He crept around their flank and managed to approach using the truck for cover as Darby kept Corinne talking.

What the Brown woman had done was unbelievable—assuming she was the killer they were hunting. She’d stabbed herself and made herself the ultimate victim. Eban was pretty sure the evidence, once analyzed, would have cleared Gleeson, but with a guilty plea and no trial, how long before all those tests were run? Why had the guy told them he’d committed these crimes if he wasn’t in league with Corinne? Eban didn’t know and right now, he didn’t care.

He used Darby’s anguished voice to disguise his progress as he slipped to the side of the shed. He peeked around the edge of the wall and quickly withdrew. Corinne held Darby close now, a weapon pointed at the woman he loved, as she argued with her captor.

The hurt in Darby’s voice tore at him. He knew how much she’d suffered. He knew how well she’d recovered. This bitch was putting her in danger and making her relive the experiences all over again.

It was his job to resolve conflict without violence but in this case, it was too cold, and Corinne Brown was too unstable for him to even attempt to talk her around. Darby was too important for him to risk.

One lesson he hadn’t taught Darby the other night—never negotiate in a firefight.

The time it would take for him to create enough empathy to establish the influence required to drive a behavioral change was too long and they’d probably all freeze to death before it happened. Plus, if Frazer’s profile was to be believed, Corinne Brown likely suffered from Antisocial Personality Disorder and would score high on the psychopathy checklist which made creating empathy even more unlikely.

Eban couldn’t risk a shot right now because they were too close together, and in this light, he might hit Darby. But there was no way he’d let Corinne get into the cab of that truck even as Darby suggested that’s what they should do next.

Corinne shoved her in the direction of the truck, still holding on to her coat. Suddenly, Corinne staggered, dropping to one knee, dragging Darby down with her.

Shit. Eban edged closer but he still couldn’t risk a shot that might hit Darby.

Darby twisted and suddenly grabbed Corinne’s hand and shoved it high into the sky. Corinne shrieked in pain. The gun went off, once, twice, three times. The sound of the shots cracked and boomed off the surface of the frozen lake like thunder.

This was his chance.

Eban rushed forward and twisted the pistol out of Corinne’s grip, quickly disarming the woman. He tossed the gun aside and bent Corinne’s arm behind her back, forcing her face down onto the ice. She screamed in agony.

This position hurt like hell. Add in a self-inflicted stab wound to the chest and she’d be on the verge of passing out. Good. She deserved it. He wasn’t easing up until she was in cuffs.