Chapter9

#Chapter9

/"Come in./" He stepped aside and waved an arm to the wide stretch of hallway behind him. /"How did you get here? You're completely soaked./"

/"Walked./" I shrugged past him. /"Where's my phone?/"

Holding up a hand, he nodded at my feet. /"Shoes off. You're not tracking that through my house./"

My eyes followed his. The lighting was dull, the hall unlit and a breeding ground for shadows, but I could just about make out the puddle that had formed beneath my shoes. Watched as droplets fell from my fingertips and jacket like a leaky faucet. Reluctantly, I kicked them off. Which wasn't as easy as it sounded. My fingers had numbed to the point of defectivity, and cold water slid from my hair and down my face, blurring my vision.

/"Here./" I hadn't noticed him leave, but he came striding back down the hall, a navy towel in tow. /"Dry yourself off. Your phone is in here. Can I get you a warm drink? Tea, coffee?/"