Page 29 of Good Boys Don’t Bite

Neither spoke. Rain filled the silence. Elliot looked back at the photograph.

“You found that near him.”

Vance put the phone away.

“I didn't say that either.”

“You're showing it to people who saw him Saturday night.”

A pause. Then something almost like approval touched her expression.

“You're studying psychology?”

“Yeah.”

“That why you answer questions with questions?”

Elliot smiled.

“Probably.”

Vance handed him a card.

“If you remember anything else, call me.”

“I will.”

She started to leave. Elliot looked at the card.

“Mason was murdered, wasn't he?”

Vance stopped. She turned. The rain behind her made the courtyard look blurred.

“We haven't released a cause of death.”

“That wasn't what I asked.”

“No.”

Elliot waited. Vance studied him for another moment. Then walked away. Claire appeared at the opposite end of the arcade less than thirty seconds later. She saw the card. Then Vance. Then Elliot.

“What the fuck?”

“Detective.”

“I gathered.”

“She asked about Saturday.”

Claire hurried closer.

“What did you tell her?”

“The truth.”

Most of it.

“Is this because you saw Mason?”