Except even as she said the words, she didn’t believe them: She couldn’t imagine Vin and his friend being the killer or killers. They’d fought with those boys, sure, but they’d done that to protect her and had stopped before they seriously hurt them. Besides, Vin had been with her right afterward in the locker room.

Although God only knew exactly when the shootings had occurred.

Trez leaned in and gently stroked her cheek. “Stop it. You don’t have to worry about Vin or his buddy. I get feelings about people and I’m always right.”

She frowned. “I don’t believe those security cameras are broken. You’d never put up with that—”

“Those two guys took care of you when I wasn’t here. And so I take care of them.” Trez put his arm around her and walked her over to her car. “You see your Vin again, tell him not to worry about anything. I’ve got his back.”

Marie-Terese blinked in the bright cold sunlight. “He’s not mine.”

“Of course not.”

She stared up at Trez. “How can you be so certain—”

“Stop worrying and trust me. When it comes to you, that man’s heart is not dark.”

After everything she had been through, Marie-Terese had learned not to put her faith in what was said to her. What she listened to was the security alarm in the center of her chest—and as she looked into Trez’s eyes, her inner warning bell was utterly silent: He knew exactly what he was talking about. She didn’t have a clue how, but then Trez had ways, as they said…ways of finding things out and fixing problems and taking care of business.

So yeah, the police weren’t going to see anything he didn’t want them to. And Vin hadn’t killed those two boys.

Unfortunately that pair of convictions gave her only a measure of relief.

He’s coming for you….

Trez unlocked her door for her and then gave her back her keys. “I want you to take tonight off. This is tough stuff.”

She got in, but before starting the engine, she glanced up and spoke her greatest fear. “Trez, what if those killings have something to do with me. What if someone saw them with me, someone other than Vin? What if…they were shot because of me.”

Her boss’s eyes grew sharp, like he knew every single thing she had never told him. “And who in your life would do such a thing.”

He’s coming for you….

God, Trez knew about Mark. He had to. And yet Marie-Terese forced herself to say, “No one. I don’t know anyone who would do that.”