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“He has a vendetta against you Hales because of her.” He points to me while talking in the direction of Teddy and Julius. “He wants me to get you boys locked up so he can steal the girl.”
Teddy’s face goes pale, and his hands start to shake. I inhale deep through my nose, then step next to Julius and whisper in his ear, “Get the guard. Now.” He nods and walks out of the room.
If I can prove Cameron sent the note, that means not only do I have to worry when I’m around him or at the station, but now I’m not even safe in my own house.
“What else?” Teddy grinds through his teeth.
Andrew laughs. “Remember, you gotta give to—”
He’s cut off when Teddy leaps from the barstool and grabs him by the front of his shirt. “We’re playing by my rules. Now speak, pig.”
I step in between them and pry Teddy’s hands away from Andrew’s shirt. “Stop,” I say quietly. And just like that, the storm brewing in his eyes dies and his body relaxes.
I break my eyes from Teddy’s and turn back to Andrew. “Is there anything else?”
His eyes bounce between me and Teddy for a moment before he speaks again. “He’s doing all of this for his family. David, his cousin, is tangled up with the cartel, and he did something. I’m not sure what, I don’t ask for many details. It makes things easier, but he said you all are getting too close, if that means anything to you.”
My heart beats faster. “What does David look like?”
He quickly gives a vague description matching the man from the bank. “That’s all I got. I never got a good look at him.”
“I’ll give you all the information you need for your sting, but we need to plan this. I need a couple of days minimum to work out some details. Got it?” I don’t even acknowledge what he just said. All I’m worried about now is ending all of this. Teddy’s plan is stupid, yes, but it’s going to work.
“I was told I’d leave here with a sure lead,” he snaps.
“You’ll get more than a lead if you just shut up and do as I say,” I bite back.
He shrinks under my words. “You at least have to give me a little something more.”
“Emil Garcia,” I state flatly, planting the seed that’s soon to grow into a full-fledged garden of shit. “Now leave.”
He exits the kitchen. I follow him out into the hall and watch him, making sure he walks out the door. When he’s gone, I step back into the kitchen and face Teddy. “David killed my dad, and Cameron was in on it.”
“We can’t make assumptions until we have proof.”
“I have all the proof I need, Teddy. The files, what he just said.”
“Okay, but like you told him, we need a plan. I have a plan, but what’s yours?”
I try and steady my nerves and relay all of the thoughts rushing through my head. “We need to get Cameron and David in the same spot before shit blows up. Maybe have Andrew meet them where Emil is keeping our supply so we can confront them, and he gets what he needs.”
“Okay, but why would Andrew need them there? I’m sure they’ll only come if they feel it’s worth it. So we need a reason.”
I run through different options in my head, but I keep coming back to the same thing. “Me. We will use me. If Cameron wants me, let’s make him believe he can get me.”
I can see the hurt mixed with anger swirling in Teddy’s eyes, but he knows I’m right. Cameron won’t care about anything unless it involves me, at least I assume with what Andrew said.
Before he can say anything else, the front door opens and closes. Both Teddy and I walk to the hallway and see Julius standing in the foyer with a man I haven’t seen before. Julius nods when my eyes bounce to his.
“We will work this out later,” I whisper to Teddy before closing the distance between myself and Julius and the man. “Is this him?” I ask, stopping in front of them.
He nods again.
“I’m Charlotte. I just have a few questions about the day he died.” I throw my thumb over my shoulder, pointing to Teddy.
The man’s face goes pale as he studies Teddy. “I—” he chokes out.
“Don’t be too alarmed, I’ll explain everything later,” I reassure him. “I just need to know who came through those gates that day.”
