Page 227 of Chameleon Killer

My grip tightened around the phone.

Martin's voice came sharply through the laptop. “Brewster?”

I read the words again.

Almost.

“You son of a bitch,” I whispered.

The typing indicator appeared.

Then vanished.

Appeared again.

Warren held out his hand. “Give me the phone.”

I ignored him.

A third message arrived.

You should have listened to her.

My heart kicked once against my ribs.

Mallory.

“What does it say?” Warren demanded.

I read the line again.

Then another appeared.

She was asking the right questions.

My pulse accelerated. About Guy? The toxicology? Me?

I typed before Hale could stop me.

Who are you?

The response came almost immediately.

Incomplete.

Cold spread through my chest.

Mallory. He'd used that word with her. I knew because she'd reacted when I'd said it at CPD.

He wanted me to know that.

Warren reached for the phone again, but I moved it away even as I put distance between us.

“Elliot.”

“Wait.”

“Give me the goddamn phone.”