Page 34 of The House Beyond the Dunes

“That’s in the forecast?”

“It is.”

The weather app on my phone shows only curly lines, not exact miles per hour. I suppose if this guy was going to kill me, he’d have tried something by now. I rattle off my number, which he quickly types into his phone. My phone immediately rings, jarring me slightly.

The area code is Virginia. He might live here now but hasn’t always. “Got it. Thanks.”

He stares at me as if he’s wedging together puzzle pieces that don’t want to fit. “Call me if you need anything.”

“Will do.” As he turns, I ask, “Did you know Kyle, the man who owned this place?” I still haven’t saidKyleanddeadin the same sentence.

He halts. “Sure. Why do you ask?”

“Just curious.”

He drops his gaze. “Lane, you said?”

“That’s right.”

A wry smile tweaks his lips. “You look different.”

“From?”

“Yesterday morning. I saw you and Kyle arrive.”

My stomach tumbles. “Why were you here on a holiday?”

“The washing machine hose disconnected from the wall in the house across the street. The water flooded the downstairs. Devon called me.”

“Damage from a washer?”

“Owner forgot to turn off the water valve. Water can do a lot of damage if it floods unchecked.”

“How did you know that Kyle and I were in trouble?”

“I heard you two arguing, and then it went silent. I stopped by to make sure everyone was okay.”

In a blink, I remember our locked gazes. Kyle doesn’t look panicked, but annoyed. Pissed even.You need to take it easy, Lane.Before I can process the moment, our bodies are falling and slamming into the floor. And then nothing until the rescue squad arrives.

“You called 9-1-1?” I ask.

“Yes.”

What did he hear when he came to the house? What were we saying? But asking means revealing I don’t remember. “Then I should really thank you.”

His brow lines deepen. “Sorry about Kyle.”

“Me too.”

“You didn’t date very long, did you?”

“No. We knew each other only a few weeks. I guess that’s part of the reason why I’m here. I’m trying to learn more about him. I saw Kyle die, but I don’t know that much about him. Feels like I should know him better.”

I can feel his stare burrowing under my skin. “Have you learned anything?”

“Not really.”

“He was a private guy.”

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