“You two make an excellent team,” Reinhardt added, before mentioning that he would arrange a flight for their trip home tomorrow, and Tara’s stomach churned even harder.

The phone conversation ended and Tara and Warren stood alone. There was a silence between them before Warren patted her on the back.

“You did a great job, Mills,” he said to her.

The corners of Tara’s mouth rose slightly, but she couldn’t hold back her feelings any longer.

She hesitated, but then spoke. “I’m still not convinced it’s him,” she admitted.

Warren’s smile faded. “Don’t keep pushing this, Mills. You’re going to get yourself into trouble for no reason.”

A silence fell around them, before Warren continued to reassure her that they had found the right person, and then he reached for the door.

“Drop the evidence off at the station on your way back to the hotel, and then get some solid rest. We’ll fly home tomorrow.”

And at that, he left the room, leaving Tara alone with her thoughts.

She tried to push the feelings away, once again. But no matter how many times she told herself that, her gut feeling grew stronger and she knew it was not something she could ignore. But, even if she gave in to her doubts, she didn’t even know where to begin. She needed solid evidence to prove that James Hayden was innocent, and going off on her own would most likely cost her career.

But then she looked down at her hand, which held the evidence bag. She reached into it and pulled out the compasses. These mean something, she told herself. I could take them. She knew that taking evidence with her would get her in trouble, but she also knew it was safer than going off on her own. Instead of dropping off the evidence tonight, she could bring them back tomorrow morning—before anyone would know they were gone.

This was her last chance to study this evidence. The case was closed. She was going home. She needed more answers, and she couldn’t help but feel that the compasses held all that she needed. Her heart pounded as she tucked them back into the evidence bag. It was a rash move, she knew it, but the urge was too strong.

Just when she walked to the door, one last moment of doubt seeped into her mind and she paused briefly. I could get in a lot of trouble for this, she told herself. But, just as the doubt crept into her mind, so did her feelings of why she needed to take them. I just need to study them for a bit longer, she told herself. No one will even know they’re gone. She stepped through the doorframe and let the door close behind her.

Chapter Twenty Eight

Her head was pounding, thumping against her skull as if desperate to shake her—to awaken her—and it had finally been successful. She opened her eyes and all that surrounded her slowly came into focus.