Maria turned to face him. It felt like she was seeing him for the first time.

This was her chance. He was her chance.

He would help her. He’d bring her to the dean. To the police. To God himself. She’d tell them everything. Then she’d pay for what she’d done.

Maybe this part wasn’t up to the spirits. Maybe it was up to her.

Brandon had begged her to tell the truth. She hadn’t listened. Now she had another chance.

She met Mateo’s eyes. “I’m sorry. For the email.”

Mateo shrugged. “Yeah, well. That’s not the first thing you should be apologizing for.”

Maria swallowed. “I know.”

She nodded, a tiny dip of her chin. The dagger burned against her wrist.

“What are you doing out here, anyway?” he asked her.

Maria laughed. The sound rolled across the space between them, echoing in the rain. “You wouldn’t believe me.”

Maria’s eyes looked dead already.

He’d come here to make her tell him what she’d done. His phone was recording every word of this in his pocket. He wasn’t leaving here without the proof he needed to show everyone what she really was.

But right now she only looked like a weak, crazy girl standing in the rain. Mateo almost felt sorry for her.

Except she didn’t deserve to be standing there in the first place. Not when Brandon was lying cold in the ground.

“Tell me how you did it,” he said. “Tell me how you killed him. Then I’ll leave you alone. I promise.”

Mateo had loved Brandon too.

Mateo was a good person. Better than Maria ever had been.

She used to think she was different from everyone else. Smarter. Worthier.

There would be no going back from this.

Her grip on the dagger loosened. It slipped through her fingers, the hilt catching and dangling there.

“I’m sorry.” Maria gave up. She collapsed against Mateo, burying her face in his chest. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

His hand fell onto her shoulder. He left it there for a moment. Then he pushed her away.

She rolled off him, leaning back against a goalpost. She tilted her head up, gazing to the west. The rain ran down her face, stinging her eyes.

Blood will have blood.

It hadn’t meant what she’d thought at all. None of it had.

Mateo had to work to stay angry as he watched Maria apologize again and again to the empty sky.

It wasn’t working.

He didn’t know how she’d done it, or why. He only knew she hadn’t really wanted to kill Brandon. It was plain from the look on her face.

She was begging for forgiveness. He didn’t want to give it to her, but he couldn’t help it.