by Kathryn Shay
When he finished, he kissed her back and pulled out.
“There,” he said, “Now I can eat.”
She circled around. Her face was flushed, her eyes satisfied. “Let me see if I’m still in one piece,” she joked.
“You’re intact, baby. Beautifully intact.”
o0o
After a light dinner of cheese fondue, bread and fruit, along with a bottle of chardonnay, they sat in the living room, listening to some jazz. He’d put on sweats, she’d donned light pajamas. His head in her lap, Kate had never been happier. She combed back his hair, relishing the fact that she got to do that again. “What’re you thinking about?” she asked him.
“You. A possible life together.”
“We’ve got a future, Rafe.”
He picked up her hand and kissed her knuckles. “I hope so, sweetheart.”
She didn’t want to ruin the night, so she looked down into his dark-as-night gaze. “You used to call me that all the time.”
He smiled sadly.
She sighed.
He opened his mouth to say something more when they heard a thud against the house, on the outside of the living room. She startled and he sat up. He pointed to the wall next to the window. “It was right there, I think.”
“Yeah. A big tree’s out that way. Maybe a limb fell?”
“It was a heavy blow, so the limb would be huge.” He stood. “I’ll go out there and see.”
“Not without me.”
“Get flashlights.”
“There’s one in the drawer at the end of the island. I’ll get the one from the bedroom.” Once there, she also picked up their shoes and put on a robe.
“Make sure we don’t lock ourselves out,” he said as they left the house.
She grabbed her keys. The night air was misty, accenting the outdoor smells of dirt and grass. Crickets chirped loudly, but the air was still, no wind at all. They took the slate path around the house to the side. The tree was close to the building but not that close. He shined a light on it, then the ground. “No limbs down.”
She moved her light. The flowers, which had just popped up, were matted down. “An animal, do you think?” Her voice was husky.
He examined each section adding his own light. “No paw prints.”
“Are you kidding? A person could have done this?”
“Kids, maybe, pulling pranks.”
“I intentionally picked a place with kids of different ages. Teenagers, too.”
“I don’t think they would have body-slammed the house, though. They’d get hurt. But I don’t know how else to explain it.”
“Yeah, they probably used something. To scare us, right?”
“Maybe. We’ll check again in the morning.”
“All right.”
Back inside, Kate couldn’t ignore the niggling in her head. She didn’t buy the animal or kids’ prank.
“Sweetheart, don’t worry about the noise.”
“You’re right. I’m going to put it out of my mind until I know I have something to be concerned about.” She grinned. “Besides, we’re big tough firefighters.”
“How about if these big tough firefighters crawl into bed and watch a movie. You always liked that.”
“I get to pick.”
“You’re a hard woman.”
“I’m not going there,” she said, as they headed down the hall hand-in-hand.
o0o
“Come here before you do that.” Lying on the bed, side-by-side, Kate was about to turn on the TV.
She moved closer to him and he settled her on his pillows, then leaned over. Staring down into her face, at those blue eyes flecked with navy, he said, “You know how much I care about you?”
“I do.”
He ran his knuckles down the silky softness of her cheek.
“This weekend has meant a lot to me.”
“I know, to me, too.”
“I wish I could commit, sweetheart, and I want to right now, but something’s holding me back.” His voice was throaty with all the emotions he had for this woman.
Reaching up, she cradled his jaw. He turned his face into her palm. “We both know you’re reluctant because I left you. I haven’t been back that long, Rafe, so I can give you all the time you need.” She added, “I’m not going anywhere.”
“I hope not.” His voice was grave. “I honestly hope not.”
He kissed her then, and all thoughts of the movie fled.
Chapter 11
Kate settled into her desk in the recruit classroom, opened her Principles of Firefighting, but couldn’t concentrate because the rumble of the group got louder.
“Huh, she’s finally back.”
“Must be nice to have so much time off.”
“She’s something else.”
Sick of their attitude, Kate took action. “I can hear you. And for your information, I was in a bad car accident and rushed to the hospital. It took me days to recover.” She’d tried to keep her voice even but it wavered on the last words.
Absolute silence. Good.
In the midst of their chagrin, Olive walked in. Behind her was a tall man, with a thick head of dark hair, dressed in a white shirt that made his complexion stand out. His mouth was set in stern lines. She almost laughed at him, thinking what that mouth had done to her in the last few days.
“This is Captain Rafe Casella. He’s going to quiz you on your reading last night. If you pass, you’ll go out in the field and practice the technique you studied. Once again, if you didn’t do your homework, you’ll be excluded from field activities.”
“Hello, everybody,” Rafe said congenially. “What Battalion Chief Hennessy said is true, but know that I expect all to pass this.” He held up papers. The dreaded quiz. He passed them out. “You have fifteen minutes to finish.” He checked the clock. “Start now.”
Kate answered the questions on ventilation in half the given time. Rafe noticed. Frowning, he walked down to her row. With a sham, innocent expression on her face, she handed him her paper. He read the answers; she knew she’d gotten them right. She’d ventilated innumerable times in her career.
While the recruits finished, he raised his gaze to her and murmured so no one could hear, “Show off.”
She couldn’t help but smile. Briefly, his eyes focused on her lips. She focused on his. He broke the spell and went back up front.
After fifteen minutes, he asked them to stop. “Exchange papers with the person next to you. We’ll go over the answers as a group.
“First, name the four things that must be in place before you ventilate. We’ll start with Recruit Ratkin. Give us one, then we’ll move right to the next person in your row.”
Ratkin said, “Check for existing openings.”
“That’s right.” Rafe caught her gaze. “Once, a three-year veteran was in charge of ventilation for the first time. She forgot this. She cut a hole in the roof, did a good job. But boy did she get called on the carpet when a vent on the other side was discovered.”
They laughed. Kate couldn’t resist. “That was me, gang. See, I’m not perfect.”
The rest of the answers included:
Assuring a secondary egress on the roof in case the ventilation goes sour.
Enough personnel inside the building to put down the burst of fire that the ventilation causes.
Firefighters must be in full protective clothing. Usually that means SCBA gear.
After they completed the test, the kids got their percentage. Only one, “Aw, no!” in the crowd.
“Recruit Angeles, you didn’t pass?” Rafe asked.
“Nah.”
“Did you study the chapter?”
“I read it.”
“That’s not enough. You have to go back over the material, highlight important parts and study those. You realize this will affect your weekly scores.
“Yeah, I know. I apologize.”
“Stay in here and this time study right. We’ll be a while in the field, so come out
when you know more. The rest of you, let’s go. Dress in your turnout gear and carry your SCBA.”
The gear waited, set up by the door. Kate jumped into her boots, yanked up her pants and wiggled into suspenders. Then she donned her coat and left it open. Satisfaction filled her every time she was in full turnout gear. It gave her a renewed energy to get back on the line.
Once outside, she appreciated the sun warming her face, but the clothing made her sweat by the time they arrived behind the burn house. A forty-feet long and four feet high structure had been put up. A small ladder was also at each work space.
Kate was surprised to see the new training area, as they didn’t have it when she came through the academy all those years ago.
“As you can see, twelve work areas have been built for you.” Rafe gestured to the structure. “But you’re going to cut two at a time, one recruit on the roof, one on the ground to assist. The rest of you can watch each person and critique him or her, the purpose of which isn’t to put anybody down. You’ll internalize the correct way to do this maneuver by performing it. First off, somebody tell me why we ventilate a structure fire?”
Lowden raised her hand. “To allow heated gases and smoke to escape the building. Firefighters will be able to see more on each floor to get to the seat of the fire.”
“Anyone else?”
No answer.
“Firefighter Cassidy?”
Geez. Why did he call on her? “Ventilation reduces the risk of backdraft and flashover.”
“What are those things?”
Most of them knew a backdraft was an explosion that occurs when more air is added to a smoldering fire. Flashover was the burst of fire when the contents of a building reaches a certain temperature.
“Recruit Mattison and Recruit Lowden, you’re up first. You tied for the highest grade on the test. Flip a coin to see who cuts first.”
Mattison won.
Rafe added, “Narrate what you’re doing for us.”
Mattison climbed the ladder with confidence. Lowden stayed below to heel it. “The ladder is five rungs above the top.”
Next, he bounced the roof with the end of an ax. “Not spongy, so I can walk on it. I checked and the wind is at my back.
“First I’ll take off the shingles and tar with an ax.” He lifted up his halligan and the sun glinted off it so they had to shade their eyes as he hacked away. Debris scattered over the roof, and some flew to the ground. “Then I cut the hole through the plywood, away from my body. Bring the saw up, Lowden.”
“Wait a sec.” This from Lowden, who held the saw in her hands below. “You missed something about the saw.”
Mattison huffed out a breath. “Make sure the saw works on the ground.”
Lowden turned to on the K-12, the noise deafening as it screeched through the campus. The saw worked, so Lowden shut it off and handed it up to him. Mattison made a perfect cut as the blades breached the roof.
Everybody took turns. When the activity was completed, Rafe said, “Good work, recruits. Not everybody passes this activity on the first run-through.” Even Angeles made it out to complete the exercise.
They headed back inside. As they took off their turnout gear, Rafe told them, “Take a five-minute break, then we’ll debrief.”
Kate stayed away from him and talked to a couple of recruits she hadn’t interacted with. When Rafe led them from the gym to the classroom, Kate avoided him and went to her desk. An envelope had been left on the top—probably a missive from the administration, as similar ones had been delivered before. She opened it before she sat.
And gasped loudly when white powder fell out.
Rafe looked up from his notes. “What’s wrong?”
“Stay back, Rafe! It’s white powder.”
From a safe distance away, he said, “Kate, don’t touch it.”
“Too late. I got some on my hand.”
Olive entered the room. “I heard you both as I was coming inside. Everybody, move away from Kate. I’ll call for a Hazmat team.” She took her phone and walked out into the hall.
“Why Hazmat?” Lowden asked.
“What happened?” Angeles wanted to know.
Rafe’s voice was grave when he answered. “The white powder could be anthrax. Do as you’re told and move away from her desk.”
“Why can’t we leave?” Mattison asked.
“You could be contaminated. Anthrax can go airborne by just opening the envelope so no one is to go outside this room.”
Hazmat arrived in four minutes. Two men, clothed in shiny white suits, covered from head to toe without a seam, entered the room. Large white gloves and a SCBA-like mask also protected them. Kate could hear them breathing. They bagged the envelope and one of them asked, “Did the powder, touch you, Recruit Cassidy?”
“Some fell on my hand.”
“Stay right where you are.” He took the envelope from her. “Keep the class back, Captain. I’ll return as soon as I know anything.”
The room was church quiet. Outside, the sky turned gray, darkening the space. Appropriate, Kate thought.
“Battalion Chief Hennessy,” Kate said, her tone even. “I think we should talk about this. This is a situation they’ll never forget because it hits close to home.”
“If you’re sure, Kate.”
“Absolutely.”
“I took classes with Ian Chandler on biological contaminants,” Rafe put in.
“Then you’re up, Captain.”
He sat on a desk and the eleven kids gathered around.
“What’s the Hazmat team doing right now?”
“There’s a test for anthrax in a special machine made for first responders.” This from Mattison. “If this is real.” He zeroed in on Rafe. “And not a drill for our benefit.”
“You should always consider it real.” Olive told them. She focused on Kate. “I know for a fact, this is real, Firefighter Cassidy.”
“I figured by how you both reacted. I’ll stay calm.”
But her mind whirled with the knowledge if she was exposed to anthrax, there could be dire consequences.
o0o
Rafe faced the group. “Let’s start with some anthrax facts:
“Anthrax is caused by spores of a bacterium known as Bacillus anthracis. It can be turned into powder in a lab with a single person.
“Humans can be exposed in three ways: cutaneous, which is what happened to Firefighter Cassidy, eating it in contaminated food, and inhalation.
“Symptoms of infection are chest discomfort, shortness of breath, dizziness, cough, stomach pains or nausea, headache, sweating, tiredness and body aches. Also, small blisters can surface then turn into a larger ulcer with a black center.”
Everybody looked at Kate. “Nothing would manifest this quickly,” she said to them. “But I am sweating. I’m scared.”
“Understandable. By the way,” Rafe added, “firefighters get scared. But they control that fear like she’s doing.”
Olive interjected, “The good news is that anthrax poisoning can be treated effectively with antibiotics.”
It seemed an eternity until the firefighter who’d confiscated the powder came back into the room. Still dressed in white, he didn’t wear his mask.
Kate leaned into the edge of the desk in relief.
“It’s talcum powder, not anthrax. But you all did the right things.” He moved to Kate. “You handled this very well, Recruit Cassidy.”
Rafe practically wilted at the good news. But he recovered quickly, as he’d been taught to do. Firefighting was risky, and smoke eaters learned to deal with dangerous situations.
Olive dismissed the class, and she and Rafe approached Kate. “Unbelievable,” Olive said.
“Chances of this happening are so slim,” Rafe put in. “I can’t believe you could have been exposed.”
“Me either. But my luck’s been so shitty lately.”
Olive frowned. “Kate, this isn’t bad luck. Somebody had to have planted that powder.”
o0o
Mitch Malvaso’s face was taut, his body tense. He stood against the backdrop of windows, his arms folded over his chest. He said to the assembled group, “Captain Ryan O’Malley from the HCPD bioterrorism unit is here to begin his investigation.”
“Hi, everyone. I think I know all of you. Kate, glad you’re back in the department. Though this is a downer. Tell me exactly what happened.”
“We had an activity outside on cutting through roofs.” She smiled at Rafe. “You’re a good teacher. I came back with the whole group and went to the seat where I left my things. The envelope was on my desk.”
“I took a picture of the site then sent it to my people to check for fingerprints.”
“Can I see that?” Mitch asked. When O’Malley handed over his phone, Mitch said, “Interesting. The envelope doesn’t have Kate’s name on it.”
“I saw that too,” Ryan put in.
“I…I didn’t even notice.” This from Kate. “It was on my desk. I thought everybody got one from the administration.” Her brows raised. “Then do we even know if it was meant for me?”
Ryan turned to Olive. “How’s the group seated?”
“Randomly. They sit where they want now that we know each other’s names.”
“But do they?” Ryan asked. “Most people take the same seats regardless of assignments.”
Kate frowned. “Yeah, I guess we do.”
Rafe spoke up. “If the envelope was intended for Kate or anyone else, someone within these walls did put it there.” His tone was grave. “Visitors are signed in and accompanied at all times, right Chief?”
“Yes. I like to think I run a tight ship.”
“You don’t oversee the janitorial or the catering staff though, do you?” Ryan again.
“No, but HR vets everybody who works here.”
“We don’t have any leads,” Olive commented. “What if it wasn’t meant for Kate?”