Emotions filled Eban, so many he could barely think. She loved him. She wanted to make a family with him. “I am more than happy to figure this out with you and I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you all this in the car. I was terrified of saying the wrong thing and driving you away. I’m never gonna make that mistake again.”

“Yeah, you will.” A tall man wearing a woolen overcoat and Russian-style hat walked toward him.

“Ah. ASAC Frazer. You made it. And, yes, I probably will.”

“We arrived a little late by the looks of it.” Frazer examined the scene with bemusement.

“Just in time to get Ms. Brown to admit to all her crimes,” Eban noted.

“She told me her stepfather abused her and that the first person she killed was a woman who tried to pimp her out while she was in foster care,” Darby said in a rush.

Lincoln Frazer held out his gloved hand to shake Darby’s. “All things I put in my profile. Nice to finally meet you, Ms. O’Roarke. Unfortunately, I need you to come into the city right now and provide me with a witness statement. The last thing we need is this woman slipping through any cracks and getting bail before we’ve compiled all the necessary evidence.”

Eban felt Darby shiver under his hands. “Corinne won’t be getting bail.”

“She also said she set up Dr. Gleeson and that he probably confessed because he thought his son might have been the killer.”

“I see. I’m sure I’ll have a few pertinent words for the good doctor too,” Frazer said dryly. “Do you want a ride in the helicopter or the cruiser back to the station?”

Eban hadn’t even noticed the chopper had landed nearby—he’d been too caught up in telling Darby how he felt. “We’ll take the cruiser back to the boat launch and I’ll grab my rental. We’ll meet you in town.”

“Fair enough,” Frazer said before walking away.

“Is it over?” Darby asked quietly, still hugging him.

“Almost.” Eban wrapped his arm around her shoulder and looked up at where the North Star twinkled between a bank of fast-moving clouds. He’d found his own True North on an island far away and he wasn’t losing her now. “Let’s give our statements so Corinne stays locked up and never hurts anyone again. And then let’s head to the cabin and spend a week naked in the hot tub.”

Darby laughed, and he marveled once again at her resilience.

“Deal,” she said, kissing him on the mouth despite the audience. He kissed her back. Knew he was a lucky man and hoped he never took her for granted ever again. Hoped he was worthy of the gift she’d given him.

* * *

Signy felt like a fraud for accepting all the congratulations from her fellow cops over the arrest of Corinne Brown. She hadn’t even known the woman was out of the hospital until Eban had woken her from a deep, deep sleep.