Page 31 of Good Boys Don’t Bite

“You can't cook.”

“I can boil water.”

“Debatable.”

Ronan gave him the finger without turning around. Elliot smiled. The day loosened from his shoulders. He walked into the kitchen.

“What'd the cop want?”

“Timeline.”

“About Mason?”

“Yeah.”

“You tell her you saw him?”

“Yeah.”

Ronan turned down the burner.

“Anything weird?”

Elliot thought about the photograph. The cracked porcelain. The evidence bag.

“No.”

Ronan looked at him. Elliot opened the refrigerator.

“What?”

“You hesitated.”

“I was thinking.”

“Dangerous.”

Elliot pulled out a bottle of water. Ronan turned back to the stove.

“You okay?”

The question irritated him unexpectedly. Elliot twisted the cap.

“Why wouldn't I be?”

“You knew him.”

“Barely.”

“You were at the party.”

“So?”

Ronan shrugged.

“Somebody gets murdered after you see them, it can fuck with you.”

Elliot drank. Cold water moved down his throat.