Chapter Twelve — Someone Is Lying #2
Silence. Elliot's hand lowered. There. Too far. Again. Ronan immediately knew. Elliot's face went blank. Not hurt. Not visibly. Worse.
“Fine.”
He walked past. Ronan caught his arm. Elliot ripped it free.
“Don't touch me.”
That hurt more than it should have. Ronan let his hand fall.
“What are you hiding?”
Elliot laughed once.
“Everything, apparently.”
“I'm serious.”
“So am I.”
“Is this about us?”
Elliot looked at him.
“What?”
“Police knowing.”
“No.”
“Dylan?”
His expression hardened.
“Of course you'd make it about Dylan.”
“Then what?”
Elliot stared. Ronan waited. The silence stretched until it became an answer of its own.
“I can't tell you.”
There. Ronan's chest tightened. Not nothing. Not you're imagining it. I can't tell you. The first honest thing Elliot had said all night. Ronan lowered his voice.
“Why?”
“Because I can't.”
“That's not an answer.”
“It's the only one you're getting.”
“Does it have anything to do with Mason?”
Elliot froze. Ronan felt the world tilt slightly. Tiny. But real.
“Lucas?”
Nothing. Ronan stared.
“Elliot.”
“No.”
The answer came too late. His stomach dropped.
“Which one?”
“What?”
“You hesitated.”
“I didn't.”
“You fucking did.”
“You're seeing what you want now.”
“Then tell me what I should see.”
Elliot's eyes flashed.
“Maybe someone who is tired of being watched.”
Ronan laughed.
“Watched?”
“Yes.”
“You disappear. You lie. Police keep coming back. What the fuck am I supposed to do?”
“Trust me.”
“I do.”
“No, you don't.”
“I do.”
“Then stop asking.”
“That isn't trust. That's stupidity.”
The sentence landed hard. Elliot's mouth opened. Nothing came out. Ronan regretted it immediately. Again. He was getting good at regret.
“Elliot.”
“No.”
“Come on.”
“No.”
He turned toward the stairs. Ronan followed.
“Don't walk away.”
“Why? So you can ask where I'm going?”
“Stop.”
“Bedroom. Second floor. You can check the location if you want.”
“Fuck you.”
Elliot turned on the third stair. His face had changed. Anger finally broke through the control.
“Maybe later, if I'm allowed to leave the house without filing a fucking itinerary first.”
Ronan stared. For one second, the absurdity almost made him laugh.
Then Elliot disappeared upstairs. A door slammed.
Ronan stood at the bottom of the staircase.
Silence returned. He hated it. Dinner at their parents' house lasted twenty-seven minutes.
Elliot barely spoke. Rebecca noticed immediately. Of course.
“You two fighting?”
“No,” Elliot said.
“Yes,” Ronan said.
Their mother looked between them. Thomas continued cutting his steak.
“Wonderful.”
“About what?” Rebecca asked.
“Nothing,” Elliot said.
Ronan closed his eyes. Rebecca frowned.
“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.”
“I shouldn't have called you stupid.”
“You didn't.”
“I said trusting you without answers would be stupid.”
“Same thing.”
“Fine. That.”
Silence. Ronan looked at his hands.
“What are you hiding?”
Elliot sighed.
“There it is.”
“I need something.”
“Why?”
“Because I'm losing my fucking mind.”
That got Elliot's attention. He looked over. Ronan continued.
“I don't think you killed anyone.”
Something flickered across Elliot's face. Ronan forced himself onward.
“But I know you're lying about something.”
Silence.
“And every time I notice, I start wondering why.”
Elliot looked away. Ronan lowered his voice.
“Give me one thing.”
“What?” “One true thing you haven't told me.” Elliot stared toward the dark windows.
For a long time, Ronan thought he wouldn't answer.
Then: “I went to see someone.” Ronan went still.
“Who?” “One thing.” “Elliot.” “You asked for one.” “Who?” Elliot looked at him.
“Someone connected to Mason.” Ronan's stomach dropped.
“What the fuck?” “Not like that.” “Then like what?” “I wanted information.” “About what?” “The freshman.” Ronan stared.
“The one from the party?” “Yes.” “Why?” “Because Mason humiliated him.” “So?” “So Lucas had some video argument too.” Ronan's chest tightened.
“You've been investigating.” Elliot smiled faintly.
“You said I was.” “Jesus Christ.” Ronan stood.
Elliot stayed seated. “You went behind the police investigation to find some freshman connected to two murders?” “I didn't find him.” “Then who did you meet?” “Someone who knows him.” “Name.” “No.” “Why?” “Because they don't want police involved.” Ronan laughed in disbelief.
“That's not suspicious at all.” “They're scared.” “Of what?” Elliot hesitated.
There. Again. Ronan stared. “What did they tell you?” “Not much.” “Bullshit.” Elliot's jaw tightened.
“They said Mason and Lucas weren't the only ones.” Cold settled through Ronan.
“What does that mean?” “Other people.” “Other people what?” “Videos. Blackmail. Humiliation.” Ronan stopped.
Mason. Lucas. Victim type. He didn't know the phrase.
But the pattern formed. “Other people they fucked with.” “Yes.” “How many?” “I don't know.” “Names?” “No.” “Elliot.” “I don't know.” This time Ronan believed him.
Mostly. “What does this have to do with the murders?” Elliot closed the laptop.
“Maybe someone hated them.” “Someone clearly did.” “I mean someone they hurt.” Ronan sat slowly.
That made sense. Too much sense. A vigilante.
Revenge. Someone cleaning up shitty people.
It was exactly the kind of explanation Bellweather forums loved.
Ronan hated that Elliot had gone looking for it himself.
“You tell Vance?” “No.” “Why?” “Because I promised.” “Fuck the promise.” Elliot's eyes sharpened.
“They're scared.” “And two people are dead.”
Silence. Ronan leaned forward.
“You tell her.”
“No.”
“Elliot.”
“No.”
“You want police looking at me instead?”
His face changed instantly. There. Ronan saw the blow land.
“That isn't fair.”
“Neither is withholding something that might matter.”
Elliot looked away. Ronan knew he'd won. Or cornered him. Different.
“Tomorrow,” Elliot said.
“What?”
“I'll tell her tomorrow.”
Ronan exhaled.
“Thank you.”
“Don't.”
“Don't what?”
“Act relieved.”
“I am relieved.”
“That you're forcing me to break someone's confidence?”
“That you're not secretly joining a murder cult.”
Elliot stared. Then laughed. Small. Real. Ronan smiled.
“There's my psychopath.”
The word left automatically. Elliot's smile vanished. Ronan noticed.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“Elliot.”
He looked over.
“Don't call me that.”
The seriousness surprised him. Ronan nodded.
“Okay.”
No joke. No teasing. Just okay. Something in Elliot softened.
Ronan leaned back. For the first time all day, the pressure behind his ribs eased slightly.
He had an explanation now. Not a complete one.
But something. Elliot had been looking into the victims. That explained the maps.
The articles. The questions. The secret meeting.
Maybe even the lies. Ronan wanted to believe that was enough.
His phone vibrated. Dylan. Of course. Ronan opened it.
DYLAN: weird question
Then:
DYLAN: did elliot ever know lucas better than he says?
Ronan stared. Elliot noticed.
“What?”
Ronan didn't answer. Another message arrived.
DYLAN: lucas mentioned him once
Ronan's chest tightened.
RONAN: mentioned what
Three dots. Long pause. Then:
DYLAN: said elliot scared him
Ronan stopped breathing for a second. Elliot watched his face.
“What?”
Ronan looked at him. The room went very quiet.
“Did Lucas ever tell you he was afraid of you?”
Elliot froze. Not long. A fraction. But Ronan saw it. Again. Another tiny pause. Another answer before the answer.
“No.”
Ronan stared. Elliot stared back. Someone was lying. And for the first time, Ronan had no idea which one of them it was.