Page 424 of Good Boys Don’t Bite

Elliot looked toward Ronan. Fear again. Smaller. Manageable.

“Tomorrow?”

Ronan asked. Elliot blinked.

“What?”

“I’ll come tomorrow.”

“You don’t have to.”

Ronan stared. Elliot almost smiled.

“Wrong answer?”

“Very.”

“Then yes.”

Ronan nodded.

“Tomorrow.”

Elliot moved toward the door. Stopped. Looked back. Ronan remained standing. Still here. Then Elliot disappeared behind the locked door. Ronan stared at it until the officer looked uncomfortable.

“Sir?”

“Yeah.”

He left. Bell waited in reception.

“So?”

“So what?”

“How is he?”

Ronan looked toward the secured hallway.

“Scared.”

Bell nodded.

“Expected.”

“And annoying.”

“Also expected.”

Ronan smiled faintly. Then Bell handed him a folder.

“What’s this?”

“Something Detective Vance asked me to give you.” Ronan frowned. He opened it. Photograph. Man in his early thirties. Dark hair. Thin face. Nothing immediately remarkable.

CALEB WARD

Below it, another photograph. Caleb beside another man. Older by maybe two years. Similar eyes. Brother. Ronan flipped the page. A transcript. Only one line highlighted. Something Caleb had told police the night before. Ronan read. Then again. His stomach tightened. Saint always asks what you love most before asking what you’re willing to do. Ronan stared. Bell watched.