When One Door Opens Read Online Free PDF Page B

purse.”
    Moisture dotted Caleb’s forehead, but there was a ghost of a smile on his face.
    “Hello, ma’am. I’m Logan Sellers.”
    The old woman shuffled across the hall. Her thick silvery-white hair was pulled back in a long braid from a fine-boned face. She was so tiny that Logan thought he’d have to kneel just to shake her hand. She saved him the trouble by squeezing his elbow in greeting. “Glad to meet you, sonny.”
    She looked at Caleb and dished out the kind of embarrassment only the ancient can get away with. “Is he your boyfriend?” She tilted her head back to look Logan over and said, “He’s quite a big fella.”
    Caleb looked down, and spots of high color appeared over his cheekbones. “He’s Marco’s replacement, not my… uh… boyfriend.”
    A twinkle shined in Mrs. Simon’s eyes as she pursed her lips. “Caleb, dear,” she said, laying a delicate hand on his arm. “Could you give me a hand with some boxes?”
    Not looking the old woman in the eye, Caleb said, “Actually, I really need to work.” He looked at Logan, his eyes wild. “Could you help her?”
    “Sure thing.”
    Caleb nodded his head vigorously. “Great. That’s great. Thanks.” He scurried back into his apartment and secured the door. Sneaky bastard.
    The old bird’s affable demeanor disappeared with the slide of the lock. “You,” she said, pointing a bony finger against Logan’s stomach. “Come with me.” She turned toward her door, not bothering to see whether he followed. He did the only thing he could. He followed.
    Logan took in the apartment. It mirrored Caleb’s, but it couldn’t be more different. Lacy cream curtains let the light soak the room. A sparse collection of antique and uncomfortable-looking furniture populated the main area. Doilies and crocheted blankets covered every available surface. He rubbed his nose as the smell of potpourri and cat hair invaded his nostrils. An enormous orange cat groomed itself on the pillow-piled sofa.
    Mrs. Simon settled herself primly on the couch, smoothing her skirt. “Have a seat, sonny.”
    Logan eyed the little paisley couch dubiously before taking a seat. The springs squealed in protest when he settled into place.
    She folded her hands in her lap. “I have a hard enough time getting that boy to come over here without you offering to do it for him. He’s too scared unless he thinks I need his help.”
    “Maybe he just don’t like cats,” Logan grumbled when the tabby came over to investigate him. He didn’t cringe away from its polka-dotted nose sniffing his arm, but it was a near thing.
    “Do you know about what happened with the radiator?” Mrs. Simon asked, reaching for the orange cat, and cuddling him in her arms. Logan was surprised she could lift the thing. It had to be part tiger.
    “Yeah, Caleb told me.”
    “Before that, his uncle used to try harder to get Caleb help, but realizing that Caleb would rather die than leave his apartment shook him to the core.” The monster in her lap began to purr like a Harley when she rubbed behind its ear. “But what his uncle doesn’t understand is it wasn’t about choice. Do you know why so many old folks die when the weather turns really hot?”
    When Logan shook his head, she continued, her voice somber. “The frailty of the body as we age is part of it but not all of it. They die because they are too afraid to open the windows. They know how dangerous the heat can be, but they are more terrified of a robber coming into their homes than they are of dying from the high temperatures. Caleb didn’t choose to die. He was just more afraid of the alternative.”
    Logan hadn’t thought of it like that, but it made a twisted sort of sense. Caleb chose to risk freezing to death instead of the possibility of burning if the radiator exploded. It would be damn terrifying to believe those his only options.
    “Someone has to help that child, and that uncle of his sure as heckfire doesn’t know