Page 146 of Good Boys Don’t Bite

“That's becoming your favorite word.”

Ronan almost laughed. Elliot did not.

“School stuff.”

Rebecca looked skeptical. Thomas pointed his fork toward both of them.

“Whatever it is, fix it before Thanksgiving.”

“Dad,” Ronan said.

“I am not spending six hours trapped between whatever weird silent warfare you two do.”

Rebecca looked offended.

“We are not trapped.”

Thomas looked at her.

“We absolutely are.”

Elliot's mouth twitched. There. Ronan caught it. The smallest crack. Good. He nudged Elliot's foot beneath the table. Elliot immediately kicked him. Hard. Ronan smiled. Rebecca narrowed her eyes.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

Elliot looked at him. Ronan grinned. For half a second, Elliot almost smiled. Then his phone vibrated. He checked it beneath the table. Ronan saw his face change. Not fear. Attention.

“Who?” Ronan asked.

Elliot locked the phone.

“Claire.”

Ronan stared. Elliot stared back. There it was again. The lie. Maybe. Ronan couldn't tell anymore. He hated that most. At 9:03, Ronan showered. At 9:31, he found Elliot downstairs alone. No television. No music. Just Elliot sitting on the couch with his laptop open. Ronan stopped behind him. The screen displayed a local news article. Mason. Lucas. Police timeline. Ronan sighed. Elliot closed the laptop without looking back.

“I know.”

“Do you?”

“Yes.”

Ronan walked around the couch. Elliot looked tired now. Actually tired. Darkness beneath the eyes. Tension around the mouth. Ronan's anger weakened. He sat beside him. For several seconds, neither spoke. Then:

“I'm sorry.”

Elliot looked forward.

“For which part?”

“All of it.”

“That narrows nothing.”

“I shouldn't have checked your location.”

“No.”