Just like she wasn’t at the café when it burned.
Dorothy left the café minutes before the fire started. I watched her walk down the steps, watched her drive away in her old sedan.
And today, she was supposed to be at the library, but didn’t show up.
Two fires. Dorothy was supposed to be at both. But she wasn’t.
She left early. Or didn’t come at all.
And I was there. Both times. In her place.
My fork clatters against my plate.
“Rachel?” Jake’s voice sounds far away. “You okay?”
“I need to call Dorothy back.”
“Now? We’re eating—”
“Now.” I hold out my hand. “Please.”
He hands me my phone without arguing, probably because my face must look as panicked as I feel.
I step out onto the back porch and call Dorothy’s number.
She answers on the second ring. “Rachel! Oh, thank God. I’ve been trying to reach you for hours.”
“Dorothy, are you okay? I didn’t see you at the library today.”
“Oh, sweetheart, I’m so sorry. I meant to call the library, but my phone died, and I’ve been at the doctor’s office all afternoon.” Her voice is apologetic. “I woke up with a terrible headache this morning and decided to stay home. Didn’t want to risk it if I was coming down with something.”
“You weren’t there.”
“No, dear. Why? Did something happen?”
“Dorothy, there was a fire at the library today. A bad one. The staff room had smoke damage throughout the building.”
She gasps. “Oh my God. Rachel, are you okay? Was anyone hurt?”
“Everyone got out. Tommy and I were there getting his book when it started.” My voice sounds strange in my own ears. Distant.
“You were there?” Her voice shakes. “You were at another fire?”
“Yeah.” I lean against the porch railing. “Dorothy… you were supposed to be at the café the night it burned. You left right before the fire started. And today, you were supposed to be at the library, but you weren’t there either.”
The silence on the other end stretches too long.
“Dorothy?”
“That’s… that’s quite a coincidence, isn’t it?” Her voice sounds uncertain now. “My goodness. I hadn’t even thought about that.”
“Two fires. Both places you were supposed to be.”
“But I wasn’t there. You were.” She pauses. “Rachel, are you sure you’re okay? This must be so frightening for you.”
“I’m fine. Just trying to make sense of it all.”
“Well, there’s nothing to make sense of, dear. Just terrible timing and bad luck.” But she doesn’t sound entirely convinced. “My grandson stopped by this afternoon, actually. Ryan. He’d heard about the library fire on the news and wanted to check on me.”
