Great. Proving Darby innocent was going to take more than the cops letting her go.

“Your dog was disturbed by something around twelve-thirty?”

“Twelve thirty-three. I checked.” The woman laughed self-consciously. “I’m a bit of an insomniac, and I’ve become obsessed with what time I wake up.”

“Maybe we’ll crate Jasper in the basement from now on. That way we might both get a good night’s sleep.” Joe didn’t look particularly pleased with Jasper.

The woman made reassuring cooing noises at her dog.

“You ever seen people coming and going from your neighbors’ house at night?”

Joe scratched his forehead. “Nah. Not really, but we don’t spy on people.”

“Did you know them at all?”

“Yeah, we know Martin and Gregory.” His mouth tightened.

The guy was not particularly forthcoming with information. Time for a little of what Eban was supposedly good at. “Gregory?”

“The other guy who lives there. Gregory’s gone up north for field work. The two of them were best buddies.” Joe stared down at his feet and sadness washed over his features. “He’s gonna be devastated.”

“Did they have girlfriends? Boyfriends?”

Joe looked bemused. “We never talked about that.”

Louise’s smile was weighted by grief. “I don’t think so. Gregory had a girlfriend before he moved to Fairbanks but she broke up with him not long after he arrived here, so he was still pretty cut up about that. Martin was looking for the right girl. I think he was sweet on someone from work, but he never mentioned her name.”

Maybe he thought he’d found her last night at the dance. If the guy hadn’t been murdered, maybe Martin and Darby would be starting a new relationship right about now.

Eban wasn’t sure how that made him feel. Not relieved, as a man was dead. Fortunate? Like he’d been given a second chance to reassess and figure out what was important to him? Terrified he’d mess it all up when she needed a friend more than she needed anything else?

“No enemies that you know of? No one ever knocking on the door causing trouble? No issues?”

“Nope. Nothing.” Louise shook her head and then wiped away tears. “Martin was a super nice guy. A good neighbor. They both were.”

Joe shifted his feet, seemingly uncomfortable with his wife’s display of emotion. “I plow their driveway whenever we get any significant snowfall—hadn’t gotten around to it after last night’s flurries, but it was only a few inches so I figured it could wait.”

Eban had passed a gleaming F-150 in the driveway with a plow attached to the front.

“They helped me stack wood in the fall.” His mouth thinned. “Both wicked smart but practical with it. They threw a party before Christmas, even invited us over. Apart from that we wouldn’t know they were there most of the time.”

“Did you go to the party?”

“Not really our crowd.”

Eban used the silence to draw out more information.

“University folk. I’m a simple guy who didn’t even go to college.” Joe looked uncomfortable talking about his lack of education.