“Yes. Do it.” Eban pointed his finger at the guy and then turned to Signy. “Also, see if there are any electronic signals from any vehicles pinging off those towers around the same time. Talk to the cell carriers and mobile networks.” These were good potential sources of information, but it would take time to narrow it down into useable data.

Eban slumped back in his seat. “Still waiting on DNA profiles from the knife.” He frowned. “Check knife sales for the last twenty-four hours too. I don’t think the UNSUB planned to leave the weapon at the Carstairs murder. Probably not until the moment they decided to frame Darby. They’d need a new one to kill Adele Surrey.” Although this was Alaska and hunting knives were common. “Crosscheck everything.”

“The size of the smaller boots suggests this could be a female…” said Signy.

Eban nodded. “Definitely possible. Or a guy with small feet.” One in six serial killers were women. He went to the next item on his list. “The break-in at the therapist’s office.”

“We don’t know for sure it’s connected to the murders,” Signy stated.

“It’s tickling my spidey senses. The receptionist turned up alive and well you said?”

“Apparently.”

Eban frowned. “You didn’t speak to her yourself?”

Signy shook her head. “Gleeson left a message on my cell earlier and told me he spoke to her. She was in Anchorage like he suspected.”

“Gleeson spoke to her?”

Signy licked her lips. “Yeah. And, yeah, I took his word. He’s the one who reported her missing in the first place.”

Eban paced. “I want verification.”

“You suspect the therapist?” Allan asked.

He shot the guy a smile. “I suspect anyone who can squeeze their dainty feet into those snow boots—except Darby.”

Allan Robertson snorted. “Not me, then. We’re looking for Cinderella and I’m one of the ugly sisters.”

Everyone laughed. They needed a little relief from the grimness of the last few days.

“I’ll call Corinne Brown first thing in the morning,” Signy assured him. “Verify she’s alive and in Anchorage.”

Eban nodded. “Can you arrange a plainclothes officer to visit the Borealis Bar in town ASAP? It’s where the grad students hang out on a Friday night.”

“Right now?” Allan asked, looking worn out by the prospect.

Eban checked his watch. “Tomorrow.” Which was Friday anyway. “This person intersected with Darby somewhere and Darby doesn’t have much of a social life. Canvass the bar and see if anyone remembers seeing anyone paying attention to Darcy.”

Would Darby’s social life have been better if he’d opened up more to the possibility of “them”? He doubted it. Darby was devoted to and driven by her work. It made all the issues standing between them rise up in his mind, but he pushed the worries aside. After they caught this killer, he and Darby could discuss their relationship. Figure out if they had what it took to handle long distance. Or not.

Shit. The idea of not made his mouth go dry.