Even though this situation was in no way identical, she still had that same feeling, because in a way she did feel responsible for Warren’s injury. She’d acted on instinct and saved those two girls, but maybe if she pushed a little harder on Warren, maybe if she worked harder at getting him to listen to her, he wouldn’t have had to go after her like he did. He wouldn’t have had to sneak in at such a dangerous moment. She wouldn’t have been fighting for her life. If they arrived together, like they were supposed to, they would’ve each had each other’s backs. She wondered if he blamed her too.

Warren and the girl were each loaded into their own ambulance, and Tara walked toward Warren’s. As she did, she could see cops in the distance, securing the area around the barn and bed and breakfast. A forensics investigator breezed past her, holding the box of compasses she had spotted in the barn hours earlier. They gleamed in the daylight, and she got a quick peek as he strode by. There were dozens inside the box and it reminded Tara of how many lives she had actually saved, because now there would be no more victims, no more missing persons. She had put an end all his future killings. She had saved hikers who didn’t even know what their fate could’ve held, and it made her guilt subside slightly.

She had done what needed to be done. She knew deep down that no one would’ve listened to her, and if she spent the time trying to get them to, she may have been too late.

Tara peered into the ambulance. An EMT sat against the wall, while Warren held a phone to his ear. His head lifted slightly as Tara approached, and he said his goodbyes to the person on the other line.

“Is it all right if I ride with you?” Tara asked as she stepped inside the vehicle.

Both Warren and the EMT nodded, but didn’t speak as Tara sat down beside them.

“How are you feeling?” Tara asked as she met Warren’s eyes.

“I’ve been better, but I’ll survive.” He placed his phone down beside him as another EMT closed the doors of the ambulance. “I spoke to Sheriff Brady,” Warren added as the vehicle rumbled to a start. “I think this all rocked her confidence a bit. She couldn’t believe what happened.”

Tara agreed that she could see why it would, given that Brady was so sure they had already found the killer.

Warren took a deep breath. “And I’m sorry, Mills. I should’ve listened to you,” he finally said.

The EMT stared at the wall in front of him, as if feeling like he were intruding on a private moment.

“I’m sorry too,” Tara replied.

Warren shook his head. “Don’t apologize. You shouldn’t have gone off on your own but I really didn’t give you much of a choice.”

His words surprised Tara. She was sure he was going to reprimand her for what she did—for going off on her own—but it was clear now that he wasn’t planning on doing so.