Mahler returned his gun in its holster. He walked to Eden and knelt next to her. When she looked up, he noticed red stippling across her forehead. He reached with his sleeve to wipe it off.

“Oh, God.” She ran her fingers over her face and hair. “Is it gone?”

Mahler nodded.

“I don’t want him on me.” Her body shook. “Did you get it?”

“It’s gone.” He held one of her hands. “It’s gone.”

Eden looked across the room. “I didn’t think it would be like that.”

“No. It’s not what you expect.”

“It happened so fast.”

“It’s over. You did the right thing.”

“The blood smells,” Eden said. “It’s like something—”

“Metal,” Mahler said.

“Yeah, metal.” Eden took a deep breath and let it out. “Was Thackrey right? Are you having trouble seeing?”

“Yeah, one of my migraines.”

“But you saw me?”

Mahler let go of her hand and sat beside her. He didn’t want to think about how close it was. “I saw you.”

“How’d you know to come here?”

“Thackrey’s friend Tao told us about Reggie Semple. I figured Thackrey might try to get to you after that question you asked him this morning about Semple and Elise Durand.”

For a moment neither of them spoke. The room was dark. They looked across to where Thackrey lay—only his legs visible, splayed where he had fallen.

From outside came the sounds of patrol cars arriving.

“I can’t do this work.” Tears welled in Eden’s eyes. “I was wrong when I said I could.”

The footsteps of other officers sounded behind them. Turning, Mahler held up one hand. “The shooter’s down,” he called to them. “Give us a minute.”

When the others retreated, Eden said, “I’m no good at it.” She wiped at the tears.

“You helped solve the cases, Detective Somers.”

“I should quit. It’d be better for you.”

“For me?”

“You could hire someone more like Frames.”

Mahler smiled. “I’m not sure I could handle two Steve Frameses. Besides, I may not have a job. Chief Truro said he was replacing me.”

“On Wednesday night, when you said I don’t know what this job is, you were right. I don’t.”

“I didn’t mean it.”

“No. You were right. You remember my college thesis?”

“Sure. The Highway 60 serial killer.”

“When I started that research, I wasn’t sure what was important, so I read everything. Witness statements, interview transcripts, investigators’ files, medical examiner’s notes.”

“I remember the appendices.”

“But something happened. That’s what I wanted to tell you this afternoon. One night in college I read the Arizona ME’s report on the cause of death for one victim. You know how the girls were murdered?”

“Suffocation, wasn’t it?”