Chapter 19
NINETEEN
Dove
I’m restless as I lie in bed and wait for Reid to come back. I was expecting him much earlier. I didn’t want to call and ask when he would be home.
Home . If I can even call it that for him.
I know he has things to take care of, and I need to be patient.
When he slips inside the bedroom, all of my anxiety washes away. Only this time, it’s different.
As I lie here, pretending to be asleep because of the late hour, Reid doesn’t come and sit on my bed. Instead, I hear the shuffling of his clothes being torn off and feel the weight of the comforter lift up momentarily right before he climbs in.
He wraps his arms around me, and the stress I was feeling completely disappears.
I more than expect him to start fondling my breasts or try and touch the wetness that is already gathering low, but he doesn’t.
Instead, his breath goes ragged as he keeps me in his hold. It doesn’t take long for his breathing to even out, and I know he’s already asleep.
Something feels entirely unknown about this. We’ve never just rested like this, as if he’s just a typical man returning home late from work and cuddling up to his partner. It’s one of the most intimate acts we’ve done.
Everything is off-kilter with Reid.
We’re doing things out of order, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Instead, I’ll embrace this moment as the first of hopefully many to come.
My eyelids begin to feel heavy for the first time all night, and I know sleep is coming for me.
The next morning, Reid is gone when I awaken. A Polaroid and a note are on my nightstand. Picking up the note, I can’t help but smile.
Don’t worry, little bird. I’ll be back tonight. I love you. -R
I pop out of bed and put on a pair of leggings and a sweater. The urge to get some energy out is strong. My pieces are being picked up later today for the show, and then I won’t have long until the event. It’s a whirlwind to know that a year’s worth of my work will finally be on display.
November 9 will be here before I know it.
I pour a cup of coffee and head into my darkroom. Getting out some film from a drawer, I put it into my camera bag and prepare to go for a hike just for me.
As I leave through the back of my house, I notice Tom nearby.
“Tom? Is that you?” I ask, confused.
“It is. How are you?” he responds.
“Good, just going for a hike. Hear any more news lately?”
“Just that they are almost ready to catch him.”
“Him?”
“I’m certain it’s a him .”
Tom is looking at me differently than he has before, or maybe I’ve never realized it.
I’m hesitant around Tom after what the police said. He told them about someone unusual lurking around the mountain. It’s a bizarre comment to make, given the volume of tourists we have throughout the year.
Why did Tom tell them about one man? There’s no way Reid was that obvious. How was Tom so close to me to know that Reid was nearby watching?
Chills go up my back at the realization—something is off with Tom.
“Well, I’m heading out,” I say nervously.
“All alone?”
Fuck.
“Meeting a friend.”
“A friend,” he muses.
“Tell Abigail I said hello.”
I give him a quick wave and start to head in the opposite direction.
“Tell your friend I said the same,” he shouts.
I pause and turn around slowly.
“But you don’t know my friend.”
“It’s not the new boyfriend?”
“No, it’s not.”
Tom knows about Reid. There’s so much more here than I ever realized.
“Bye, Tom.”
“Take care of yourself.”
I quickly head out to try and get out of his line of sight. I wish I could have gone back inside immediately.
I may be in love with someone who has questionable morals, but there’s something about Tom that I’m just nervous about after that.
I head out to the trail that will still have some hikers, even with the snow that’s just desperate to start its first hard fall.
Finally, far enough away, I look at my phone to see if it has any service.
Of course it doesn’t. Damn.
My breath is turning ragged, and I know it’s too cold for me to be outside like I had planned. With the way my heart is racing, I have to get back.
Hopefully, Tom will have left.
Why was he outside of my house?
He wasn’t wearing proper hiking boots and didn’t have any gear with him, even for a leisurely walk.
I have to get home.
I walk the short distance back up to where it is. There’s no sign of Tom nearby.
Locking the door behind me, I quickly discard my belongings and turn on the fireplace to try and get warm.
I don’t want to worry Reid yet. I could just be feeling off, given everything.
A loud knock on the front door breaks through my intrusive thoughts.
“Fuck,” I mutter as I place my hand over the left side of my chest.
“Ms. Barlowe, it’s Officer Bonner and Officer Crew. Are you home?”
Another loud knock comes through after I don’t answer.
“Coming!”
I try to pull it together. I don’t know why I thought it was going to be Tom. Who the hell knows what anything is anymore?
I put on a fake smile and straighten my posture. I can do this.
Opening the door, it’s the same officers as last time.
“Hello,” I say while lingering in the half-open doorway.
“Ms. Barlowe, a pleasure to see you again,” Officer Bonner says.
Taking the lead once again, apparently.
“What can I help you with?”
“We’re here to see if you’ve seen this man.”
He hands me a grainy photograph that really doesn’t show much. There’s a figure in all black that I know has to be Reid. The problem is, if I wasn’t a professional photographer and I didn’t know for a fact he had been out there, I could easily guess it was a shadow of a tree.
I study the photo to make it appear as if I’m trying to identify the figure in it.
“Officer, respectively, this isn’t much,” I say as I hand it back over.
Officer Crew lets out a grunt as he adjusts his belt. Officer Bonner hangs his head and then cracks it side to side.
“Have you seen anyone out here who looks out of the ordinary?”
“Nothing. We get a lot of strangers up here, so I have no idea.”
“Your neighbor, Tom Warner, shared that he saw this man around your property quite a bit. Nothing?”
“As much as I value Tom as my neighbor, Officer… Tom is older, and I feel like he could be making things up.”
Officer Bonner nods thoughtfully.
“He seems fine to me,” Officer Crew says.
“Some good days and bad days,” I lie.
“Mr. Warner also mentioned you have a new boyfriend in town.”
Not a question, a statement.
“Who I date is none of anyone’s business.”
“You have a new boyfriend?”
“How does this help you solve your murder, Officer?”
Officer Crew nudges him in the back. It’s so slight that I would have missed it if I wasn’t so on edge.
“We’re just chasing everything out of the ordinary.”
“No leads then, huh?”
“It’s an open case. I’m not at liberty to say.”
I pop my hip out and place my hand on it.
“Well, if I see anything, I’ll be sure to call into the station.”
“Thank you,” Officer Crew chimes in.
“Yes, thank you, Ms. Barlowe. We appreciate your cooperation,” Officer Bonner adds.
He looks exhausted. The clear signs that there are no real leads and they are on this manhunt for a ghost are apparent.
“Be safe out here. There’s a murderer on the loose.”
“Thank you.”
They both tip their hats and head down my driveway. As soon as they pull away, I close the door behind me.
Finally, that’s over with.
In my kitchen, I pull out a half-drunk bottle of red wine and pour myself a hefty glass. I decide to settle into my couch and just take it easy.
I have to do something normal. Anything to remind me that I can go back to not being worried daily after this.
Time goes by quickly as I wait for Reid to return.