Page 58 of The Spider Queen
He nodded, looking quizzical. Hunter didn’t say anything; he let me lead. Only when we started heading north into the not-so-nice part of Charleston did he speak up.
“What’s all the way out here?”
“Francis wanted to show us something he’d found. I want you to see it.”
“Okay. Cryptic much?”
I squeezed his hand. “Trust me.”
The crumbling building wasn’t hard to find in the daytime. Foot traffic was minimal. The only sounds were the cawing of birds that flew in a V formation over our heads.
“We’re here,” I said quietly.
His eyes left my face to look at the building. The painting of the dark-haired man with dark eyes was on full display, and though it had appeared more ominous at night, it still conveyed intensity in the daytime.
“This is unbelievable,” he breathed, his hand dropping from mine. He took a step toward it. “It’s not signed, which is weird. Who wouldn’t want to put their name all over this? I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“I did this,” I admitted.
His head whipped around. “You?”
I nodded.
“When?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know.”
Hunter frowned. “How can—”
“Apparently I’ve been sleepwalking.” I looked at the painting. “I went to the doctor, and he gave me a mild sleeping pill. I think it’s time I take them.”
I turned my back on the wall and faced Hunter. “I don’t know how I did this without realizing it. Something’s happening to me, Hunter. Something I can’t explain.”
“The night you came to my apartment…”
I nodded. “I’d had a bad night, and I just needed…you.”
His hand came up to cradle my cheek. “You can tell me anything, Poppy. I swear.”
“Can I?” I took a deep breath. “Because I’m not even sure how to make sense of what’s going on. I’m afraid to take the sleeping pills, but I’m terrified of what could happen if I don’t.”
“I’ll be your sleeping pill.”
I raised an eyebrow.
“I meant, I’ll sleep next to you. Make sure you don’t wander off. I’m a light sleeper. I’d know.”
Relief blasted through me. “You’d do that for me?”
His eyes were vivid blue and steady. “I’d do anything for you.”
We walked hand in hand back toward downtown. I bought him a sweet tea and we strolled around the Market area.
Hunter was in the middle of trying to get me to buy a floppy hat meant for a tourist when my phone rang.
“It’s Francis,” I said to Hunter.
He nodded at me to take it.
