As Gabe steered his truck toward Steph’s exit, he noticed an ambulance speeding onto the highway on the other side. Yeah, she’d said she didn’t want him to come back tonight, but he couldn’t leave it at that. He wanted her, bad. What they’d shared that afternoon had been a sip against years of unquenched desire. It had only made him thirsty for more.
The ambulance’s lights flashed in his side mirror. It wasn’t that unusual in this part of the city. Made him wonder how much luck he’d have getting Steph to move out to the country with him. He knew she’d like it if she gave it a try. And it would be better for William, too.
When he approached her place, he caught a quick glimpse of more flashing lights between rows of closely packed homes. As he turned onto her street, he realized the fire engines were in front of her house. He must have crushed the gas pedal to the floor. The next thing he knew, he was out of his truck looking for her or any familiar face, calling her name, Lucy at his heels.
He saw Mrs. Spangler in a small knot of others, standing over something on the ground, an EMT kneeling at their feet. His gut went hollow. His heart stopped.
He pushed his way through. William lay on a blanket, singed and black with soot, hairless spots exposing bloody hide. The EMT had an oxygen mask over the dog’s nose, but it didn’t look like William was breathing. In the light from all the emergency vehicles, he could see Mrs. Spangler’s face smudged gray and streaked with tears. She looked ancient, like she’d aged fifty years since this morning. She clutched a small box to her chest.
He took all this in with one breath. Took in the sodden, smoking ruin of the house with the next. Didn’t take another. Gently, he touched Mrs. Spangler’s arm. She turned.
“Oh, Gabe.” She fell against him with a sob.
It was all he could do not to shake her. “Where’s—”
“They took her to the hospital. Mr. Weinperth, too. Smoke inhalation, but they’ll be okay. And he hit his head, the old fool.” Her gaze dropped to the dog’s still form. “But…”
“Is he…?”
“I’m not a vet,” the EMT said, “but there ain’t much left to work with.”
“He saved us all,” Mrs. Spangler said. She moved away from Gabe and held out the small box. “Even Blackie.”
“Probably would have been okay if he hadn’t gone back in,” the EMT said. He withdrew the oxygen.
Gabe felt tears well up. He hadn’t cried since he was a kid. Mrs. Spangler put her hand on his shoulder.
“Stephanie was…it was awful. Tore my heart out. I’ve never seen anyone so upset.” She looked at Gabe again, her eyes clear. “I thought I knew what hysterical was.”
The EMT stood. “Took three of our guys to get her into the ambulance.”
Gabe crouched, scooped up blanket and dog, and hurried to his truck. Mrs. Spangler followed.
“Do you need anything?” he called over his shoulder. “Can I drop you anywhere?”
She opened the tailgate for him. “No, my sister’s coming to pick me up. As soon as I get changed, I’m going to the hospital.”
He slid the dog under the camper shell as gently as he could. He had a good friend from college who was a vet. If anyone could do anything…damn it. He didn’t even know if William was still…
“St. Mary’s,” Mrs. Spangler said.
“Tell Stephanie I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
Lucy, who never liked to ride in the bed, dove in and lay next to William. Gabe jumped in the cab. The truck was still running. He jammed it into gear, grabbed his cell, and started punching in numbers.
Chapter 12
The Man, The Dog, His Owner & Her Lover, a Witting Woman novella Page 11