Free Night Fires by D. H. Sidebottom

you give your family life through you, Alice.” I nodded. Carter laughed though. “You know, the rumour is that I killed her because she had a lover.” There was bitterness in his voice but the humour overrode it. “People seem to have trouble separating gossip and the truth, and unfortunately they choose the most exciting one. There’s plenty of gossip around here. That’s the trouble with such a small community. Everyone knows, or think they know, your whole life story.”
    The pup came running to me and I screwed up my face in disgust when he dropped his own lump of poo at my feet. “Holy hell.” I gagged when Carter laughed loudly, his booming roar contagious, and before long we were both cracked up with laughter, the pup wagging his tail excitedly at our reaction to his gift.
    “Ugh,” I mumbled, wiping away the tears of laughter. “I need a shower.”
    Carter nodded and lifted himself out of the chair when I stood. “I’ll leave you to it.”
    I bit my bottom lip nervously. “Umm…”
    He frowned. “What is it?”
    “I, uhh…” I cleared my throat. “Umm well I want to go to my family’s grave. I couldn’t go yesterday, too hard. I wondered if…”
    Carter took my hand and squeezed. “I’d be honoured to come with you.”
    Blowing out a relieved breath, I smiled. “Thank you.”
    “But only if you let me take you to dinner after.”
    Every part of me froze. “Like… like on a date?” His soft smile and gentle touch on my face made me relax and I rolled my eyes. “Sorry, I’m…”
    “Yes, on a date, Alice. Why is that so hard to believe?”
    I shrugged, shame flaring a deep ache in my belly. “Well, I thought after I told you about having an affair, and Elizabeth…”
    “I didn’t hit Elizabeth,” he grumbled. “And you’re not Elizabeth.”
    “No,” I whispered. “But that didn’t make it right.”
    “It’s just dinner, Alice. I’m not asking to marry you.”
    His tone was gruff and his words were blunt, making me cringe, but I nodded. “Give me an hour and I’ll be ready.”
    I could feel his eyes on me as I swiftly made my way inside. I didn’t want to see the softness in his eyes anymore. I didn’t deserve sympathy or understanding, and I couldn’t help but wonder if Carter had understood the level of my depravity, because he should hate me. More than I hated myself.

C ARTER DECIDED TO drive and I was grateful for that when he picked me up a little later in a beautiful, shiny black sports car – don’t ask me what it was, I’m crap at all that man shit. It was sleek and fast. Oh, and it smelled really, really good. Nothing could ever beat that new car smell – well, apart from homemade bread, that’s hands down unbeatable.
    “Very nice,” I said as I slid into the soft leather seat and snuggled down.
    Carter shrugged but I could see the pride in his face. Men and their toys! “Where are we going?” he asked as he slowly pulled away.
    I gave him the location and settled back for the ride. We drove in a comfortable silence but the question I had been itching to ask him since that morning was whirling around my head and I couldn’t settle.
    Eventually Carter sighed and glanced at me. “Will you just say it?”
    I winced at his tone and his intuition but forced out the question. “I just wondered how well you know David.”
    He frowned, casting another glance my way, but this time it was stern. “Why?”
    I shrugged. “I dunno. Just asking.”
    “Alice, you never just ask. There’s always something in everything you ask.” When I glared at him then turned to the window, he sighed. “I don’t know him too well. He moved into my old place about a year ago and then took the governor’s job at Dartmoor prison and…”
    Suddenly, he clammed up and I squealed when he yanked the car into a layby.
    “Fuck!” he hissed, his wide eyes staring at me with concern. “He’s there, isn’t he? Niall. He’s in Dartmoor.”
    My mouth dried and I nodded.