When it came to his palace, he could have built anywhere, but he chose that peninsula because of the golden rule in real estate: location, location, location. Unless an earthquake shaved California off the West Coast, or every polar ice cap in Alaska melted, they weren’t making more waterfront, and you had to think of resale.

Sure as shit in another couple of years, he was going to want something bigger and better than what he was building now and that was another thing he was coaching Baby-face Tom on: Tom was the one who was buying the duplex at the Commodore.

Nothing like bringing the next generation along.

Vin picked up the phone and called his lieutenant, prepared to advance the ball even farther with the Connecticut project.

“Thank you, ma’am. I think that’s all we need right now.”

Marie-Terese frowned and glanced at Trez, who was sitting next to her on one of the club’s velvet couches. As he uncrossed his legs as if he were getting ready to stand up, he seemed utterly unsurprised at how little time the questioning had taken—almost as if he’d prepped the police officer into keeping it short and sweet.

She looked back at the cop. “That’s it?”

The officer closed his notebook and rubbed his temple like it hurt. “Detective de la Cruz is in charge of the investigation and he might have more questions later, but you’re not a suspect or anything.” He nodded at Trez. “Thank you for cooperating.”

Trez smiled a little. “I’m sorry those security cameras weren’t working. Like I’ve said, I’ve been meaning to get them fixed for months now. I have a log of malfunctions that I’d be happy to show you, by the way.”

“Well, I’ll take a look at it, but…” The man rubbed his left eye. “But as you say, you have nothing to hide.”

“Not a thing. Let me see her out first and then we’ll go to my office?”

“Sure. I’ll wait here.”

As Marie-Terese walked off with Trez and they headed down the back hallway, she said quietly, “I can’t believe they aren’t going any further with this. I don’t know why I even needed to come.”

Trez opened the rear door and put his hand on her shoulder. “I told you I would take care of things.”

“And you really did.” Her eyes searched the parking lot and she hesitated in the doorway. “So you saw that Vin came by.”

“That his name?”

“It’s what he said it was.”

“He makes you uneasy.”

On a lot of levels. “You don’t suppose he and his friend—”

“Killed those guys? Nope.”

“How can you be so sure?” She got her car keys out of her pocketbook. “I mean, you don’t know them. They could have gone back and…”