“I’ll meet you there in twenty minutes.” She paused, wondering why she felt so awkward all of a sudden. “Can you call forensics out again?”

“I already did. They are on their way.”

“Question all the neighbors while the evidence team does its stuff.”

“Yes, Detective.”

She winced and hung up, strode into the living room. Aiden stood there looking at her over his shoulder, clearly trying to hide his disappointment.

She walked up to him and gave him a hug, kissed his cheek. “Leave me some dinner, okay?”

Aiden forced a grin. “Sure. Be careful out there, right?”

“I will. I always am.” She was hyperaware she was all he had left.

She ran upstairs and quickly pulled on her clothes including an extra layer of thermal underwear. No wonder she could never get a date.

Elliot Byrne’s image flashed through her brain and she had to laugh. A guy like that would never be interested in a woman like her. She had too many scruples and too much baggage.

An image of Darby O’Roarke sitting looking shellshocked in the interview room that morning replaced Elliot Byrne’s handsome face. What if the girl was innocent?

Signy wasn’t convinced.

It irked her that Eban Winters had discovered this clue although patrol officers had been scheduled to go interview the neighbors this evening anyway. Could he have planted it?

Doubtful but…

Her stomach growled. Whatever his motivation he’d ruined her time with her son and cost her a much-needed meal. She intended to reach out to her friend but also ask her boss to talk to the people at Quantico and find out why the FBI were so interested in this murder.

Then hopefully, Winters would leave her alone to solve her own damn case.

Chapter Ten

Footsteps sounded along the corridor and the lock buzzed. The cell’s metal door opened. A cop stood there with a foreboding expression on his face. Darby shrank away in fear and tried not to panic.

“You’re free to go.”

Darby frowned, clearly mishearing. “Pardon me?”

“I said,” the words were grated out between clenched teeth, “you’re free to go.”

She knew her expression reflected her confusion. “What are you talking about?”

“Do you want to stay here all night, or do you want to get out?”

She shifted forward and stood. “I want to get out, but I still don’t understand what’s going on.” She couldn’t stop her own anger from seeping into her tone. Why wouldn’t he explain?

The officer stood silently back, clearly waiting for her to precede him.

Was this some kind of trick?

She walked hesitantly out of the cell. He led the way to the booking area. A group of officers, not including Detective Torgerson, stared at her sullenly. Darby looked around for Eban, but he wasn’t there. Neither was her attorney.

Unease curled along her nerves.

This felt like some B-movie horror flick, and as soon as she tried to leave, they’d shoot her in the back for attempting to escape. At the booking desk another cop passed her her coat, wallet, keys, phone. Her other clothes were in evidence, including her winter boots.