Chux is standing behind us, arms crossed.“Feels like recon.”
“Not a local?”I ask but also state because it’s not a familiar vehicle at least to me.
Nitro shakes his head.“Haven’t seen that truck before.And I’ve seen every truck that ever rolled through this town on these cameras.”He shrugs, “I’ve been bored, man.”
“Could be connected to the splinter group,” Chux explains quietly.
My jaw tightens.“They know our routes.Our businesses.Seems pointed.”
Chux’s eyes flick toward me.“You talked to anyone today who felt off?”
I think of the truck at the hardware store.Of the guy’s silhouette.Of the way the engine revved when I rode away.Then I think of the two men at the gas station earlier, the driver half-hidden in shadow.
Now, the oversight tastes sour.
“Couple things,” I admit.“Truck at the hardware store.Some weird interest.Same build as this one.And that gas station sighting.Could be the same guy.”
Chux doesn’t say I should’ve followed earlier.Doesn’t sayyou let your head get clouded by your feelings for a woman.
He doesn’t have to.
I hear it anyway.
Nitro pulls up a map of the town, dropping pins on each sighting we’ve logged tonight.The pattern forms a rough circle.
“He’s orbiting,” Nitro says.“Not hitting the same spot twice.Not too close to the clubhouse yet.But he’s poking at the edges of our world.”
Chux huffs out a breath.“He’s gonna make a move.”
“On us?”I ask.
“Maybe,” Chux replies.“Or maybe he’s lookin’ for leverage first.”
Leverage.
The word sinks like a stone.
Families.Businesses.People we’ve publicly put under our protection.
People like Ally.Like her grandfather.Like Kelly.
My shoulders tense.“We should put eyes on the bakery,” I share.“Extra patrols around Ally’s place.Anyone tied to us gets shadowed for a bit.”
“We’ll do it,” Chux agrees.“But quiet.Last thing we need is these bastards knowing we’re on to them before we have a name and a face.”
He claps a hand on my shoulder.“You want that detail?”
It’s not even a question.
“Yes,” I answer.
He nods, unsurprised.“You don’t crowd her.You don’t scare her.She already got enough on her plate.And by her, I mean Kelly.I’ll have Ally anytime she’s not at the shop.You handle the shop and Kelly.But do it under the radar.”
“Yeah,” I mutter.“I know.”
He studies me a moment longer.“Riot,” he challenges.
“I said I know.”
