She carefully moved her arms and legs. “No. Everything feels fine.” She sat up. The windows in the room were open, letting in the fresh air. “What happened?”
Sid pointed to her coffee maker. At least she assumed it was her coffee maker. The thing was sitting, still smoking, inside the kitchen sink. “That’s what set off your fire alarm. It seems to have self-combusted. I unplugged it and gave it a douse.”
Flashes of her dream came back to her. Shivering, Sara closed her eyes, her face losing some of the color it had recently regained. “I couldn’t find the door. There was so much smoke… I couldn’t breathe.”
When she opened her eyes, Sid looked somewhat puzzled.
“What?” she said. “What did I say?”
“Maybe you panicked. When I came in it smelled bad, for sure—but there wasn’t a whole lot of smoke.” He shrugged. “There’s no fire damage, either. Other than the coffee maker. It could’ve been a lot worse. You’re lucky I came by.”
Sara responded with a blank stare. What was he saying? That she was imagining things?
“How do you feel?”
“Much better.” Her throat felt normal again. That was a little odd. The apartment had been so smoky.
“Do you remember why you passed out?”
“Honestly I have no idea. I couldn’t breathe—for some reason.” She stood up. Again it occurred to her that she seemed remarkably unscathed.
“Maybe I should keep an eye on you for a while. You never know—you may need to see a doctor.” The suggestion left him practically beaming.
Sid seemed a little too pleased with the whole situation, she thought. But she couldn’t be bothered to protest. Facing the coffee machine, she assessed the damage. The plastic was so warped and bent, it almost resembled a piece of modern art. She was lucky he had come over. “Why did you come by?” she asked.
“I wanted to see how you were doing. I figured you were getting ready to leave. You know, one last goodbye. One of the other tenants is moving some furniture, so the front door was open. Then I heard a fire alarm going off. Turned out it was yours.” He surveyed the almost empty room. “Rather spartan. It’s kind of small, isn’t it?”
“I suppose. Space is expensive here. As you well know.”
“Yeah. I pay myself well, though.” He winked at her. “Let me know if you need a place to stay.”
Sara rolled her eyes. “Sid, you’re incorrigible. What I need is a new coffee machine.”
He laughed. “I know. I mean it, though—about my place. I like you. And I wouldn’t take advantage of the situation, if that’s what you’re worried about. I’m all bark, very little bite.”
“Right. I doubt that.” She wondered how she could get him to leave. Even though she liked him, this was not the time to be hanging out. What she wanted was to call Phoebe and talk. Her mind still reeled from the experience of the horrific fire and the fact that she had seen someone die in front of her—not to mention her own ordeal just now.
Sid went into the kitchen and started fiddling with the coffee maker. When he came out, he was carrying a large plastic bag. “It still stinks. I’ll chuck it in the bin for you, if you like.”
The kind gesture made her feel a little guilty for plotting how to get rid of him. “That would be great. Thank you. It doesn’t go in the trash, though. Just put it somewhere near the bin and I’ll take it to the recycling at some point.” She explained where the bin was located.
With the burned appliance out of the apartment and the windows open, the smell improved drastically. Sitting on one of the windowsills, Sara filled her lungs with fresh air.
There was a knock on the door. At least Sid was polite. “It’s open.”
The door opened and closed.
“For a girl who always locks her door in a small place like Dunnhill, you’re remarkably laid-back here in the big city. The front door was wide open as well.”
Wide-eyed, Sara turned toward the familiar voice. David was standing in her apartment. Her heart skipped a beat. He looked handsome as usual, but he was well dressed for a change. He had shaved and was wearing a dress shirt. He would, on occasion, sophisticate his look for clients, but at home he usually cared more about being comfortable. “Hi!” she managed to say. “You look… very nice.”
“Thank you. You… actually don’t look that good. I mean, you look great—always—just a little pale. Are you sick?”
“No.” She had left her seat but remained near the window, nervously rocking on her feet.
“Oh.” He scratched his hair, which was in a state of permanent disorder.
“I didn’t expect you,” she said.
The door flew open. Sid had returned from his trip to the trash can. “Sara, do you want to have dinn—” Sid stopped in his tracks and stared at David.
“I can see that.” David said to Sara, a little too composed. “What’s he doing here, Sara?” His gaze went back and forth between Sara and Sid. “I guess since you two are getting along so marvelously, maybe, Sara, you’d like to introduce me to your friend?” His grey eyes, warm and friendly only a minute before, sparked with anger.
For a few seconds, Sara was dumbstruck. David had developed an unexpected talent for showing up at the most unfortunate moments. Staring at the floor, she mumbled, “David, this is Sid. Sid, meet David.”
“Ah,” Sid said, looking up at David, who was a good four inches taller than him. “The long-lost boyfriend. You do exist! I was wondering if Sara had imaginary friends.”
“Imaginary? Far from it, pal.” David’s broad shoulders tensed up.
“Sid is the yoga instructor I told you about…” Sara said. “There was some commotion with the fire alarm this afternoon. No fire, though. I don’t understand what happened, exactly, but I passed out. Sid sort of rescued me, I guess.”
“Right. I’d love to hear more about that later. Thanks for rescuing my girlfriend, Sid. If you don’t mind, I’ll take it from here.” David dropped his backpack on the floor. “I’m sure you can find some yoga class to go to.”
“If that’s what Sara wants…?” Sid said, looking at her.
“Seriously, dude, get lost, will you?” David opened the apartment door.
Sara placed a hand on Sid’s arm. “It’s okay, Sid. David traveled a long way to see me. Thanks for your help. I appreciate it.”
Sid shrugged, his mouth tightening to a thin line. “Sure. If you want me to go, I will.” He grabbed her hand and gracefully planted a kiss on it. “It was nice getting to know you, Sara. You’ve got my number. Let me know if you change your mind. I mean it,” he said with a smile that never reached his dark eyes. “Call me anytime.”
He walked through the door, closing it softly on his way out. Any guilt she felt for booting him out of her apartment was pretty evenly matched by the irritation she felt over that last performance, clearly intended to irk David.
David, practically fuming, did not seem sorry in the least. “Good riddance,” he said, turning to Sara. “Now what was going on with that fire? And why was he”—David pointed to the closed door—“hanging around here in the first place?”
“There was a fire alarm. I tried to get out but I couldn’t open the door in time, and I couldn’t breathe—honestly, I really thought there was smoke everywhere—and then I passed out. But according to Sid, there was no smoke, and no real fire either, although my coffee machine was melting.” She waved in the direction of the kitchen, realizing she was blabbering. “Nothing major, but enough to set off the alarm, I guess. That’s all. Sid just came by—I don’t know why—but I’m glad he did. The machine could’ve started a fire.”
David ignored her last comment. “That’s a weird story. If it was nothing major, why did you pass out?”
“I don’t know. It makes no sense.” She bit her lip. What else was there to say?
He raised an eyebrow. “Whenever things make no sense, there’s usually something going on. Sara, are you dreaming again? You are, aren’t you? Why didn�
�t you tell me?”
“I didn’t want to worry you. It seemed pretty benign so far.”
“It’s hardly benign if—whatever it is—it’s trying to burn down your apartment.”
“Slow down. I don’t think that’s the case. I’m not even sure there was a connection between the two. It could’ve just been my shitty coffee machine. But…” She feigned sudden interest in her socks. “I may have been dreaming about a fire while this was going on.”
“Seriously? We should talk about that. About your dreams.” He was looking around the empty apartment, oblivious to her discomfort. “This place is pretty bare.”
“I’ve gotten rid of most of the furniture. The bed is the only thing left.”
“Well, at least you were doing some of the things you assured me you were doing here.”
She ignored the snarky comment. “Would you like something to drink?”
“Coffee.” He observed the empty kitchen counter and shook his head. “Right. Water will do.” He sat down on the floor. “My schedule opened up. After our conversation last night, I needed to see you. Maybe I left too hastily the last time I was here.” The anger was gone from his face. Now he just looked sad.
Her heart gave a soft twinge. She sat down in front of him, their knees touching. “David? I want to tell you I’m sorry. I realize I was difficult to talk to. I was working through some stuff. I’m sorry if you think I did something wrong by going out with Sid. I’m sorry if I hurt you. It certainly wasn’t my intention. That kiss was a mistake. I didn’t want it, but it happened, and it shouldn’t have.”
“Why did you go out with him? What was the purpose, if you weren’t interested? I thought we had a good thing going.”
“I was lonely. And please don’t talk like we’re past tense. We’re not, are we? I—I don’t know why I went. I wasn’t leading him on, really—he took the initiative every time. I told him I had a boyfriend. It felt very innocent. But maybe I was giving him mixed signals. I don’t know how to explain this, David, but sometimes a girl likes to be pursued. And you can be a bit passive. I often feel like I’m the one steering our relationship.”
“Passive?” he said, looking offended. “And I guess Sid’s not? Next thing you’ll tell me is I need to tie my hair in a knot, practice yoga, and move to the city.”
“I don’t think a man-bun would suit you.”
“Very funny,” he replied, though he clearly didn’t think it was. “I came to San Francisco twice for you. How’s that passive?”
“It’s not. It totally took me by surprise. And it feels wonderful. Also, you do a great jealous boyfriend.” She gave him a coy smile.
“Hmm, I see what you’re doing. Trying to flatter me.”
“Is it working?”
“Maybe. Keep going.”
“I missed you.”
“I’ve missed you too.”
Their eyes locked, and the magnetic force between them made her stomach do a somersault. It amazed her every time, how he could make the world around her disappear—they were in their little bubble, where nothing else mattered.
David gave a pained smile and looked away, breaking the spell. He got up rather abruptly and refilled his water glass, but instead of returning to the floor, he lingered in the kitchen doorway. “You know,” he said after a while, “you may be right—about me lying low. I had this girlfriend, years back, when I was living in Seattle. I tried the assertive approach. It didn’t work out well.” He walked to the window and closed it. “You mind? It’s getting a bit cold. Besides, I think the smell has worn off.”
“Go ahead.” She could see what he was trying to do, but she wouldn’t let him off the hook so easily. “What happened? With the girlfriend, I mean?”
“The girlfriend, right.” He started closing the other windows, leaving one open a crack. “I was completely, madly in love. It’s embarrassing, really. I feel kind of sorry for her—now. Anyway, I came on way too strong. Asked her to marry me after three months. I don’t know what the hell I was thinking. She politely declined—by breaking up with me—and saved us both from what probably would’ve been a huge mistake. At the time, though, I was heartbroken. I promised myself I would take things much slower next time. Maybe I let the pendulum swing too far in the other direction.”
Sara didn’t know what to say. They had never talked much about their past relationships. She had assumed he’d had a few, but this sounded so unlike the David she knew. “Not entirely. You’re here.”
“True. Just in time to rescue you from Mr. Yoga.” He sat back down in front of her. “I don’t like sharing my girlfriend, if that’s okay with you. I was jealous when you told me you had gone out for coffee—and then I saw you kiss him… But I’m sorry I acted like a jerk. You seemed so far away all of a sudden.”
“Thank you for saying that. I think I understand. I don’t want to share my boyfriend either.”
“Glad we got that settled. Now, tell me, what’s been going on with the dreams?”
“It’s a long story…”
“I’ve got all night.”
Hesitantly, Sara told him about the letters and how she had met Jean and Phoebe. The sensations the letters provoked when she touched them. And, finally, the dreams. The one from this afternoon she told haltingly, her heart beating fast, the experience still fresh in her mind.
After she finished, he took her hands and slowly unclenched them. Then he put his arms around her, pulling her close. “That sounds awful,” he murmured, his lips against her hair. “Do you know who she was?”
Sara rested her head against his chest, inhaling his familiar scent. “I’m not sure. It could be either one of them, Julia or Alice. They both had red hair. But it was Julia’s room, I think.” The words came out reluctantly.
“If Julia was sleeping in the house while it was on fire, where was the rest of the family? Did you hear anything? People screaming?”
“No. She was alone, as far as I could tell.”
David pulled away a little so he could look at her. “But she had two children, right?”
It dawned on Sara what David was saying. “Yes, she did. But maybe they were all able to escape? Or they weren’t in the house at the time?”
“Do you know where the house was? Could we somehow find out if there was a fire there?”
“Their house was on Nob Hill. There was a major fire in San Francisco in 1906, in the aftermath of the earthquake—it practically wiped out all of Nob Hill and other big parts of San Francisco.”
“Wouldn’t the earthquake have destroyed their house?”
“Not necessarily. Some areas were devastated, while others just had some minor damage.”
David rubbed his chin, thinking this over for a while. “It doesn’t make sense,” he said. “If your city is on fire and the fire’s coming your way, you’re not going to hang around, are you? If you can, you’re going to make your way out.”
“I don’t know. I suppose. Maybe she was surprised by the speed of the fire?”
“Maybe.”
“You don’t sound convinced.”
“Because I’m not. She had two little kids. I’d think she’d keep them close. And you didn’t see them.”
David was right. Julia would have kept them close. They were all she had left. And she wouldn’t have taken an unnecessary risk that could seriously endanger them. So where were the boys while their mother died? Or was it not Julia she had seen, but Alice? Sara shrugged. “I don’t know. You make a good point.”
David kissed her forehead tenderly. “You look tired. You should get some good sleep tonight. Let’s get takeout and go to bed early.”
“I don’t want to sleep anymore, honestly. That last dream was so awful. What if it comes back?” The thought sent her heart into her throat. “I really thought for a moment I was going to burn alive in that house. The floor was about to go—the bed had already fallen through. I was going to be next, swallowed up by the fire.”
“I’m here—I can wake yo
u up. Besides, it’s a dream, remember? A very real one, but a dream. I doubt you’d catch on fire like your coffee machine.” He pulled her up from the floor. “You need to sleep. Otherwise you can’t function. And you’ll never find out what happened.”
“Great,” she said, grumbling. “It’s like being forced to watch a horror movie all the way to the end when all you want is to leave the theater.”
“I wish I could help you. It sounds more like a curse than a gift,” he said, taking her hand and guiding her to the door. “But this time you’re not alone. I’ll watch over you.”
Chapter 16
She had no dreams that night. The room was filled with daylight when she woke up. As she stared at the ceiling, yesterday’s events slowly came back to her. She stretched out her hand but found an empty space beside her. The sheet was still warm.
She sat up. “David?” she called. No one answered. Maybe he had gone out for a walk? After all, he liked the outdoors. She lay down again, covering her naked body with the comforter. David had watched over her last night, as he had promised. Without any need to worry, she slept deeply. She recalled waking up only once… A smile crossed her face. Half asleep, their bodies had found one another—hesitant at first. But shielded by the darkness, intimacy was easy, and passion took over.
The memories of their fighting over the past few days had faded a little now. They would be better for it, Sara thought. But a voice inside her head spoke up. In the face of her bliss, it warned her that there was more she needed to tell David. She argued with it. It could wait. Waiting was perfectly reasonable. There was no rush. But the voice protested.
The apartment door opened. “David?” she called again, silencing her inner dialogue.
“Hey, you’re awake.” He walked into the bedroom with two large coffees. “I come bearing gifts.” He grinned. “I know how you are without caffeine, so…”
“Oh, wonderful! You’re the best.”
“I know. That’s what you told me last night.” He handed her one of the coffee cups and snuggled up beside her.
“Did I? I honestly don’t remember.”
A Dose of Deadly Intentions Page 9