Chapter 22

Bret arranges a Tuesday movie with Ryan at the Bruin and notes Ryan’s relaxed ease, yet Bret’s trust is gone after seeing Ryan and Robert near school. They watch Chariots of Fire; Bret is distracted by desire and insecurity while Ryan stays engaged. Afterward Ryan casually reveals he has invited Robert to dinner next door.

On the sidewalk, Bret challenges Ryan about spending time with Robert, accusing Robert of instability and involvement in Matt’s death and the missing girls. Ryan rejects the accusations. As they approach the restaurant, Bret spots a beige van cruising by, which triggers acute panic; he staggers inside to compose himself.

At Hamburger Hamlet, Bret refuses to leave Ryan alone with Robert and joins them. Conversation starts lightly—film talk and party plans—then Robert invites them to his upcoming eighteenth-birthday dinner at Le Dome, saying his aunt will pay and that Susan suggested the restaurant.

Bret steers the talk toward Robert’s movements and Matt: Palm Springs trips, movies, and whether Robert saw Matt the week he vanished. Robert downplays any connection, claiming only casual attempts to befriend Matt and denying visits or tapes. When pressed, Robert deflects by referencing Bret’s closeness to Matt, citing Susan’s remarks.

Bret counters by revealing Susan told him Robert had been institutionalized. Robert admits he spent time at a Jacksonville “facility” at his father’s insistence but offers no details. The confrontation teeters on collapse until Bret laughs it off as a joke, and the others follow his lead. The evening ends with a fragile truce, while Bret withholds what he knows about the tape and hints he will learn more about Robert the next day.