Inferno by Casey Lane

seeing Sebastian than Ethan.  The more I mulled over this scenario, the bigger the holes in my theory got.  Well shit.
    I am pulled out of my reverie by the vibration of my cell phone against the desk.  It was a text from Ethan letting me know he was out front.  I packed up my things and hurried towards the front of the building.  My mind was in a continuous loop, replaying every detail of all of the times something just felt off.  I was looking for any kind of clue that would help put an end to this mystery.  Amid all of this distraction, I failed to notice Jerry walking towards me until I crashed into him, sending his pile of papers scattering to the floor and knocking us both on our bottoms.
    Jerry is short for a guy, maybe around my height.  I’d guess that we weigh about the same too.  His receding, strawberry blonde hair makes him appear much older than he really is, and the fact that he chooses to dress every day in khakis and one of those four-button, cardigan style sweaters does not help.  He is painfully introverted, and I could probably count on one hand the amount of words he has spoken to me since I’ve worked here.   
    I took a fleeting look around at the mess I caused before swinging my eyes to Jerry.  I couldn’t help it.  I totally blame it on the stress I’ve been under with all of this stalker crap, but when I caught sight of the shocked, deer in the headlights look on his face, I burst out laughing. 
    “Oh Jerry, I am so sorry.  I wasn’t paying attention.  Please let me help you clean this up.” 
    We both scuttled around on our hands and knees attempting to gather the loose documents before our co-workers trampled them. Standing, I straightened the stack in my hand and held them out to him.
    “Do you need help getting them back in order?”
    “N-n-no,” Jerry stammered.  “Thank, thank you for helping me.”
    “It was no problem at all.  I mean, after all, I was the klutz that ran into you,” I said with a sincere smile.  “Have a good night Jerry.  I’ll see you tomorrow.”
    Jerry gave me a timid smile and hurried past.  I think I may have heard him murmur good night, but I can’t be sure. 
    I finally made my way out to Ethan’s Escalade and hopped in with a smile still playing on my lips.  I leaned across the seat, grabbing his face with both hands to pull him towards me, and smacked him with a big wet one right on the lips. 
    “Hi ya, hot stuff, what’s shakin’.”
    The corners of his mouth tugged upward and he replied, “You were taking so long I thought I might have to conduct a search and rescue to bust you out.”
    “I ran into one of the clerks on my way out and got held up.”  At Ethan’s raised eyebrow, I continued my explanation while he eased into traffic.  “No seriously, I literally ran into Jerry, papers flew everywhere.  The look on his face was priceless.”
    “You’re a walking calamity.  How you’ve managed not to seriously hurt yourself is beyond me.”
    “Hey!” I yelled with mock outrage, smacking him on the shoulder.  The asshat had the nerve to laugh. 
    We walked into Ethan’s apartment to the smell of something mouthwatering.  I left my things in a pile on the floor and all but ran into the kitchen.  I removed the lid from a large crockpot on the counter to reveal a beef roast with all of the trimmings.  Ethan, and his characteristic smirk, was leaning against the island when I turned around.  The twinkle in his eyes told me how amused he was by my actions.
    “You have a crockpot,” I stated.
    “Apparently so,” he grinned.
    “It smells amazing.  I didn’t know you cooked.”
    “There’s a lot you don’t know about me,” he said with a wink and handed me a plate.
    I heaped piles of meat, potatoes, and carrots onto the dish and exchanged it for the empty one he was still holding.  After filling my own plate, which did not even put a dent in the amount of food prepared, I joined Ethan and a waiting