Untangling the Web

Chapter 6

"The fire was set on purpose. Someone may have been trying to kill you."

The words bounce around both of their minds as Emir maneuvers the car back down Kemal's driveway. The trip to his uncle's didn't go as Emir had planned. His plan was just to get the keys to the cabin he and Reyhan had spent that one night at and take her back up there today. It was quiet and remote and actually very romantic. He had tried acting like he was there against his will last time. But by the time she had curled up with him in the bed, he was ready to stay there for the rest of their lives. Which apparently wasn't meant to be that long if their would be murderer had had his way.

"The fire was set on purpose."

Emir can't get the words Kemal had said out his head. He had assumed the fire started because he didn't extinguish the campfire properly. He had assumed it was just an accident caused by his carelessness. All this time, he had been assuming the wrong thing.

"Someone may have been trying to kill you."

But who, Emir wonders. And why? What possible reason would someone have to set the cabin on fire while Emir and Reyhan slept inside?

"Why would someone do this?" Reyhan asks, echoing his own silent queries.

"I have no idea," he answers, equally as flabbergasted by the new information. He looks over and his breath catches when he realizes what could have happened to her. He reaches across to grab her hand, needing the contact.

"It'll be fine," he promises. "We'll find out who did this."

He hopes.

The rest of the trip to Zafer's is made in silence. They had decided to go to Zafer after leaving Kemal's in hopes of maybe getting a clue to what happened that night. Aside from Reyhan, he's the only other person who knew where they were because he took them both. Hopefully he'll remember if he had noticed anything unusual that day.

Once they arrive, the two solemnly make their way to the door and are ushered inside almost immediately.

"What's up with you two?" Zafer asks cheerfully. "You look like someone died."

Reyhan pales and wobbles on her feet. Emir catches her and leads her to the couch to sit.

"Get her some water, please," Emir quietly requests his friend before turning back to his wife. "Are you going to be okay?"

She gives him a tiny smile and a nod. He places a kiss on her forehead.

When Zafer gets back with the water, they explain to him what's going on. He's stunned speechless.

"We can't figure out who even knew we were up there," Emir explains.

"Aside from the two of us," Zafer starts, pointing to Reyhan and then himself. "Only your uncle knew because we had to get the keys and make sure it was okay to use the place."

"I told Narin because she was there when we got the keys," Reyhan asks. "And that's all. I didn't tell anyone in the house, not even Melike. We stopped for food on the way up there. No one else could have known."

She nervously rubs the spot between her eyes and Emir is starting to worry about how stressed she's getting. He's never seen her quite this upset.

"How about you, Zafer?" Emir asks. "Did anyone call and ask where we were?"

"I only told your father that you two were going to be away for a few days," Zafer says with a shrug. "No one really asked about you .... wait a minute! I just remembered. Cemre kept calling, but I wouldn't answer her. And Suna called. She's the only one I told about the cabin. But I made her promise not to tell anyone."

"Let's see if she kept that promise."