Rodeo sends the picture to his sister with a small smile on his face. Despite the fact that the world as a whole is in a much worse place than the last time they met, it's clear that Rodeo's circumstances have vastly improved. No longer is he fatalistically staring down a death sentence, no longer is he being marched to her in chains and handcuffs. But that's not why he glows now-- it's something else, something much more profound than a change of fate. During Rodeo's trial, his sense of hopelessness and anger had less to do with the trial itself and much, much more to do with his sister. Adelaide barely spoke to him throughout the process, refusing all contact with him in a time when he needed her most. It had left him twisted, bitter and dark-- over the frustrating months of his trial, Nina watched it settle into him more and more, watched that abandonment chase away the lighter sides of him until what was left was a man who could sit at his sentencing without flinching, completely indifferent to the news that he would be executed for his crimes. When he lost his sister, Rodeo lost his soul. The man that went to Huntsville that day wasn't the man she first met in the early stages of the trial, and it's not the man who stands in front of her now. There's no doubt that has everything to do with the woman on the other end of that text he's sending. There is no better version of Rodeo than the one who has his sister close to his side. He needs her. When he looks down at his phone with his blue eyes glowing with happy affection and his mouth quirked into a pleased grin, it's obvious that as long as he has Adelaide, the good in him will always outweigh the bad.
Rodeo puts his phone back in his pocket, lifting his eyes to Nina's and sobering up slightly. The reunion was sweet and telling Adelaide pleased him, but the things he means to discuss with Nina aren't so light. He hates to put a damper on the happy mood, but it must be done. "I reckon I got a case for you," he declares, matter-of-fact. "I mean, y'all investigate crimes down there, right? Well if ya ask me, that man everybody's callin' Mayor, he ain't nothin' but a cold crook. And I reckon with your help, I can prove it."