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He gives a sharp glare. “With what?”

“Patching things up. I’m pretty sure you lost the Silver Stallions’ confidence tonight.”

“Yeah, thanks to you!” He points the gun at me.

“They would’ve figured you out eventually,” I reply. “Come on, Trevor. We go way back. I know you better than you know yourself. You spun a nice story in Sing Sing to get yourself released early. One thing led to another, and you did your share of questionable things to get the cartel’s attention. And now you’re having to follow through on your promises. You’re terrible at that. Might as well admit it and let me help you.”

Trevor grunts and turns away for a moment. “What makes you think you can help me?”

“Let’s work together. The Stallions are wavering. You’ll never take the sheriff down. He’ll get to you first. The Sinaloans will pull the plug on the whole operation at the first sign of trouble. I can help.”

“How?”

“I can talk my way in and out of situations. And I’ve got close ties with law enforcement now. You need the Silver Stallions fully in your corner, Trevor, and you don’t have them anymore.”

“You helped in that department,” he reminds me.

“And I can help bring them back.”

Trevor shakes his head. “I wanted this to be different between us. I wanted to come back to you and show you what I’d done.”

“What does that have to do with anything?” I’m confused. His stream of thoughts is erratic. Chaotic. Emotional. I need to use that to my advantage.

“I was mad, okay?” he says, running a hand through his red hair.

“At me.”

“Yes. When I got arrested, I knew you’d figure out what I had done. I knew you’d file for divorce and not want anything to do with me, so I lashed out.”

“By incriminating me and making sure I went down with you?”

“I got out early so I could make it up to you. When the Sinaloa guys presented me with an opportunity to make a cash mother lode, I took it. I didn’t think twice because I knew it would bring me back to you.”

I could laugh. I really could. But I know if I laugh at his twisted logic, Trevor will do something awful.

My gaze darts around. Jake Merritt is still in the kitchen; I can see him through the cracked door. He’s on the phone with someone, his voice low. Outside, I hear boots steadily thudding along the porch.

“Is that why you got the cartel to think you could pull this off in Frost Valley?” I ask Trevor.

“You made this place your new home. I figured it would be fitting.”

“All you had to do was come to me and apologize,” I say, lying through my teeth. “I just wanted you to tell me you were sorry. I didn’t even know you were in town.”

Emotion flickers in his eyes. “Is that why you hooked up with someone else and got pregnant? ‘Cause I wasn’t around?”

“It just happened. I didn’t plan for it. Had you come to me sooner, maybe things would have been different.”

Finally, I see the doubt. He had different plans. Maybe I can still turn him around before it’s too late.

“Trevor, untie me. We can still salvage this. I will help you because I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“I find that hard to believe. You didn’t come visit me once after you got out,” he says.

“I was angry, too, Trevor. You…” I pause as Jake comes out of the kitchen.

“I’ll be back,” he announces.

“Where are you going?” Trevor asks.