Page 139 of Good Boys Don’t Bite

Ronan hesitated. He nearly asked whether Claire was actually there. The question sat on his tongue. He swallowed it.

“Nothing.”

Elliot laughed without humor.

“Fuck that word.”

Then he hung up. Ronan lowered the phone. For several seconds, he stood motionless in the kitchen. He told himself the discomfort came from guilt. He'd been acting suspicious of Elliot for days. Of course Elliot was defensive. Anyone would be. Especially Elliot. Especially someone who noticed every microscopic change in other people's behavior. Ronan opened the refrigerator. Nothing looked appealing. He closed it. His phone vibrated. Claire. Ronan froze. He stared at her name. Not Elliot. Claire. A message.

CLAIRE: hey is elliot with you?

The kitchen disappeared around him. Not literally. But something inside Ronan went still enough that the room felt different. He read it again. hey is elliot with you? His thumb hovered. Then:

RONAN: no

The typing bubble appeared immediately.

CLAIRE: weird

Ronan's heartbeat shifted.

RONAN: why

Pause.

CLAIRE: he left me on read like 2 hrs ago

Ronan stared. Two hours. Elliot had said Claire called. Claire needed help. Ronan typed. Deleted. Typed again.

RONAN: you weren't with him?

The answer came fast.

CLAIRE: no?

Then:

CLAIRE: why

Ronan looked toward the front door. The empty hook where Elliot's coat should have been. The driveway beyond the windows. Something cold moved beneath his skin.

RONAN: nothing. thought he mentioned you

The word felt poisonous now. Nothing. Claire sent:

CLAIRE: lol no

Then:

CLAIRE: u guys fighting again

Ronan didn't answer. He called Elliot. Straight to voicemail. He stared at the screen. Called again. Voicemail. The irritation arrived first. Then fear. Not murder. Not yet. Something simpler. Where the fuck are you? He texted.

RONAN: Call me.

One minute. Nothing. Two. Three. Ronan paced once around the island. Stopped. He hated pacing. Elliot paced. Ronan worked. Fixed. Acted. He checked Elliot's location. The map loaded. A blue circle appeared. Bellweather University. Ronan stared. Relief came quickly. Then slowed. Campus. Fine. He was on campus. Maybe Claire wasn't the only person there. Maybe he'd lied because he didn't want Ronan interrogating him. That explanation made sense. Ronan almost accepted it. Then he zoomed in. The location wasn't the library. It sat near the northern edge of campus. Behind the old athletic complex. Near a service road. Ronan frowned. The old athletic fields hadn't been used regularly since Bellweather opened the newer complex east of campus. Why the fuck would Elliot be there?

His phone vibrated. Elliot. Ronan answered immediately.