Page 27 of Innocence

“What is that?” he whispered to himself. That’s when the smell hit him. Kerosene. “No.”

“Hey! Hey! Please don’t do this! Please, I’m begging you, don’t do this!” His worst fear was coming to life. The fear of dying in a fire. He’d been so obsessed with the thought he placed five additional smoke detectors in his apartment, refused to operate a fireplace in his home, and never went anywhere without a fire extinguisher in his car.

Between the cracks of the old wooden door, he could see sparks, then flames licking the sky.

“God, no,” he whispered, coughing on the smoke and fumes. “Please! Please, I’m begging you!”

It was too late. Whoever had started the fire was gone or too far away to hear his cries, hear his pleas. In his head, the only thing he could think was that he was grateful he would die of smoke inhalation before he felt the flames.

As the abandoned cabin began to burn, a lone figure watched from a safe distance, hearing the screams and cries of the victim inside. When the walls collapsed inward, and sparks flew into the sky, the sounds of fire trucks could be heard in the distance.

Taking one last look, the figure turned and walked away.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

“How was it today?” asked Kari.

“Fucking sucked, that’s how it was,” he frowned, taking her into his arms and hugging her. “I should tell you I love you more often. You’re my whole world, Kari. Everything.”

“Hey,” she frowned. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Everything,” he said, shaking his head and kissing her. “Ivan and me had no luck at all, but some young woman answered the door wanting something from us.”

“Oh, I see,” she smirked. “She saw all this hot Robicheaux male perfection and wanted a taste. Well, tell her she can’t have any.”

“I did that, babe. You don’t ever have to worry about that,” he said.

“I know, Pierre. I’m teasing you. Listen, this isn’t the first time a young woman has hit on you. Just because you’re older doesn’t make you any less desirable. You forget how great you look for your age, how great we all look for our age.”

“You’re not upset?” he asked.

“No. Don’t you think the girls and I get hit on all the time? Every damn day, baby,” she said, trying to walk away. He gripped her hand and pulled her back toward him.

“Nah, uh. You’re not leaving me like that. Who hits on you?” She could only giggle, shaking her head.

“Well, let’s see. The court bailiff, the court clerk, the guard at the bank, the barista at the coffee shop next to the courthouse, and a few random guys on Magazine the other day. That was just this week.”

“What the fuck? Kari, when were you going to tell me?” he asked.

“Pierre, if I told you every time a man hit on me, that’s all we’d talk about. I don’t pay much attention to it any longer. I don’t think any of the women do. We just move on with our day. It’s just not a big deal because I’m not going to respond or give any credence to what they say. I have my man. The best man alive, in my opinion, and he’s the man I go home to at night.”

“You’re right,” he nodded. “I’m sorry the jealous monster came out. It just hit me weird today. She’s in this beautiful home. There was a rock on her hand that would choke a horse. She had a fancy car, and there she was trying to hook up with not one but two men while her husband was gone.”

“Baby, you are definitely sheltered,” she smirked. “Do you know how often I hear this story down at the courthouse? William Bellue is a divorce attorney. He tells me all the time about the petty shit people argue about and fight for in their divorces. Women and men who were unfaithful because they wanted excitement in their marriages. It’s sad.”

“Do you want excitement?” he asked.

“Are you kidding me right now? We have so much damn excitement it’s a wonder I don’t have a heart attack most nights. Pierre, you are the sexiest, smartest, sweetest, most badass man I know, and I know a lot of them. You and I are perfect, honey.”

“Thank you,” he smiled, kissing his wife again. “I think I needed to hear that.” She nodded at him, then jerked her head to the side.

“I think maybe Ivan needed to hear it as well,” she smiled. Sophia was lovingly touching his face, kissing him.

“We were together,” smiled Miller.

“No luck?”

“Nothing. Come on. Mama has s’mores set up for everyone at the fire pit. I could use a few s’mores tonight and maybe even a beer.”

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