A jolt went through her. “What?”

Tim rubbed his eyes. She wondered if he’d slept at all in one of those horrible cells. “He told me he was sweet on a girl he worked with who had red hair.”

“What?” Her voice cracked.

She held Tim’s bloodshot gaze and realized he was telling the truth. “I didn’t know.”

She undid her jacket because it was hot inside the building and she was swaddled like a babe.

Tim’s gaze settled on the cut on her neck that she’d applied fresh steri strips to that morning but had left the bandage off.

“Oh god.” He covered his mouth in a horrified whisper. “I’m so sorry.”

Darby resisted the urge to tell him it was okay. It wasn’t okay. She understood his rage, but it wasn’t okay.

Eban urged her around the man. “Time to go. You don’t get absolution yet, pal. You tried to kill an innocent woman and almost ended up shot in the process. You’re damned lucky to be alive and I suggest you go comfort your parents and stay out of trouble while laying your brother to rest.”

Darby looked over her shoulder and her heart squeezed at the anguish she saw on the guy’s face.

Eban murmured softly, “Let him earn your forgiveness.”

“He lost someone he loves. I empathize with his pain.”

“Yeah, I know you do. But you don’t have to carry the burden of that for him. He must cope with his loss the same way you had to cope with yours. Let the courts deal with him before you let him completely off the hook.”

Eban waited for her to enter the conference room ahead of him. The blinds were shut and she was grateful it was empty. It was only seven AM. Eban had been eager to get to work and she’d always been an early riser, so she didn’t mind. She felt energized and revitalized after last night.

Signy Torgerson followed them in, so they weren’t alone for long. Darby avoided looking at any of the images, grateful Tim hadn’t caught sight of the photographs on the whiteboard.

“I’ll set up behind the screen again,” Darby offered.

“I was hoping you might look at the cell cam videos and photographs from the ceilidh with one of the officers this morning. Help us identify people in attendance.” A crease formed between Eban’s brows. “If you feel up to it.”

“I do.” She wanted to be proactive and help.

A commotion began out in the bullpen and the tall patrol sergeant, the one who’d noticed the fingerprint inconsistencies, jogged over to the door and leaned inside.

“There’s been another attack.”

Darby’s mood crashed.

“Victim’s unconscious but alive. They rushed her to the hospital.”

“You take it,” Eban Winters insisted, glancing over at her. “I’ll stay here with whoever else turns up from the team to go through any evidence that came in overnight. You two go see if you can question the witness and examine the crime scene.”