Chapter 13

Bret wakes after Matt’s death determined to erase fear, adopt a strict daily schedule, and focus on tracking Robert Mallory. He discards weed and pills, commits to workouts and schoolwork, and pointedly avoids thoughts of Matt, though he stashes RM’s phone number and Matt’s underwear, reminders he cannot fully ignore.

At Buckley, Bret performs normalcy with Debbie and the group, confronts Robert with disarming compliments, and notes Robert’s unease. During assembly about Homecoming, Bret studies Robert and Susan’s muted reactions. He later apologizes to Robert and, in the office, confirms the RM phone number does not match Robert’s roster listing.

Over lunch, Bret avoids revealing Ronald Kellner’s grim findings, instead joining banter while noticing a shy distance between Susan and Robert. After school, Bret watches Susan linger, then sees Robert approach her when Bret leaves. Bret spends two afternoons tailing Robert’s Porsche from Buckley to Century Towers, confirming a routine and remaining unseen.

On the third day, Robert abruptly diverts over Mulholland to Benedict Canyon, stopping at a shuttered, secluded house. Bret, adrenalized, investigates the empty property—curtained windows, a neglected court, a half-filled, filthy pool—and feels watched from the hillside, fleeing as dread surges back.

Recalling Ronald’s point about the Datsun’s mileage and clutching the RM note, Bret convinces himself this Benedict Canyon house is connected to where Matt disappeared, perhaps where he was kept, binding his suspicions of Robert to a concrete location.