It was a guardedly somber day at the church, and in the town as a whole. Tami was well-known and liked. And word spread rapidly about what had happened. The Rogue telegraph was on overdrive. In her year plus working in Rogue’s Hollow, Tess felt crime here more personally than she ever had in Long Beach. Someone, usually someone Tess knew, always knew the victim. Crime, especially violent crime, hit home.

Tess knew that it hit Oliver particularly hard as she watched him console Tami’s mother at the church. Sadly, the woman could tell her nothing about who Tami might have been with.

Tess planned to follow them to the hospital, but when it became apparent that Rosita really didn’t know any more about her daughter’s “date,” she decided that she could do more in town, trying to find the culprit.

“I understand, and I agree,” Oliver told Tess. “I’ll call you if there is any news.”

“Thanks.” Tess reached out and gripped his arm. “I’ll find the person who did this—I promise.”

He nodded. “I know you will.” He touched her hand briefly before heading for his car.

Several people from the prayer team followed Oliver and Rosita to the hospital. Tess watched them go, wishing she felt as comfortable with the prayer team and other members of Oliver’s church as she thought she should be. That niggling worry hit again. She’d realized early on that Oliver was the whole package—he was as dedicated to his church as she was to her job. Sometimes fear struck. Could the two of them really forge a life together when their two professions often seemed intent on pulling them apart?

“Do you really think you’re any good for him?”

“What?” She turned, frowning. An older woman Tess knew in passing—Alana was her name—had come up behind her. Alana was a longtime church member, from before Oliver was hired, and part of the meals ministry that had kept Oliver fed after Anna’s death.

“Pastor Mac. He deserves a woman completely dedicated to him, to his calling. You can never be that woman.”

Taken aback, Tess remembered Oliver mentioning once or twice that a lot of the older women in his congregation were very protective of him. Was that what this was?

“Pardon me, but I don’t think that’s any of your business.” Tess swallowed and fought to keep the edge out of her voice. She left the woman standing in front of the sanctuary and went back to her car.

Alana had stabbed at the very real fear Tess felt and worked to bury and ignore. A man like Oliver did deserve someone totally devoted to him, with nothing else distracting her. Someone like the woman he’d lost. Someone like Anna.

Tess knew she could never be Anna. Could she truly be good for Oliver?