The mood Carson was in would sour anybody's milk. He hadn't asked Abigail about Katie Meadows’ death, but he certainly got the gist of her disgust for the Ford Street church project. And to top it all off, when he had stopped by Mrs. Winter's house that morning because her son had asked him to, she talked about Jeffery. It wasn't as if she remembered him. It was as if she had spoken to him.

He wasn't ready to face that. He had enough on his plate, and worrying about Mrs. Winters in her declining health, that tore him up.

Emily entered his office with a stack of papers and a cup of coffee.

"You wanted me to remind you that you have a meeting at ten with the zoning commission. Your mother is having lunch catered in for the office. And Abigail Weston is in reception and asked to speak to you."

He watched Emily's face to see if there was any recognition of who Abigail might be. He decided that his mother must not have bought into sharing office gossip. Perhaps she wanted to take him up on the offer to look at the plans. Well, fine. If that's what was important to her, and that's what was important to him.

"Send her in.”

Emily handed him a cup of coffee and set the papers on the table in the corner of the room where he would hold private meetings. As she left his office, he took a long sip of coffee to give his blood a little jolt.

Abigail walked into his office, as bright as a ray of sunshine, he thought. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and she wore a bright yellow dress. Her coat was draped over her arm. And though her outfit was bright and welcoming, distress was painted on her face.

Carson stood from behind his desk and moved to her. "Did something happen? I assumed you came to look at the architectural plans for the Ford Street church, but your face says something different."

"I'm sorry to bother you at work," she said picking something off her jacket that he couldn't see. "I just thought it was important enough I should tell you."

So perhaps she had decided to come clean about Katie Meadows, he thought. Good. He'd rather hear her side without having to ask for it.

He reached out and touched her arms, which were cold. "Come sit down. Can I get you some coffee?"

"I can't stay for long. I need to get to work. We have a tour bus coming in, and if I'm not there in time, Clare will lose her mind.”

"Okay, what did you need to tell me?”

Abigail chewed on her bottom lip for a moment. "I had a dream last night. I have lots of strange dreams. But this one was at Mrs. Winters'. So I got up early this morning, and went to her house.”

"I was at her house this morning. When were you there?”

"Maybe fifteen minutes ago."

"I must have just missed you then."

Abigail nodded. "She said that you had been there." She reached for his hand and gave it a squeeze. "Carson, she starting to fail. You need to convince her family to move her into a home.”

"I agree. This morning she was telling me she had been talking to Jeffery.”

"Yes, she told me that too. But that's not the part that startles me." She shut her eyes tight and gripped his hand. When she opened her eyes, they affixed on his. "I want you to trust me. I want you to know that I know things, and I'll explain later. I'm afraid if she doesn't get out of the house in the next week, there's going to be a fire."

Carson pulled from Abigail and took a step back to pace. He raked his fingers through his hair and then shoved his hands in his pockets. "Did she say she was going to build a fire? Was she going to cook?”

"I'm asking you to trust me.”

Carson rubbed his fingers over his chin. "And here I thought you came to complain about the church again.”

He saw the flash of anger in her eyes. "Complain? I came to help. But evidently, you don't want my help. Perhaps you could get in touch with her family.”

Carson sucked in a breath. He tripped over the fine line. "I'll go by, make sure she's safe. I'll go through the house, turn off the oven, make sure there are no matches," he said sincerely.

Any other woman this would have been it. To have a woman walking to his office and casually give him information that she couldn't back up, that was cause for thinking she was crazy. But not Abigail. He needed to calm her. He needed to please her. He couldn't let this hang in the air.

Carson moved to her and caressed her cheek with his hand. "I'm sorry I jumped you. I seem to be in a bit of a bad mood.”

"Please trust me. I'll explain it all soon."

Abigail moved into him. She pressed her lips to his and lingered there softly. He breathed in her scent, let the calm of the kiss wash over him.

When she pulled back, her eyes were softer. "Would you like to come over for dinner tonight?”

"To the store?”

Abigail shook her head. "No. Come to my house. I’d like to cook dinner for you.”

They made a turn in their new relationship, he decided. They'd had their first argument and the first big kiss. Now she was inviting him to her home. He figured that was a big step. Maybe she'd open up to him there.

"I would love that.”

"I'll text you my address. I should be home around seven.”

“I’ll be there.”

She lingered in front of him for just another moment, kissed the tips of her fingers and pressed it to his cheek before she strode out of his office.

Carson backed up and leaned on the top of his desk. He loved her. He thought he had loved others, which he now knew he hadn't, but he loved Abigail Weston. They hadn't gotten to know each other well, hadn't even slept in the same bed, yet he knew. He'd get to the bottom of all his questions. There was time.

He decided he take her warning, and head over to Mrs. Winters' again. What would it hurt to take a look around? As he opened his desk drawer to retrieve his car keys, Emily walked through the door.

“The men from zoning are here in the conference room," Emily informed him.

Where had his morning gone? "I'll be there in a moment." Emily left the office, and Carson gathered his notes. He'd check on Mrs. Winters later.