She jumps a little at the question, then recovers quickly. “It’s out of charge. Sorry.” She gives him a quick, uneasy smile and moves toward the couch again.
Jace just nods, but I see the suspicion flicker in his eyes. I watch the exchange in silence, my own brow furrowing. Something about the whole thing feels off, but before I can ask, Jace turns back to me.
“So,” I say, dropping my voice, “what’s the plan?”
Jace doesn’t hesitate. “Like I said, we can’t count on Wilson to get us what we need. We have to get close to Rodriguez ourselves. He keeps coming back to the clubhouse, right? We watch him. We find out where he’s staying, follow him if we have to. If he meets with anyone, we get it on video, pictures—whatever proof we can find.”
He glances toward the window, his jaw set. “We know he’s hiding something. If we can get real evidence—anything that ties him to Jinn or shows he’s been working off the books—we take it straight to someone outside town. Not local cops, I’m sure he’s got them on a leash.”
Nico comes over, catching the tail end of Jace’s words. He folds his arms, looking between us. “Don’t leave me out of it,” he says quietly. “If you’re making plans, I’m in.”
Jace gives a tired nod. “We don’t have anything concrete yet. Just ideas.”
I shake my head, frustration gnawing at me. “We can’t afford to follow Rodriguez around. We don’t have the manpower or the time. If we’re out in town, someone’s going to spot us.”
Nico glances at the window, voice flat. “Sooner or later, Rodriguez will come sniffing around here again. He’s not going to let go.”
Jace’s eyes narrow with a new spark. “Or we bluff our way through,” he says, looking at both me and Nico. “One of us could go straight to Rodriguez. Drop just enough hints to make him think we’ve got the dirt. Blindside him. Make him sweat.”
Nico raises an eyebrow, not sure if Jace is serious. “You mean go right at him? Just tell him we know what he’s done?”
Jace nods. “He won’t know how much we really have. If we can rattle him, maybe he slips. Says something stupid. Or runs.”
I lean back against the wall, thinking it through. It’s risky. Rodriguez is dangerous, but it’s better than waiting around, hoping for a miracle. “If we do it, we have to be smart. No threats, just facts. Make him believe we’re holding something bigger.”
Jace looks me straight in the eye. “We don’t have forever to wait. Sooner or later, it’s him or us.”
Nico looks between us, then nods. “If we’re going to do this, we need to plan every word.”
I cross my arms, staring at the floor, trying to poke holes in Jace’s idea. Bluffing Rodriguez feels like a last resort, but the truth is we’re running out of options. There’s no safer way. There’s just the best bad choice.
Nico steps forward, voice even. “I’ll do it. He already knows my face. If he’s going to come after anyone, might as well be me.”
I look at my brother, worry gnawing at my gut. “Nico, this isn’t just a cop we’re dealing with. He’s a fed, and he’s desperate. If you walk in there, he could?—”
Jace interrupts, meeting Nico’s eyes. “You sure about this?”
Nico nods. “I know how to keep my cool. And if we’re going to scare Rodriguez, it has to be believable. You two keep watch. If anything feels off, you come get me.”
My hands ball into fists. The thought of letting my twin face Rodriguez alone makes my stomach churn, but I don’t see another way. I can only nod, jaw tight. “We stick to the plan. No heroics.”
Jace claps Nico on the shoulder. “We’ll be right behind you. If Rodriguez makes a move, we end it—fast.”
Nico glances at me, a crooked grin on his face. “Relax, Levi. I’ll come back in one piece.”
He says it lightly, but I can see the nerves in his eyes. I squeeze his arm and try to believe it.
With Whale’s help, we spend the next day tailing Rodriguez, hoping he’ll give us something. Whale keeps us at a distance, making sure we’re not seen. Rodriguez visits the sheriff’s office, grabs coffee at the diner, checks into the motel on Main—but nothing out of the ordinary. He never meets with anyone suspicious or lets down his guard.
By the time dusk rolls around, we know we’re out of time. We gather behind the outbuilding to go over the plan one last time.
Nico will approach Rodriguez in public, in broad daylight, where he’s least likely to pull anything stupid. He’ll hint that we know about the tip-off, the phone calls with Jinn, and the night Jinn vanished. He’ll mention Marcy’s blurry photo and let Rodriguez think we have more than we really do.
Meanwhile, Jace and I will keep watch nearby, ready to step in if Rodriguez tries to get rough or run. Whale will hang back as backup, engine running, in case we need a quick exit.
The goal is to rattle Rodriguez, force him to slip up, maybe even offer a bribe or confess just enough for us to record it. All we need is one mistake—one sign he’s not as clean as he pretends.
Nico looks calm, but I know him too well. He’s nervous. We all are.
