Grabbing the keys and hopping in the truck, he turned the engine over, grateful that it sputtered to life. The equipment they had to work with was old and unreliable, and the event today was the major source of funding for the year. He was pleased that the demonstration would go on, hopefully without a hitch, and that the coffers of the volunteer firefighters would be full for another year.
He waved at James as he backed the fire truck out of the small fire station. Spying his hair in the rear-view mirror, he swore under his breath at its refusal to stay in place. Grabbing his hat, he smiled at the word, “Bomberos” embroidered on it and pulled it on his head, shoving a lock of his wavy hair underneath.
Living on the beach, in Playa Luna, was never something he’d have guessed would be his reality. He had come from Ireland, and looked glaringly different than the locals. His reddish-brown hair and green eyes pegged him as a foreigner almost everywhere he went, and when he’d first arrived, he hadn’t been sure he’d ever be able to fit in.
As he joined his fellow firefighters gearing up for the demonstration, he realized he finally felt at home. He was looking forward to the fundraiser and was proud that he could be part of it.
Joining the bomberos, the volunteer firefighters in this remote area, had been one of the things that had made him the happiest. It felt familiar to him, and he enjoyed helping the community.
His father had been a volunteer firefighter in Ireland, and he’d often been taken along as a child. He hadn’t wanted to leave Ireland, and the fond memories of his family, his homeland, remained as he tried to integrate into the community and culture of the beach, of Mexico, that he now called home.
The excitement he had felt lingered even now, and when he’d moved here and the call came out for volunteers, he had signed on immediately.
“Everybody’s here but Robert,” James said as he guided Colin out of the garage and down the dirt road toward the day’s events.
“He let me know on the radio that he’d be late,” Colin replied. “Something to do in town.”
Colin stopped briefly as the firefighters, in full fire suits, hopped on the truck. The demonstration was planned for just beside the fundraiser. Colin spotted the multi-colored tents full of spectators and saw all of the young kids lined up on the path leading in. He grinned as he flipped the lights and siren on and headed toward the show.
Loud whistles and clapping from the crowd rose even over the sound of the siren. Colin grinned as he pulled the fire truck up next to a set of tires that had been set on fire earlier by his captain, especially for the demonstration. His crew-mates jumped off the engine, expertly opening the compartments holding their equipment. As they ran toward the fire with hoses in tow, the children jumped up and down, screaming in excitement.
The adults standing behind them were just as amused, having been fueled with margaritas, beer and wine as they waited for the bomberos and enjoyed the band.
As Colin watched the crew, he was thankful the day was beautiful and not too hot for the crew to run around in full gear. He smiled as it all went off without a hitch, hoping that the coffers would fill and they would raise enough to buy some much-needed first aid equipment. You never knew when an accident would occur, either motorcyclers on the beach or motorhome travelers on the main highway. He wanted to be ready for anything.
He glanced around the crowd and spotted Hanna standing under one of the tents. Surprised, his gaze lingered, and he was captivated by her colorful Mexican skirt and flowing top. As her eyes met his, he thought he noticed her blush.
The final flames were contained, and as the crowd continued to applaud, the children were allowed to see the fire truck up close. Young boys were fascinated with the bomberos’ gear and all reached out to touch the shiny yellow suits.
As the cheers died and the children moved back toward the desserts, the firefighters were able to share high-fives all around. Colin was pleased, and started to remove his gear to put it in the truck.
“That was quite an impressive display,” he heard from behind him as he placed the last of his gear inside the compartment. He turned quickly, and Hanna’s colorful skirt swirled as the wind blew across from the sea.
His smile widened as he said, “Glad you liked it, ma’am.” Tipping his hat, he gave a slight not in her direction. “I’m very glad you came. Are you enjoying the fiesta?”
“I’ve never seen anything quite like it. These people sure do love you guys, and the kids were a hoot to watch.”
“It’s one of those events that seems to bring everybody out,” he said, glancing around the crowd. “Even some of the more eccentric characters.” He nodded his head slight to the left, pointing his thumb in that direction toward a group of older men hoisting beers and singing loudly.
“Who are they?” she asked, her hand over her mouth hiding a smile.
He turned to look at the group of older gentlemen, the old guard of the South Campos. “Well, they will tell you that they are the original pioneers of this area. They’ve been coming since the mid-sixties, some of them. They started with shacks on the beach and left their wives at home. Still do, I think. That way, they don’t ever have to take showers,” he said, his eyes twinkling with laughter.
“Oh, the fishing guys,” she said. “I overheard them talking about how much has changed and it sounds like they’re not too happy about the resort going in up at Rancho del Sol.”
“Aw, they’ll be all right. Always something to complain about. The resort is being planned well and will help out the whole area. They’ve just got to complain about something,” he said, noticing that the laughter had died a bit and one of the men was looking at him intently. Their eyes met, and the gentleman looked quickly away.
“Who was that?” she said. “He didn’t seem to like you too much.”
“Aw, that’s old Bruce. He’s the most outspoken against the resort and has been coming the longest. He’s harmless ... but usually could use a shower,” he said as he turned back to Hanna. “Let’s get something to eat.”
As he held out his hand, gesturing for Hanna to lead the way, he lost his balance as the ground shook beneath him. His arms flew around Hanna as the quiet was shattered with the sound of an explosion. The sound of the Rolling Stone’s “It’s Just a Shot Away” stopped mid-verse as the band fell silent. All eyes turned toward the sound of the explosion and Colin’s heart raced as he spied a huge, black plume of smoke coming from one of the campos to the north.
BOOM! Colin almost lost his balance as another explosion ripped through the air. “Are you all right?” he said to Hanna, his ears ringing.
“Yes, I’m fine. Go.” She squeezed his hand, her eyes anxious.
As he headed toward the engine, his crew also turned from the sound of the blast, heading back toward the truck. Quickly, they slipped their arms and legs into the fire suits they’d just removed. Without a word, they all took their places on the truck as Colin once again turned over the engine, heading toward the plumes of smoke. There was no need for the lights or sirens this time. With the entire community at the fundraiser, no one would be on the road between them and the raging fire.
Chapter 9
Hanna watched as the fire engine disappeared toward the fire, sending a plume of dust in its wake. It had all happened so suddenly, she wasn’t sure what to think. One minute, they’d all been applauding the demonstration, dancing to the music, and the next it was all over. She’d been looking forward to the day, but her stomach knotted at the thought of the homeowners in danger.
A woman from the crowd came up to her and introduced herself as Megan.
“It’s hard when they leave in a hurry, and you never know how dangerous it’s going to be.”
Hanna paused for a moment, not sure what the woman was talking about. She was a little older, and lovely. Her blonde hair blew about in the breeze, and she looked peaceful. Happy. Like Hanna wanted to be.
“I know you like him,” she teased as they both watched Colin and James rac
e off toward the fire. “James and I haven’t been together all that long, but he trusts Colin with his life. That I do know.
“I haven’t been here all that long, either. It’s nice to meet someone local. I didn’t realize how isolated I’d be here. Mostly, that’s okay with me, but it’s very nice to meet you,” Hanna said, a small smile creeping across her face.
They both watched the fire engine disappear into the distance.
“He’s incredibly handsome. And that accent! I thought James’s British accent was great, but Irish?”
Hanna changed the subject. “He’s very handsome, but a little, um, goofy.”
“Goofy? That’s the last word I’d use to describe him. He’s a great painter, always busy, and takes his work with the bomberos very seriously.”
“It seems that way,” Hanna said, her eyes on the plumes of smoke in the distance. “Should we go try to help?”
“James always tells me that more people equals more trouble. Best to let them handle it. If it’s a big fire and they need help, they’ll call on the radio.”
Megan left to go help tear down the tents, and Hanna followed, pulling her eyes away from the smoke, surprised that her heart was beating so quickly.
Hanna and Megan chatted while they helped tear down the tents and put everything away as the crowd dwindled. It was a clearly a disappointment to everyone, but also a compliment that they hadn’t wanted to continue without the bomberos present—the entire event was in their honor.
As people headed to their cars, Hanna did notice that they were dropping money into the collection jar, and she knew Colin would be pleased about that.
It was all she could do to focus on her task at hand. With relief, Megan peppered her with questions about her horses and her training methods, and she was able to take her mind off of the fire, wondering if Colin was all right.
After she’d answered as many questions as Megan could muster, she asked, “Don’t you ever worry when they go to fight a fire?”
Megan stopped and stared out to the sea for a moment before she responded. “Yes. All the time. I don’t suppose you ever stop worrying, but you do get better at keeping busy until they come back, safe and sound.”
At this moment, Hanna couldn’t imagine ever being able to do that, and she held her hand to her chest as her heart continued to beat faster than she could remember it having done before.
Chapter 10
“Hey, Colin, take it easy,” James said as his hands flew out to grab onto the side of the cab, his head bouncing off the ceiling.
“This is serious, James. Sorry,” Colin replied as his eyes narrowed and he tried to spot the right road to turn onto off the main highway.
“I know, but I’d like to get there without being knocked unconscious.”
The radio in the truck crackled on as they searched for information about which campo they were heading to. The blue backdrop of the water on the horizon made the black plumes look even more menacing as they neared the scene.
“I can’t quite get a good look at it. There seems to be something in front of it, or maybe it’s down in an arroyo.”
“Bomberos, bomberos! Fire at Campo Playa Luna, north arroyo,” shouted a voice over the marine radio.
James gripped the seat more tightly, his knuckles even whiter. “That’s my camp.”
Colin looked over at him and saw the blood drain from his face.
“Hurry,” James said. “If it’s in the north arroyo, it’s trouble. All the houses down there are stick-built, all wood. No ladrillo brick homes and they could go up fast.”
The hurried down the road to Playa Luna, following the plumes of smoke as the engine bumped over the ruts. The arroyo came into view and Colin breathed a loud sigh of relief.
“Looks like just one house at the moment. Let’s see if we can keep it that way.”
Colin pulled the engine close to the fire, careful to keep a bit of distance between the flames and the gasoline in the truck. James and the other crew got out the water hoses, one from each side of the truck and attacked the flames from opposite directions, protecting the houses on each side.
As Colin led the other crew up toward the house, Jimmy Martin, the oldest resident of the camp, raced up on his quad, skidding to stop in the sand behind the fire truck.
“Need any help?” he asked Colin.
“Whose house is this?” Colin said quickly, motioning for the crew to go ahead of him.
“It’s Karen and Mike’s. They’re not here right now. He’s a fireman in California,” Jimmy said with a straight face.
“Well, that’s not going to help him now. How many propane tanks?”
“One that I know of, and it already exploded.”
Colin’s biggest concern in house fires in the South Campos was the propane tanks. The all-solar houses were efficient with electricity, but all homes relied on propane for heating and cooking. It was most common that the propane tanks exploding was what started the fires the bomberos responded to.
“If you could help keep people away unless they have hoses, that would be great,” Colin shouted as he moved toward the fire with his crew.
Whiskers, Jimmy’s scruffy terrier, barked at the firefighters or the fire. Colin couldn’t quite tell which.
“We’re on it,” Jimmy muttered as he hurried around to the back side of the houses, up the cliff of the arroyo, Whiskers close behind. As Colin started to knock down the door with his ax, he saw Jimmy on the cliff organizing the hose and bucket brigade.
They’d made a bit of progress before the captain’s truck rolled to a stop beside the smoldering house.
“We tried to follow with the second water truck but it wouldn’t start,” a young man said as the newest bombero jumped out of the captain’s truck.
The captain got out more slowly, pausing for a moment to survey the smoldering remains of the house in front of him. His hands clenched into fists as he walked toward Colin, James and the crew as they sat and caught their breath.
“Well, looks like we were lucky again,” the captain said as he kicked some debris into a pile. “Did this get all the way over here from the explosion?”
Colin shook his head. “We’re just not sure, Captain. We found the propane tank that exploded, but not sure what made it explode in the first place.”
“One propane tank? Not two,” the captain said, his eyes narrowing. “I think we all heard two explosions from the fundraiser.”
James took his helmet off and poured a bottle of water over his head, wiping away the remaining sweat with a rag. “We were just talking about that, Captain. I mean, we’re all amateurs here, but we know what we heard.”
Sitting down on the brick wall next to the crew, the captain said, “Colin, did you find anything suspicious at the fire scene the other night? In the small garage?”
“I’m not an expert here, but I didn’t see anything obvious.”
“No gas, propellants, anything like that?”
Colin wondered what the captain was getting at. He was a retired fire captain from the United States and had come to live in the south campos permanently, responsible in large part for creating the bomberos and securing their equipment, aged and unpredictable as it was. Colin had learned a lot from him and considered him a friend.
“The homeowner said they’d removed the gas cans, and I didn’t find anything I could recognize. I did take pictures, but haven’t looked at them yet. Do you suspect something?”
“At this point, no, but two fires in three days almost tops all the fires we’ve had in the past year. Fires are supposed to be rare events, and lately they haven’t been.”
“Who would light fires on purpose?” Robert, the young man who’d arrived with the captain, said as his voice raised an octave. “That’s just wrong.”
James shrugged his shoulders. “Who knows? Don’t know who would smuggle fish or drugs or steal land either. Not my kind of people, that’s for sure.”
Robert stared at the embers, his eyes w
ide. “I know I’m kind of new here, but I heard there were some undercover spies and IRA bombers living down here. Maybe they did it.”
James and Colin looked at each other and burst out laughing. James fell off the brick wall flat onto the sand. Colin reached out his hand, pulling him upright as he laughed as well.
“You’re looking at ‘em, son,” the captain said with a wide grin. “That’s the rumor, anyway.”
“Don’t believe everything you hear, Robert. We’re just working men who live on the beach and like tequila every once in a while. No conspiracy at hand.”
Colin’s face reddened as he turned away and headed toward the captain’s car.
“He’ll learn, gentlemen,” the captain said. “He was a volunteer in the states but got in a little trouble. My sister asked me to look after him for a bit. He’s a handful.” He rolled his eyes as he followed Colin back to the car. “Meet you at the station. Nice work.”
As the captain drove away from the scene, James said, “Want to take a peek inside? Looks like it’s cooled down enough.” He tossed Colin his helmet while he placed his own back on.
“All right. Maybe we can see something this time. Didn’t have much luck last time.”
“It’s probably nothing. The captain’s just thinking it through, I’m sure. Might as well check while we’re still here and suited up.”
The crew had sorted the engine out and coiled the hoses, all equipment placed back in perfect order by the time James and Colin came out of the house.
“Find anything in there?” Javier said. “We know about the one propane tank, but anything else?”
“Not sure,” Colin said. “I’m going to call Mike and ask him if he had any metal five-gallon drums. I didn’t think he had, last time I was down to visit. But there’s one in there.”
By the Light of the Moon Page 4