“Probably.”
“And you don’t care.”
“Not really.”
“Jesus Christ, you’re hoping they do.”
I don’t answer him; I just look forward, wondering if that’s exactly what I want.
“I mean, I get it. I joined the force cause I wanted to be a good guy; I wanted to take down bad guys. Ya know, but the longer I’m here the more I’m surrounded by bad guys I am.” He pauses, looking back at me. “But I feel like we have very different reasons for why we joined.”
Slowly, I just shrug.
We drink the whiskey I opened a few months ago when Z showed up at my backdoor.
“I have an idea.”
“What’s that?”
“It’s probably better that you don’t know.”
“Why’s that?”
“Plausible deniability.”
“Give me the phone you called Z with.”
“What?”
“Last time he was arrested, you had a burner phone. Give it to me.”
“No.”
“Just fucking do it.” His voice rises as he says it.
“It’s in my truck.”
“Get it.”
Sighing, I stand, and we both walk out the front door, around the house to the truck. Lifting the back seats, I pull the Faraday box from inside.
“What’s that?”
“It keeps signals from transponding.”
“Give me the whole thing.”
“What are you gonna do?”
He doesn’t answer me, but instead he walks over to his car, flips the engine over, and leaves the house.
Collins’s phone chirps, waking us from where we crashed in the living room once he got back last night. He was only gone for a few minutes and hasn’t yet told me what he was up to. He glances down at it before looking back at me. “Z was just released from custody.”
We both know that only means one thing.
* * *
I know it’s coming as the doors slide open.
