by Geri Krotow
“Got it.” Rio looked at her as the comms with Colt ended. “You up for this?”
“You know it.”
Chapter 11
Keith let his team take the lead into the fire, confident in their abilities but also taking the chance to survey the area surrounding the warehouse. SVPD was handling the traffic along the pike, keeping all except emergency vehicles away from the distribution district. Of all of the logistic facilities, this was the worst the arsonist could have picked.
The fifty-dock warehouse was the North American headquarters for Amoeba, the leading online store for all science-related toys. Amoeba sold chemistry, biology, astronomy, engineering kits and more for ages newborn and up, and had hit the Fortune 100 last year. It’d made a big splash not only in Silver Valley and central Pennsylvania, but nationwide, as well. It was the epitome of hometown-girl-hits-it-big, as the founder and CEO was a thirty-something single mother who’d grown up in the area. Everyone knew Cassie Hudson. So this arson was very personal to Silver Valley.
Keith scanned the other distribution warehouses within sight of Amoeba. None appeared to be fazed by the fire going on here.
“Chief, it’s getting too hot in here. I’m sending the team out.” Tiger’s voice was in his ear on the mic system.
“Get them out.” He waited for six fighters to emerge from the loading dock they’d entered at the back of the building. He counted three, then five. No Tiger. He approached the team. “Hey, Bill, where’s Tiger?”
Bill took his helmet and self-contained breathing apparatus off, sweat running down his face and the back of his neck. “He was right behind me.”
A bang sounded, followed by a billow of black smoke pouring from the open bay door.
“Give me that.” Keith was already in firefighting gear but had left his helmet near the engine when he’d started his walkabout. He grabbed Bill’s helmet, an SCBA from the backup pile, and ran toward the black smoke.
He crawled into the building below the smoke layer, looking for the source of the blaze and, more importantly, Tiger. Row upon row of metal shelving was ablaze, the previous contents barely recognizable with the strength of the flames. He rose and ran through the wide berth between the aisles, where normally forklifts operated. His apprehension grew as he went by each row, looking for a body. At the middle of the warehouse he saw what had caused the noise that preceded the dark fumes: two of the huge shelving units had collapsed onto each other, their spilled contents combining into a huge fireball. From the smell and fumes he knew the merchandise had to be plastics. His time was running out; the heat of the blaze narrowed his window to find Tiger.
Come on, Tiger. Where the hell are you, buddy?
Fear that he’d have to turn back toward the loading dock propelled him forward, praying to find Tiger. He scanned the area where the shelving had collapsed and, through the smoke and rising flames, spotted a familiar lump. Tiger lay on the concrete floor fifty yards from him, only inches from the burning metal shelves.
The air was thick and his breathing labored, even with his SCBA. If Keith lost consciousness, he’d be no good to either of them. He slammed down onto his knees and crawled to Tiger’s inert form. He had seconds to get him out of there, before having his team come in for both of them put too many lives at risk.
“I’ve got Tiger, bringing him out. Stay out of the building. Repeat, stay out of the building.” He reached Tiger and grabbed his shoulders. “Tiger, are you with me, man?” It was hard to shout with so little oxygen.
Tiger’s slight nod was all he needed to get his own adrenaline pumping. Tiger was alive—they both had a chance. Keith knew that the chances of him making it all the way from here to the dock door without collapsing were slim, and impossible if he stood and inhaled the fumes, even with his SCBA. The air at floor level was manageable.
“Trust me, Tiger. I’m going to get us out of here.” He wrapped his harness straps around Tiger’s massive chest and shoulders, and began to crab-walk them both out of the aisle. He heard pops and booms and crackles all around them and knew he had a minute, maybe two, to get out of the warehouse. The thought of thousands of tons of steel collapsing on him and Tiger clawed at his awareness but he pushed it away.
He counted the crawling steps in his mind, saving each breath for the oxygen his muscles needed to do the job. Tiger would be a heavy load on a clear day with perfect weather; inside the burning, smoke-filled warehouse, it felt impossible to move his large form. It took several seconds for Keith to feel his rhythm kick in, but when it did he focused entirely on maintaining forward motion. After what seemed like hours but had to have been only a minute, they reached the larger aisle that led to the loading dock.
“Chief, do you want backup?” Colleen’s voice in his earpiece.
“No, no backup. Not yet.” The words required herculean effort as he kept moving. His muscles were starting to protest and he feared it wasn’t from exertion as much as lack of air. It would be so much faster to lift Tiger on his shoulders and make a run for it, but the fumes would kill them both.
His vision started to blur and he would have cursed had he the energy. All he could do was focus on the open door.
* * *
Gravel spewed up onto the police vehicle’s body as Rio skidded to a halt near the row of three fire engines. They’d passed two others on the way in, and their loud sirens sounded behind them as Abi got out of the car.
“Where’s Chief Paruso?” she questioned Colleen, the first firefighter she came to. There were only one or two around the engines, working the hoses. The rest were in a semicircle around the loading dock they’d driven up to. The other bay doors were randomly closed and the open doors had smoke coming out of them, huge billows of charcoal clouds that were beyond frightening.
“He’s inside—we’re waiting for him to come out with Tiger.” Colleen adjusted hose pressure as she shouted above the din. “We’re putting as much water and chemicals as we can on it and it’s still not slowing down.”
Raw fear froze Abi on the spot. Keith was inside that building. With his firefighter Tiger, the man he’d introduced her to at the elementary school.
Keith.
“Don’t even think about it.” Rio was next to her, watching the action.
“There’s nothing I can do, even if I wanted to run in there.” No use arguing what he insinuated. It was true—if she thought for one moment she could go in there and save Keith and Tiger, she would.
But she was an arson forensics expert. Not a firefighter.
“You can pray, Abi.” Rio shielded his eyes from the sun. “This is the largest fire I’ve ever witnessed, that’s for goddamned sure.”
Abi couldn’t just stand there. She left Rio without a word and ran up to the firefighters that arced water over the roof of the long, rectangular building.
“Any word on Chief Paruso?” She spotted another familiar face from her tour of the department.
“He’s in there, getting Tiger out. The fumes are the worst and Chief’s SCBA probably can’t keep up with it all, so it’s slowing him down. He’ll be out.”
The SCBA wasn’t able to give him enough oxygen? That would be like her going into a stakeout without her weapon.
She watched in what felt like slow motion as the water rained down on the building, pouring over the cement loading dock and obscuring the entrance. A loud cheer went up and she wasn’t sure why; she couldn’t make out anything. Until the hose was pointed away long enough to allow two figures to crawl onto the dock. She recognized the large shape of Tiger, on the ground. And Keith, next to him. Right before Keith crashed to the concrete slab, inert.
“Keith!” She heard a woman’s scream and felt strong arms around her waist. As she fought off her attacker she stilled and blinked. Rio. It had been her scream.
“I told you, Abi, don’t even th
ink about it.”
* * *
Keith pushed away the ministrations from the EMTs but didn’t make a move to remove the oxygen mask they’d slapped on him. Not yet. His lungs were on fire and he was only beginning to feel like himself.
“Sir, you need to let me examine you.” A no-nonsense EMT glared at him but her tone was patient, practiced. He didn’t recognize her—she had to be from another township. All of the county response teams had been called to the fire.
“Okay. But I’m fine, really. How’s Tiger?” Except for the sharp stabbing spasms in his lower back, but he’d had them before, after hauling someone out of a burning building or heavy lifting. It came with the territory. As the EMT went back to work taking his vitals, he spotted Abi talking to Rio in the small gathering around the ambulance.
“Your colleague is being treated. He’ll be okay.”
Thank God. He’d thought that he might fail Tiger in there and leave the poor dude to die on that godforsaken floor. No one had been more relieved than he had been when they’d made it to the loading dock. Keith had known his department and several others would be waiting for their exit, intent on having them out of the way safely, and putting the fire out. What he hadn’t expected was that he’d see Abi in that group of firefighters, Rio holding her back.
Sheer relief had permeated his every muscle.
What is she running to? It had been his last thought before a back spasm hit him and his knees had buckled, forcing him to lie on the dock. The EMTs must have thought he’d passed out but it had been his damned muscles that had given out.
“Can I talk to him?” Abi’s voice cut through as she interrogated the EMT. Had he noticed how sweet it sounded? How a sense of peace settled on him when he heard her?
“In a minute, ma’am.”
Abi’s eyes sought his and he couldn’t figure out the emotion screaming out of their brown depths. Was Abi furious or amused? He must have looked like he was in distress because the EMT was patting his forearm. “It’s okay, Chief, just keep taking deep breaths and relax. You’re fine. Your lungs might be a little sore but you’ll be okay.”
“Tell that to my back.” His voice sounded so damn weak and he started hacking before he got “back” all the way out. Abi’s eyes grew wide.
“Stop...” He held up a hand but had to cover his mouth again as another spasm hit him.
“Don’t talk now. Wait until you catch your breath.” Abi’s voice, her breath near his ear. He opened his eyes to see hers locked on his. “Unless you saw something you think Rio and I need for the case.”
“Ma’am, I’m going to have to ask you to step back.” The EMT wasn’t pleased.
“No.” He reached for Abi, tried to grab her hand. But she was closer than he’d judged and he grabbed a handful of breast instead. Abi squeaked and straightened quickly as the EMT frowned down at him. “Didn’t mean...” Cough, cough, cough. His hand slid down her side, found hers. He entwined his fingers with hers and tugged. Abi leaned down, blocking the onlookers.
“Shh. Just play along with the EMT like a good boy and we’ll spring you out of here.” She stood back up but kept hold of his hand, and he saw her smile at the EMT. “I’m okay here, right?”
“Whatever.” The EMT wasn’t happy but with Rio standing next to Abi and Abi alongside Keith, what was she going to do?
* * *
Abi knew it was most unprofessional to keep holding Keith’s hand but extraordinary circumstances and all. She turned to Rio as Keith got poked and prodded and kept refusing to go to the ER.
“As soon as he’s up to it, maybe he can tell us something.”
Rio’s mouth was a grim line. “Unlikely. It’s going to take hours to put this out.” Which meant that much longer to figure out the cause and if it was related to their case.
“Is it just me or does it feel the least little bit personal, after we interviewed Dennis Taylor?”
Rio chewed on his lip. “No way of telling. Yes, it seems a crazy coincidence, and no, I don’t really believe in coincidence, especially when we’re talking about fires so close together and now this one so big. But until we have evidence, we wait.”
“Right.” She shifted her weight, her hand sweaty in Keith’s. “And, um, Rio?”
“Yeah?”
“Thanks for having my six.” She used the military idiom, adopted by LEAs, that referred to covering for one’s backside. “I don’t know what I was thinking back there. When I tried to go to the dock.”
Rio looked at her over his shades and then at her hand in Keith’s. “I have every idea what you were thinking.”
Unfortunately so did she.
* * *
“What’s the scoop?” Colt walked up to the group, and the firefighters that surrounded the ambulance at a respectful distance from where Keith was being treated parted, letting the chief of police in.
“Keith here took a bit of a hit when he dragged Tiger out of the warehouse. Tiger was knocked out when shelves collapsed, regained consciousness before the EMTs got to him but they sent him to the hospital right away. No update yet, but my guess is a concussion.” Rio spat out the updates as Abi used the time to take stock of the action around her.
She squeezed Keith’s hand one more time before letting it go. “I need to do a walk-around.” Keith started to protest and she placed her hand firmly on his shoulder. “Take it easy. I’m not going into the warehouse, for God’s sake. But a walk around the area might yield something, right?” Before he could complain any more, she walked over to Colt.
“I need to get my bearings and see the different points of entry on this property. Stay with Keith?”
Both men nodded, waved her off. She took a last look at Keith and smiled as Colt and Rio stood on either side of the gurney, protective of their injured teammate.
Abi approached the building and spoke to the firefighters still battling the blaze, hoses sweeping the building and fire methodically. She flashed her ID. “I’m going to take a look at the property around the warehouse. Okay?”
“Don’t go any closer than we are right now, ma’am.”
“I won’t.”
She started with the area nearest the loading dock first. The firefighters were getting closer, and she thought that within five to ten minutes they’d be able to direct the water spray directly into the warehouse. They were going to need chemicals to smother the burning plastics. The fumes were pretty intense and she was twenty-five yards from the building.
The concrete dock was almost five feet off the ground but certainly scalable by a physically fit person. The arsonist she’d spotted at the house fire had been young and slender, and fast enough to outrun her, which said a lot. She wasn’t Olympic material but had always been a decent sprinter.
Ignoring the anxiety wrought by the image burned into her consciousness of Keith collapsing on the same dock, she started to walk the perimeter of the building. About half of the loading dock doors, scroll-type garage contraptions, were closed tight. The rest were open, the air feeding the fire. The one on the end where more smoke billowed out, on this side of the building, was directly opposite the dock Keith had collapsed on. She was going to have to interview the general manager of the warehouse to find out if they’d had any deliveries today. There were no trailers at the docks on the firefighting side but when she walked around to the other side of the immense building, six of twelve bays had trailers attached. She took photos of each one and their license plates.
The lone cry of a hawk caught her attention and she looked up. It’d come out of the dense forest that started not far from a nearby chain-link fence that separated the warehouse property from thickets and fields that backed up against the woods. After she finished inspecting and photographing each loading dock, Abi walked to the fence and started her investigation of its integrity. Within two minutes she hi
t pay dirt. The fence was split wide open, enough to allow a man through.
Son of a shoo-fly pie. She snapped photos, noting the places where the steel wire splits were smooth—this had been deliberately cut. No rust, either, making it fresh.
A rustle in the thickets that grew up to the fence from the tree line raised the hair on the back of her neck. She pocketed her phone and drew her weapon in one move, all of her muscles tense and on alert.
Come out wherever you are, you mother—
A flurry of shaking branches to her right was followed by a very large groundhog parting the bush with his rotund shape. She stared down the interloper, still holding her weapon in front of her with both hands. Silence surrounded her, pierced only by the low roar of the water hitting the roof of the warehouse from the other side where the firefighters worked. And the sound of Punxsutawney Phil’s nose twitching.
She holstered her weapon. “It’s just me and you, dude, huh?” The oversize rodent immediately turned and scurried away, his toffee fur catching the sunlight as his body undulated with his laborious movement. So it was true about the local groundhogs. They really didn’t have a fear of humans. He’d sure had her hackles up.
* * *
Lionel’s heart pounded and he kept both hands over his mouth to keep his laughter silent. That had been close! The bitch had almost caught him. He huddled under the fir tree, knowing his smarts had saved him again. Brother Wise was going to be very, very pleased. Maybe he’d even promote him to be his right-hand man.
Because he was ready. Brother Wise had said to set a small fire at the big sign outside the entrance gate to the warehouse. To warn the stupid woman who ran the sinful toy business based on man’s science that her profit was made on the blood of people like him and his New Thought family. That it had to stop.
And now he had something better, something more precious. He’d been able to go into the warehouse, start the fire there. He had been videotaping the fire ever since and had a great shot of the one firefighter collapsing after he dragged one out that Lionel hoped was dead by now. Silver Valley needed to heed Leonard Wise’s prophecy. The True Believers were the only way out of sinful living.