“I don’t know.” I lean back against the headboard, trying to find the words. “He keeps watching me clean like it’s hurting him. And last night he did the dishes after I went to bed. Like he didn’t want me touching them.”
Derrick is quiet for a moment. “That doesn’t sound like Tolin.”
“Yeah, well.” I shrug even though he can’t see it. “Maybe he’s turning over a new leaf.”
“Or maybe he’s plotting something.” Derrick’s tone is light, but there’s genuine worry underneath. “Listen, the weather is bad. Really bad. They’re saying this storm could last another two or three days. Don’t try to leave on your own, okay? If you need out of there, call me. I’ll figure something out.”
“I’ll be fine,” I say. “Everything is fine. He’s grumpy, not dangerous.”
“I know. I just...” He trails off, and I can hear him choosing his next words carefully. “I care about you, Imani. I don’t want anything to happen to you up there.”
The warmth in his voice makes me uncomfortable. I know what he’s doing. What he’s been trying to do since I started at Shadow Suds.
“I appreciate that,” I say carefully. “But I’m okay. Really.”
“Okay.” He doesn’t sound convinced. “Call me if anything changes.”
“I will. Goodnight, Derrick.”
“Goodnight, Imani.”
I end the call and toss the phone onto the bed.
I need a shower. Badly. I can smell myself now, the chemical solution mixed with sweat from a full day of scrubbing. My hair is a disaster. My clothes are grimy. I feel disgusting.
I grab my toiletry bag and head for the bathroom.
The hallway is quiet. Tolin’s door is still closed, no light showing underneath. Good. I can shower in peace without worrying about running into him.
I set my things on the bathroom counter and start arranging them. Shampoo, conditioner, the deep moisturizer my curls need after a day like today. Body wash. Razor. The works.
But as I reach for the faucet, I hear something.
A crackling. Popping. Coming from the living room.
The fire.
I left it burning when I finished cleaning, not thinking about it. But it’s been hours since anyone added wood. It should be dying down by now, not crackling like that.
I step out of the bathroom and move toward the living room.
The fire is still going strong, flames licking at a fresh log that must have been added recently. But Tolin isn’t here. His chair sits empty by the window, leather worn smooth from years of use.
The chair he told me not to touch.
I should just leave it. Add another log for the night, then go take my shower. That’s the smart thing to do.
But it’s burning too hot. If I leave it like this, it could spark. The cabin is old, all wood and exposed beams. It wouldn’t take much for something to catch.
I need to put it out. Or at least bank it down. Let it burn to coals overnight instead of roaring flames.
How do you even put a fire out? I stare at the hearth, thinking. Water would make a mess. And I don’t see any kind of damper or?—
There. A metal tool leaning against the stone. Some kind of poker or spreader. I can use that to separate the logs, let them burn down faster.
But I can’t reach it from here. The chair is in the way.
I hesitate, remembering his words from yesterday.This chair is mine. You don’t sit in it. You don’t move it. You don’t touch it.
