Page 328 of Good Boys Don’t Bite

Elliot crouched.

“Stay back.”

“Absolutely not.”

“Ronan.”

“If that explodes, I’m going to be extremely pissed that my last act was listening to you.”

Despite everything, Elliot almost laughed. He moved the boxes. Pulled the container forward. Opened the lid. The porcelain mask stared upward. Exactly where he had left it. Beneath it, something glowed. A phone. Small. Black. Not his. Not Ronan’s. Elliot’s stomach dropped. Ronan whispered:

“Do not touch it.”

Elliot didn’t. The screen lit. Incoming call. No number. No caller ID. Just one word displayed across the screen.

SAINT

Neither breathed. The phone continued vibrating beneath the mask. Once. Twice. Three times. Ronan looked at Elliot.

“Don’t.”

Elliot stared at the screen. Months of messages. Five murders. Nathan. Dylan. Their bedroom. Everything. The call continued.

“Elliot.”

He reached down. Ronan caught his wrist.

“I said don’t.”

Elliot looked at him.

“What if this is our only chance?”

“To do what?”

“Find out who they are.”

“Or give them exactly what they want.”

The phone stopped. Silence. Both stared. Then the screen illuminated again. A text. GOOD MORNING, ELLIOT. Another appeared. DID HE LIKE HIS PRESENT? Ronan’s face changed.

“What present?”

Elliot didn’t know. Then another message.

CHECK HIS SHOULDER.

Everything inside Elliot went cold. Ronan slowly looked toward him. The bite. Fresh. Private. Hours ago. After the police removed the microphone. After Nathan was arrested. Elliot stood.

“No.”

Ronan pulled the collar of his shirt aside. The mark was there. Nothing else. Just Elliot’s bite. Another message arrived.

PRETTIER THAN I IMAGINED.

Ronan went white. Elliot stared at the phone. No. The bedroom had been cleared. Police had searched. The smoke detector was gone. Nathan was in custody. Unless there was another device. Or Saint had another way in. Ronan whispered:

“They watched.”