Page 295 of Good Boys Don’t Bite

“And when I mentioned names, Elliot recognized them.”

Elliot looked up.

“No.”

Vance stared.

“You reacted.”

“You gave me a list of dead people.”

“You reacted before I explained who they were.”

Ronan felt cold. There it was. Vance. Finally. Not proof. Recognition. A thread. Elliot smiled faintly.

“You’re reading body language now?”

“Sometimes.”

“Dangerous.”

“So I’ve been told.”

Ronan almost laughed. He hated himself. Vance stepped closer.

“What connects those five people?”

Elliot’s face gave nothing.

“Maybe Nathan.”

“I already explained why that doesn’t work.”

“Then I don’t know.”

Vance looked at Ronan. His pulse jumped.

“Do you?”

There. The choice again. It was becoming easier. That scared him.

“No.”

The lie left clean. Vance stared. Ronan held her gaze. Elliot did not look at him. Good. If he did, Ronan might break. Vance exhaled.

“Fine.”

She walked toward the stairs. Then stopped.

“One more thing.”

Ronan’s stomach tightened. She looked directly at Elliot.

“Nathan wrote a sentence beneath your name.”

Elliot’s expression stayed blank.

“What?”