On the evening after Selena got Angela's message, after the room at the main house had exhaled collectively and Damon Vale had said "good" in the tone that closed conversations, after Luther had gone back to tracking the financial traces and Matilda had gone back to managing Crane's professional unravelling, Roman drove Eli back to the Vale guest house in the dark and they sat in the parked car for a while because neither of them moved to get out.
It was eleven-fifteen. The street was quiet. The radio was off.
"One down," Roman said.
"Holt's not the last."
"No." He turned off the engine. "But it's a start."
Eli looked at the house. The light above the door was on because Roman always left it on. He had noticed this weeks ago and not said anything about it, the particular care of someone who was used to coming home to dark and had decided to do the opposite.
"Are you tired?" Roman asked.
"A little."
"Come inside."
