Page 199 of Good Boys Don’t Bite

“No.”

“Lucas?”

“No.”

“Were you there when either of them died?”

“No.”

The answers came clean. Fast. No pause. Ronan hated that he was measuring them now.

“Do you know who killed them?”

“No.”

“Do you know who’s sending the messages?”

“No.”

“Do you know why they’re targeting us?”

Elliot hesitated. There. A fraction. Ronan saw it.

“What?”

“I have theories.”

“What theories?”

“That someone thinks I know more than I do.”

“About?”

“The victims.”

“Why?”

“Because I kept asking questions.”

“That’s it?”

“Yes.”

Ronan stared. Elliot held his gaze. Something didn’t add up. He didn’t know what. That was becoming the problem. Every individual piece could be explained. Together they formed something else. Ronan didn’t know the shape yet. He only knew it existed. The doorbell rang. Both flinched. Ronan looked toward the entrance. Elliot’s hand immediately caught his arm.

“Wait.”

Ronan almost laughed.

“Vance.”

“Check.”

He did. Detective Mara Vance stood outside with two crimescene technicians. Good. Terrible. Necessary. Ronan opened the door. Vance looked at the box before looking at either of them.

“Nobody touched it?”

“No.”