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“Be worried respectfully. I said I was fine.” Riley leaned back against the corrugated iron siding and put a foot of space between them. “It doesn’t matter now. No one is going to press charges—it was self-defence.”

She was so tired.

“That’s not the point. Are you still working for him? Nico Ricci? It was his brother at the club. The one you threw a glass at. They were both there. And now one is dead.”

I’m aware. “Gio roofied Kristi.”

“That’s terrible.” He didn’t sound surprised, and that stung more than his tone. “But what you did was dangerous. This isn’t you.”

Riley closed her teeth on the harsh laugh. “Should I have just stood there? Done nothing?”

His shoulders dropped, and his breath smelled like mint gum as it whooshed over her. “Are you still working there, for Ricci?” He was doing the thing where he was all patience and calm to make it seem like her frustration was irrational. Maybe it was.

How would I know?

“No, I quit. Why does it matter?”

Relief cascaded over his face and then disappeared just as fast. He stared at her forehead like he did when he was pretending to make eye contact.

“Can’t talk about it. But suffice to say, his brother was killed, and you were seen in an altercation with him the night before. It doesn’t look good. We’re still looking for who did it.”

You found him. Just inside.

She kept her face blank, and it went against everything she thought she was. Law-abiding. Loyal.

She should have known.

“Kristi was right,” she murmured.

“About what?”

All of it.

Riley shook her head and folded her arms over her chest to stop from fidgeting. “Nothing. It doesn’t matter.”

He leaned forward, brow furrowed. His voice softened. “Are you safe? Do you need help? Are you involved in this?”

Riley let out a long sigh, eyes heavy, exhausted. Maybe she should go with him, do the right thing, tell the police what she knew. Then this could all be over. T’s crossed and I’s dotted.

She took a small step closer. Andrew’s cologne was the same as when they’d been together.

Maybe telling them everything would ease the guilt that sat in her chest like grease. It’s my fault Gio is dead.

It’d be easy. Correct.

Defensible.

Nico’s words jumped into her head. Keep being smart about this.

“I can keep you safe, and no one has to know. We can leave now.” Andrew’s gaze jumped from her face to the shop and back. “Your statement might be what we need to crack this case. And others.”

Don’t be selfish. Trust me. Fragments of every argument they’d had came and went like the bugs around the lights. You’ll be fine. We’re fine. We’ll always be together.

“Am I a suspect?”

That seemed like a prudent question to ask.

I can quit when I want.