I take the brunt of public hatred.” She sniffed again, tears held at bay. “Not when I might be able to help catch them.”

Eban cleared his throat. “You’re sure about this? We could go to the cabin and close the door. Forget everything else in the world for a few days.”

She laughed bitterly. “Forget everything? I don’t think so.”

He wanted to make some comment about making her forget but now wasn’t the time or place. The last two days had been an unrelenting nightmare and this killer had been operating unchecked for years.

“I’ll make you a deal. You get checked out in the ER, and then we will both go see where the investigation is at for a few hours before going and getting a good night’s sleep. We can do the same thing tomorrow until the other Feds arrive and I can work on a plan to get you away from here without the UNSUB knowing.”

Darby glanced warily the hospital. “I guess.” She sounded less than enthusiastic.

He took her hand and kissed her fingers. “Let the doctor check whether or not you need stitches. The sooner we get out of here the more likely we are to avoid the press.”

Darby shuddered. “Okay. Fine.” She pushed open the door and snow swirled inside the car. The storm was getting worse. “Assuming we can even get to the cabin. Do you know if they plow that road?”

He got out of the car and came around to her side of the vehicle. Wrapped his arm around her waist because he could. “I will call the owner and confirm while you get checked out. We can always book a room somewhere in town overnight.”

Her eyes widened at that.

Yeah. A room. Singular. He wasn’t letting her out of his sight again until this UNSUB was caught.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Signy Torgerson marched Tim Carstairs up to the booking desk. While she understood his motivation, there was no excuse for taking the law into his own hands.

“How do you think your mother is going to feel with you in jail for your brother’s funeral? Frankly, you’re lucky you’re not joining him in the casket.” The fact neither she nor Winters had shot this guy was a miracle.

Tim Carstairs started sobbing again and Signy wanted to shake the guy. She got it, but what the hell? She also felt a stab of guilt. She’d only been doing her job when she’d arrested Darby—it hadn’t been personal. Not even Darby had seemed convinced of her innocence when they’d first detained her. If it wasn’t for the second murder and a possible connection to an active serial killer, Darby would still have been Signy’s prime suspect because the sophistication of this UNSUB was unprecedented in this community.