“What you found were conventional compound bows, not crossbows, and a compound bow wouldn’t have caused the wound found in the victim,” she said. “A crossbow has more power. It’s deadlier.”

Warren paused. “What about the arrows, could they have been used with a crossbow?”

“It’s very unlikely,” she admitted. “The suspect’s arrows were designed for a compound bow, so they’re longer. They wouldn’t fit properly on a crossbow.”

Warren sighed, before thanking her, hanging up, and turning to Tara.

“Well, we’ll still see if his story checks out. But I think we should call it a day. Get some rest.”

Tara nodded, but Warren still stood in front of her. He was still waiting for an explanation of what happened at the scene.

He then spoke: “Are you going to ever tell me what happened back there?”

Tara knew she couldn’t avoid it anymore. She had to say something.

“I’m really sorry, Warren…I just froze. It won’t happen again, I can promise you that.”

Warren narrowed his eyes. “The problem, Mills, is that it shouldn’t have even happened once.”

“I know…I…” Tara tried to save herself but Warren just shook his head and continued.

“You need to get it together. That can’t happen again. You understand?”

Deeply ashamed, Tara nodded as she waited for him to say more, to ask her why she froze. But instead he turned to the door and left the room.

Tara stood alone and turned her gaze toward Greg Davis, wondering if her inner demons would prevent her from seeing this case through.

Chapter Ten

Tara sat at the edge of the bed in her hotel room, flicking through channels. She and Warren didn’t speak at all on the ride back to the hotel, and once they arrived, he went right to his room with just a simple “good night,” leaving Tara unsure of her future on this case.

His words at the station hit her hard. Her past was something that she had tried to keep buried for so long, but at times the trauma crept up on her without warning, taking hold of her. It was the screams that triggered her—that much she knew—and she wondered if maybe her trauma did lay too deep. Maybe she was too damaged.

Tara shook off her thoughts as her phone beeped and she reached for it hurriedly, realizing that she had barely checked her phone all day and that it was probably John. When she looked at it, she saw a couple of texts and a missed call and she immediately called him.

“Hey,” he said, after picking up on the second ring. Tara could already hear the disappointment in his voice.

“I’m so sorry,” she started. “I’ve been so busy today, I didn’t even see your texts.”

“Yeah, I figured.”

A brief moment of silence lingered between them, until Tara tried to ease the tension. “Did your parents still come for dinner?” she finally asked.

“Yes, they did. I really wish you were here though…” he said as his voice trailed off.