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Carl looks at me again, pressing his hands to the grass. “In exchange for what?”
“You are going to help me bring down Lennon.”
He sits up, tugging at his jacket. “How? He'll have us both killed before we get the chance. He said he's kept the peace around here for a while and you came along and fucked it up. What if he's right?”
“He wants us to believe that. He's nothing but a coward. He can't even kill me himself. He sent you.”
“Was he working with my uncle?” Ignacio asks, glancing between us.
Carl nods. “Him and all the others. He scratched their back and they scratched his. Then Evan succeeded in bringing one of their own down, along with many of their businesses, and they threatened to rip Lennon's world apart.”
“Looks like that will be happening either way. He can't escape it,” Ignacio says, lowering his gun.
“Do we have a deal or not?” I ask, meeting Carl's gaze.
He glances from Ignacio to me and nods. “As long as you promise my family stays safe.”
“I'll do my best. It's not fair for them to get dragged down in your mess. Especially the kids.”
“Thank you.” Carl slowly gets to his feet, dusting off his pants.
“Don't thank him yet. One fucked-up move and you're all dead,” Ignacio says, his face hardening.
“I understand. Just tell me what you need me to do.”
“You'll need this,” my brother says from out of nowhere, holding something silver in his hands.
“What's that?” Carl asks, his eyes focusing on the shiny object.
“A digital recorder. You'll take it when you meet up with him tonight and tell him what he wants to hear and then press the recording button when he starts talking,” my brother responds. “You'll need him to confess as much as possible. At least about sending you here to kill my brother.”
Carl takes the recorder and shoves it in his pocket. “Okay.”
I face my brother, my brows bunching together. “How did you—"
He smirks. “I’ve been listening through my bedroom window for the last ten minutes from the moment I heard loud voices.”
I shoot my brother a silent thank-you and walk Carl to his car. How he thought he was going to get me in here without anyone noticing, I have no idea.
“Let me know when it's done and don't let him know why you're really there.”
Carl nods. “I won't. What do I do if he wants to see the body?”
“Bring him to me,” Ignacio says from behind me.
Carl nods, slipping inside the car before driving away.
“You think this will work?” Connor asks, standing beside me.
“I don't know. The man's a nervous mess.”
“Let's hope Lennon's as stupid as he looks then,” Ignacio adds and I laugh, relieved to have him in my presence again.
My brother stares at me for a little too long before squeezing my shoulder and walking back inside the house. We don't always need words to understand what the other is saying. He wants me to be careful. He still doesn't trust Ignacio and I don't trust myself when I'm with him.
“My dad's free,” Iggy says a little too quietly. “From what I hear, it's because of my mom's disappearance. My tia reported her missing and now her face is all over the news. My family sure is making the news a lot lately.”
“Yeah. Y'all should seriously consider giving someone else a chance,” I say, inching closer to him.
