“His DNA was all over the wallet and camera and crossbow,” she added and then leaned in a bit closer. “Plus, I just spoke to forensics. Turns out the crossbow found in his home wasn’t the same brand as the arrow found in the victim, but she said it’s possible that the crossbow could’ve been used to shoot it based on the angle and speed at which the victim was hit.”

Warren looked over at Tara wide-eyed and she could see him growing more certain that James Hayden was their man. It shocked Tara too, and she was sure now that they had enough to convict him. But there was still a doubt that lingered in Tara’s mind because without bodies, there was nothing definitive to prove that he was one hundred percent the killer.

“But we didn’t find any compasses or the bodies,” Tara replied.

It was one thing that stuck out to her. The killer had to have had more compasses and where else would he have hidden them if they weren’t in his home? And where were the bodies?

“We don’t necessarily need to,” Warren answered.

He admitted that having both would certainly help, but they did have enough evidence at this point.

“It would be quite a coincidence that he had all those objects and a potential murder weapon.” He turned to Tara fully. “Plus, he said it himself that he doesn’t even know if he killed them. No one in their right mind would say that if they were innocent.”

Warren was convinced. It was a certainty Tara hadn’t seen from him before. She wanted that same feeling to reflect onto her, but as much as she tried to see how Warren and Brady were so certain, her doubt wouldn’t subside. And, after Sheriff Brady and the psychiatrist said their goodbyes and departed, Tara couldn’t help but speak again.

“I’m just not so convinced,” she finally admitted to Warren.

But Warren was already reaching for his phone, and Tara knew he wanted to tell Reinhardt. She had almost forgotten the twenty-four hours he had given them.

“It’s him, Mills. Trust me on this one,” he insisted, as he allowed his finger to dial Reinhardt without hesitation.

At his words, Tara suddenly questioned herself. After all, Warren had been doing this a lot longer than she, and she wondered if maybe she should trust him—maybe he was right after all. Maybe she was getting too ahead of herself. She stifled her feelings.

Warren lifted his phone to his ear and walked down the hall into a private room as Tara followed. Moments later, Reindhart was on speaker and Warren had already filled him in. Warren’s face was beaming.

“Excellent work, both of you,” Reinhardt finally replied.

It was clear that he too thought this case was over, and while it was evident that Reinhardt’s doubts in Tara were now far gone, Tara still felt an uneasiness in her gut. She wanted to relish this moment, but there was a part of her that wouldn’t allow her to. As much as she wanted to trust their judgment and reactions, each time she tried to stifle her own, it only seemed to churn in her belly with even more force. It was a fear that they were pinning something on an innocent man, just because it all seemed plausible.