Jess scoffed, defiance painted across her face like armor. "Maybe I won the lottery. Ever think of that, detective?"
Levi gave a dry laugh and turned to Dylan. "Get a team to trace that private number. Full log. I want to know who paid her and why."
Jess shifted uncomfortably now, her confidence wearing thin.
Levi leaned against the table, eyes not leaving hers. "You're a terrible liar, Jess. But the good news is, you're not very smart either. So, thank you—for walking into this station and tying your own noose."
He stood straight, shutting the file with a snap. Then, just as he turned to walk out, a slow smirk spread across his lips.
Something had cracked.
And Levi Wilder always followed the cracks.
Dylan sat hunched over his laptop in the dimly lit operations room, his eyes darting through Jess's call records and banking history like a hawk. Every click uncovered another breadcrumb. Then suddenly—bingo. His fingers froze mid-type. A name popped up repeatedly across both call logs and recent transactions: Finn Lewis.
"Levi, I got something," Dylan called out, already on his feet with the printed documents in hand. "Name's Finn Lewis. Fraudster. Couple of charges for scam investments, insurance cons, and—get this—he's got priors for contract kidnapping."
Levi snatched the files and skimmed through them fast, his jaw clenched tighter with each page. He turned abruptly and marched into the interrogation room where Jess sat trembling, her fingers nervously clawing at the sleeves of her hoodie. Her eyes flitted up as the door slammed.
Without a word, Levi threw the stack of evidence down on the metal table with a sharp thud. He leaned in close, his voice low and dark.
"Now listen here, Miss Jess… We can drag this into the mud, you and me. That's gonna cost us both a hell of a lot of time. You're not gonna talk, and we're gonna spend days digging into your past. And eventually, you will crack. But by then, your name's going to be ruined. Everyone will know you've been up to something real dirty."
He paused, his face inches from hers. "So why don't we skip all that, huh? Save each other the headache."
Jess's lips quivered. Her eyes darted from Levi to the folder, then down to her lap. She inhaled sharply.
"Okay… okay I'll talk," she mumbled, her voice barely audible. "His name is Finn Lewis. He called me a few days ago, said I had to follow his instructions or I'd regret it."
Levi stayed still, letting her continue.
"I didn't believe him at first. Thought he was bluffing. But then… the next day, my little brother got into a car accident. Near-death. And then someone broke into my parents' house. He called me—said he did it. I freaked out… I didn't know what else to do."
Tears welled up in her eyes now. "He wired me money. Told me to say Elle was fine. Even sent me a voice note from Elle's contact with a script to follow."
Levi nodded once and turned to Dylan. A subtle signal. Dylan had already anticipated it and was halfway out the door, phone in hand.
---
Hours passed. Amadeo was still at the station, sitting stiffly in the waiting room, tapping his foot anxiously. His shirt was clinging to his back with sweat.
Then Levi's voice came through the hallway, barking orders. "Get the car, now. Location's ready."
They'd traced Finn.
The car screeched to a halt outside a shady apartment building on the outskirts of town. Graffiti marked the walls. Music blared from a nearby open window. The scent of weed floated in the air.
Levi spotted Finn sitting on a cracked plastic chair, puffing on a joint like he had all the time in the world. No guards. No disguise. No worry.
Levi walked up behind him, calm, collected, his badge hidden under his jacket. He rested a firm hand on Finn's shoulder.
"What's up, buddy?" he said coldly. "Having fun after kidnapping a girl?"
Finn froze. The weed fell from his fingers. Without even turning around, he bolted.
"RUNNING ONLY MAKES IT WORSE, DUMBASS!" Levi yelled, already in pursuit.
The chase lasted five blocks. They tackled him near a dumpster, dirt and sweat clinging to both men. Finn fought back hard, but Levi didn't go easy. They cuffed him and hauled him into the backseat like a sack of trash.
Back at the station, Levi wasn't wasting time. He didn't offer Finn water or a chair. He shoved him into the metal seat and paced in front of him.
"You're gonna rot for this. Contract kidnapping. False impersonation. Coercion. Attempted obstruction. We got your prints on every call, your transaction trail, your voice on recordings."
Finn gave nothing. For a while.
Then Levi leaned in again, voice a quiet growl.
"I will find the person behind you. You're just a tool. If you don't cooperate, they'll dump you like trash once you're caught. You think they're gonna save your ass?"
Silence.
Levi smiled, but his eyes were pure venom. "You're expendable."
Finn's jaw twitched. His shoulders slumped.
"Fine," he spat. "I got a contract. I don't know the guy's name. He wore a mask, spoke real soft. Paid in cash. I just did what I was told."
Levi handed him a folder filled with headshots of potential suspects.
One by one, Finn flipped through them. "No. No. Not him. Not—" He froze. Then tossed the folder away.
"I don't see him. Told you—he hid his identity."
Levi's frustration mounted. "Sketch artist. Now."
Two officers dragged Finn up to walk him to the adjacent room. Levi followed slowly, maintaining a short distance.
Then, just as Finn passed the hallway corner—he stopped. Eyes wide. Jaw clenched. His whole body snapped forward.
"You SON OF A BITCH!!" he roared, breaking free from the officers. "YOU SET ME UP!! YOU FRAMED ME!!"
He charged at someone in the hallway like a madman.