Home.

It didn’t feel like home anymore.

It felt like a place to keep her stuff.

Eban felt like home.

They needed to talk. See if they could work out a plan to be closer than four thousand miles. Her heart had finally found its mate and the last thing she wanted was to lose him.

* * *

Eban sat beside Signy in the front passenger seat of her four-wheel drive and watched the front door of the building where Gleeson had recently finished lecturing to a few hundred psychology students. Adrenaline buzzed through Eban’s bloodstream. Takedowns never got old.

Knowing this killer’s predilection for knives, they both wore Kevlar.

“He’s leaving his office. Has his coat on and is carrying what looks like a laptop bag.” The information came over the radio. They had unmarked units set up ready to block the roads if Gleeson managed to escape. One man inside. Two posted in another vehicle nearer the entrance. The plan was to wait until Gleeson was almost at his car before Eban and Torgerson apprehended him.

“He’s leaving the building.” The radio crackled.

They watched Gleeson hurry across the campus, head down, keeping his face out of the gusty wind that had died down a little overnight. Thankfully, there wasn’t anyone else nearby.

“Ready?” Eban asked.

Signy nodded and they both got out of the vehicle, drawing their weapons. They split up, approaching Gleeson from different sides.

“Police!” Signy shouted. “Show me your hands.”

Gleeson swung around in surprise then seemed to realize she was addressing him.

He came to a standstill and his eyes widened.

“Show me your hands. Hands in the air. Show me your hands now!”

Confusion was followed by fear as he raised both hands.

“Put the bag on the ground. Slowly.”

“What’s going on?”

“Do as I say.”

Gleeson leaned forward, never taking his gaze off them and placed his computer bag on the snow. Eban looked for some sign of guilt, some sort of acknowledgment as to why they were here, but all he saw was confusion.

“Take three steps to your right. Down on your knees. Hands on your head.”

Eban covered Signy as she slapped handcuffs on the guy and read him his rights. He pulled Gleeson to his feet and marched him to the rear of a patrol car that had sped over to act as backup. Eban helped him into the back seat and slammed the door. He picked up the laptop case and put it in a large evidence bag and placed it in Signy’s trunk.

Was this their killer? He held Gleeson’s gaze as the man was driven past him to the police station for questioning. He’d texted Darby ten minutes ago and told her to grab tea and use the facilities and then stay in the conference room until he told her otherwise.

She’d sent him a thumbs up which he assumed meant she’d comply.

“You don’t look convinced he’s our guy,” Signy noted, staring after the patrol car.