“Burning Bright,” by Ron Rash, is a story about a widow who married her current husband only two years after her first one died. It’s written in third-person limited from the wife, Marcie’s perspective. She describes how she met her current husband because her husband recently died, and the “new” man was new in town and was willing to help her with work, where everyone else in the town was not. It’s really interesting because the man, Carl, seems to be very quiet and normal if a bit young to be with her, but as these fires start being set in their town, Marcie grew distant with him but also chose to pretend that she didn’t suspect him. I found it interesting that when the fires started happening, the police talked to Marcie and expressed regret that the community didn’t help her, and drove her into the arms of a suspected arsonist/pyromaniac.
“Marcie,” the sheriff said, his voice so soft that she turned. He raised his right hand, palm, open as if to offer her something, then let it fall. “You’re right. We should have done more for you after Arthur died. I regret that.”