by Leigh Bale
Sean’s cell phone rang. Because he was driving, he tossed it over to Tessa. She punched a button and answered the call.
“Hullo. This is Tess.” Her words sounded slightly slurred and Sean glanced over at her.
She paused, listening. She mouthed Harlie’s name so that Sean knew who she was speaking with.
“Hi, Tessa. You doing okay?” Harlie asked.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Just a bad sprain. I’ve got to let the tendons heal for a few days. What are you up to?”
She stifled a wide yawn, hardly able to keep her eyes open. Sean shook his head, his brow creased in a questioning frown.
“We’ve got a fire in Colorado,” Harlie said.
Tessa’s eyes popped open and she was now wide awake. She repeated the words out loud for Sean’s benefit. “You have a fire in Colorado?”
“Yes. Any idea when the super will be back at the base?” Harlie asked.
“He’s dropping me off at my place right now and then he’ll be coming in.”
Sean nodded his approval. “Ask him to get my fire pack out, will you?”
She repeated the message into the phone, forcing herself to speak clearly.
“Will do,” Harlie said. “And Tessa, get feeling better soon.”
“Thanks, I will.”
Sean turned the corner as she clicked off the phone and tossed it onto the seat between them.
“See? I told you that you’d get called out on a fire the very same day I get crippled,” she grumbled.
He smiled. “It could be worse. At least nothing’s broken. You’ll be back fighting fire with us soon enough. Besides, I think you’re gonna sleep for the rest of the day.”
She grumbled under her breath, not liking this situation at all.
“Actually this is good timing,” he said in a cheerful tone. “You’ll be on desk duty until we get back. Hopefully it won’t be long and your ankle will be better by the time we return.”
“Uh-huh. You don’t have to be so happy about it. I don’t like the way you coddle me all the time. You almost act glad that I can’t go on the fire with you.” She folded her arms and closed her eyes, waiting for him to deny her accusation. But she didn’t hear him speak until they arrived at her apartment complex.
* * *
Sean stopped and waited for the light to turn green. He glanced over at Tessa, unable to deny her complaint. He was relieved she’d be staying at home for this new tour of duty. He wanted her safe. Within six weeks, the fire season would come to a close. He wouldn’t need to worry about her fighting fires anymore.
He gripped the steering wheel harder. The thought of never seeing her again twisted his heart. He’d been so angry, hurt and guilt-ridden when he’d broken off their engagement. But it had been the right thing to do. Hadn’t it?
“I knew I shouldn’t have worn my new boots this morning. I thought it’d be a good way to break them in before we went on a fire.” Tessa huffed out a disgruntled sigh.
He chuckled, trying to ignore his morose thoughts. “You couldn’t have known the new boots might cause you to sprain your ankle.”
“Well, they did. I wish I’d worn something else today. You taught me better, but I didn’t listen,” she said.
He shook his head, thinking that her gutsy love of firefighting had been one of the reasons he’d been so drawn to her in the first place. “You’ll be out of school soon, and then you won’t have to think about such things. You’ll move on to a desk job and start coordinating the crews that fight the fires.”
She blinked. “You’re right, of course. But I’ll still be involved in all of it. Jared Marshall is an FMO and he still goes up on the fireline. You two men have taught me to be very hands on, no matter what my desk job might be. I think when the big boss is right there with the crews, they’re able to do a better job.”
Sean clenched his eyes closed for a moment. He should have known that Tessa would be the type of manager who wanted to be right in the middle of things instead of sitting safely in her office. He’d been trying so hard to watch over her, but he realized that was an impossible goal. He couldn’t be with her twenty-four hours a day. He might protect her while they were on the fireline, but he couldn’t keep her safe all the time. A car accident, illness, you name it. It was out of his hands. So what could he do? How could he keep her safe?
He couldn’t, but God could. He needed to have faith. But honestly, he didn’t know how to rely on the Lord. As a kid, he’d been on his own. He’d never trusted anyone, including God. And yet he sensed that putting his faith in his Heavenly Father was the only way he could ever find true happiness. If only he could let go of his fear.
“When you and Zach started fighting wildfires, it was only natural for me to sign up once I was old enough. I fell in love with fighting fires. It’s a noble profession.” She took a shuddering breath, staring out her window.
“After all that’s happened, do you regret your career choice now?” he asked.
“No, not at all.” She shook her head, speaking vehemently.
“That’s a good thing with all the schooling you’ve acquired. You’ve worked hard for this. Is your ankle in much pain?” He wanted to change the topic.
“No, the pain pill they gave me has kicked in. I feel groggy,” she said, breathing out a deep exhale and closing her eyes. No doubt she was feeling tranquil and sleepy.
“I’ll get you home and then you can rest,” he said.
He pulled into the parking lot of her apartment complex. Amidst her protests, he carried her up to her apartment, set her on the couch and helped her get comfortable. He retrieved a glass of water from the kitchen. When he leaned across her to place it close by on the coffee table, he felt her warmth and turned. Their noses touched. She looked deep into his eyes. Her breath tickled against his cheek. He felt lost and found all at the same time. Trapped in a gaze he couldn’t escape. Transfixed.
He jerked away before he kissed her again. Before he said or did something else he might regret.
“It’s time for me to go,” he said.
“Yeah, the guys will be waiting for you.” Her voice wobbled awkwardly.
But neither of them moved. Not for a very long time.
“Do you need anything else before I go?” he asked, stepping away.
“No. I’m just really tired now.” She turned away and covered a yawn.
“I’ll check in on you as soon as I get back in town. Try to take it easy.”
He walked to the door, putting some distance between them, but it didn’t help much. He paused, looking at her from over his shoulder. He hated to leave when she needed him, but maybe it was for the best.
She looked down at her hands clasped in her lap, her lips slightly parted. He knew she didn’t like his silence, but she seemed so accepting. So patient.
“You be careful out there, okay?” she said, laying her head back.
It was his signal to leave. He nodded but didn’t say a word. He couldn’t trust his voice anymore.
He left as fast as he could. Before he changed his mind and scooped her into his arms. Before he spilled his guts, told her about his guilt then begged her forgiveness and asked her to take him back and never let him go. Because he knew she couldn’t do that. Not if there was to be justice for Zach.
Chapter Fourteen
Three nights later the shrill ring of Tessa’s cell phone brought her wide awake with a jerk. She fumbled around in the dark, trying to locate the phone on the nightstand beside her bed. She sat up and peered at the red glowing light of the clock radio. Two forty-eight in the morning. Who would be calling her at this hour? The hotshot crew was still fighting fire in Colorado.
Clutching the phone in her hand, she glanced at the caller ID and felt a flush of confusion. Cathy Morton. Why on earth would Matt
’s mother be calling her in the middle of the night?
Tessa punched the answer button. “Hello?”
Her voice sounded hoarse and groggy, but she was alert. Working on the hotshot crew, she was used to having her sleep interrupted. But not when it wasn’t for a fire.
“Tessa?”
“Yes.”
“This is Cathy Morton. I’m so very sorry to bother you at this time of night. Please forgive me, but is Sean there?”
Tessa blinked, wondering why the woman thought he’d be with her. They weren’t married, after all. And they weren’t really friends. They were just co-workers. “No, he’s not.”
“Oh, dear. I was hoping...” The woman’s voice sounded sharp and distraught.
“What’s up?” Tessa asked.
“It’s Matt. He’s at the police station. Apparently he went out with some of his old friends after I left for work tonight and they got pulled over for a DUI.”
Oh, no. Tessa felt a sinking of disappointment.
“Was Matt drinking?” Tessa asked, her voice sounding normal now that she’d sat up and flung the covers off her legs.
She gently flexed her injured ankle and inwardly smiled when it didn’t hurt too much. Three days of desk duty had almost done the trick, but she was lonely and bored. She missed her crew members, especially Sean. And she no longer fought it. In spite of her promise not to entangle her heart with him again, she missed him, worried about him and wanted him safe.
“No, Matt wasn’t drinking, but the driver of the car was,” Cathy said. “There were three other boys with him. One was Gavin Smith. Apparently he convinced Matt to go out with them tonight after I left for work. I’ve been worried about my son hanging around with that boy, but Matt won’t listen. Now he’s gotten himself into trouble again.”
Gavin Smith. Tessa had been worried, too. It appeared that he’d pulled Matt back into his wild ways. And because she’d had so much optimism for both boys, this outcome made Tessa deeply sad.
“Because they were underage and out so late, the police took all of the boys down to the station to wait for their parents,” Cathy said.
“Is anyone hurt?”
“No, thankfully. The cops did a Breathalyzer test on all the boys, and Matt is the only one who passed. Otherwise, they said they would hold him until morning. But they want me to come down to the station to pick him up right now.”
“At least no one was hurt. Matt can recover from this,” Tessa said.
“Yes, but if he doesn’t change his ways, he’ll end up with a real problem on his hands.” Cathy sounded near tears.
Tessa agreed. Gavin could be a good kid, if he chose to do so. But she didn’t want him pulling Matt down with him if he was going to be getting into trouble.
“What do you need me to do?” Tessa asked.
“I’m at work. Other than the cook, I’m the only one on duty right now. I can’t leave the diner. I would call Megan, but Jared left yesterday to go to a fire and she has two little kids at home who are undoubtedly sleeping at this hour. I don’t want her to have to get them up. I tried to call Sean, but he’s not picking up his phone. Matty told me he’d seen you over at his house the other day, so I thought maybe you and Sean were back together and he was with you. I was hoping he’d be willing to pick up Matt for me.”
“No, Sean’s not with me. He’s on a fire in Colorado with the rest of the crew,” Tessa said.
“Of course. I’ll bet Jared is with them.” The woman sounded deflated.
“I’ll go get Matt,” Tessa offered. She’d heard enough to know that Cathy was desperate. She couldn’t refuse a cry for help. Not from a mother. And not when she knew how much Matt meant to Sean.
“Oh, would you? I’m deeply sorry for the bother, but I’d appreciate it so much,” Cathy said. “I can call the police station and tell them you’ll be coming to pick him up. They know I’m working tonight. If I ask them to, they shouldn’t have a problem releasing Matt into your custody.”
Thankfully, in a town this size, everyone knew almost everyone else. And it helped that Sean was good friends with Darrin Harper and a few of the other police officers. Darrin had been on the hotshot crew six years earlier, before he became a cop. Tessa hadn’t worked with him, but he’d attended barbecues at her brother’s apartment and she considered him a friend. She agreed that he should have no problem releasing Matt into her charge.
“All right, you call them and I’ll get dressed,” she said.
“Oh, thank you. I’ll do that. And Tessa?”
“Yes?”
“You are a sweetheart, just like Sean said.”
Tessa froze. Sean had said that about her? How odd.
“It’s my pleasure to help,” she said.
As she hung up the phone, she wondered about Sean. When he’d broken up with her, he’d said he didn’t feel the same about her anymore. That they weren’t right for each other and he didn’t want to marry her. But now that she thought about it, not once had he told her that he didn’t love her anymore. So maybe he still loved her. She was almost positive of it. It was in his touch, and his kiss. She’d known Sean for a long time. He needed help. He needed her. She’d tried everything she could think of to get him to open up and let her in. She’d be leaving town soon to return to school, but there was nothing else she could do. Except pray and hope that God could soften Sean’s heart.
* * *
Within minutes Tessa arrived at the police station. It wasn’t very big. A small red-brick building set up on an empty lot owned by the city on the outskirts of town.
She pulled into a parking space beside a squad car and shut off the headlights to her truck. Killing the engine, she climbed out. The crisp night air embraced her and she shivered. She reached for her jacket. As she slid her arms into the sleeves, she looked up. Two tall streetlights gleamed overhead as she made her way up the front sidewalk. Crickets chirped in the bushes edging the small plot of lawn. She pushed against the double doors and stepped inside the main foyer. The heavy aroma of coffee struck her in the face.
“Hi, there, Tessa.”
Darrin Harper sat behind the reception counter, leaning back in his chair. Wearing his police uniform, he reached his hands high over his head and stretched. He appeared to be the only officer on duty. Not surprising in a town this size. They only had three officers, not to mention the late hour. Sandy Coolidge, their dispatcher, was probably home sleeping soundly.
Tessa’s gaze lowered to the gun holstered at his hip. “Hello, Darrin. I understand you have Matt Morton in here.”
He smiled. “Yep. Cathy just called to say you’d be picking him up and taking him home. That’s nice of you.”
She nodded, feeling out of sorts. She wished Sean was here and realized how much she depended on him in difficult situations like this. He always knew what to do and what was right.
“If you’ll wait right here, I’ll go get Matt,” Darrin said.
“Is Gavin Smith still here, as well?”
“Yeah, he’ll be here overnight...until his grandpa can pick him up in the morning.”
“Can I see him?” She didn’t know what made her ask. She only knew that she hated to lose him as much as she hated losing Matt. If she saw Gavin, she wasn’t sure what she’d say to him, but she didn’t want to just write him off as a lost cause. Everyone was important. Even the Savior left the ninety-and-nine sheep to find the one lost lamb. Maybe Gavin just needed to know that someone cared about him.
Darrin hiked one eyebrow and stood. “Nope, sorry. No visitors for him tonight.”
The disappointment must have shown on her face because he rested a hand on her shoulder.
“Trust me, Tessa. You don’t want to see him right now. He’s falling down drunk and mean and foul-mouthed. He needs to sleep it off. Maybe you can visit him
later, after he gets out of jail.”
Her heart gave a painful thump. She hated the thought that this teenage boy was inebriated. Maybe Sean would have some ideas on what to do. But ultimately, Gavin would have to decide to help himself.
“I’ll go get Matt,” Darrin said.
She leaned against the front counter as the officer walked through a door to the back rooms. Clutching her car keys in one hand, she waited. Looking around, she glanced at a bulletin board that included mug shots of the FBI’s most wanted and various other public notices.
“Tessa!”
She whirled around and faced Matt. He stood in the doorway wearing faded blue jeans and a T-shirt. His thick brown hair was disheveled, his face pale, his eyes wide with contrition.
“Hi, Matt. You ready to go home?” she asked.
“Where...where’s my mom?” He blinked in confusion.
“She called me from her work and asked if I’d come and get you. I told her I’d bring you home.”
His eyes lowered to the floor and he scuffed the toe of his tennis shoe against the gray carpet. “Oh. I’m sorry. She had to wake you up, didn’t she?”
She patted his arm. “It’s okay, sweetie. I’m available for you anytime, day or night. So are Sean and your mom. We’ve got your back. One of us will always be here for you.”
“Yeah, I’m sorry I caused trouble for her. Where is Sean?” he asked.
She explained about the wildfire and he let out a breath of relief. “So he’s not here in town right now?”
“No.”
“Good. I don’t want him to see me in this place.” He tossed a sheepish frown toward Darrin.
Without asking, she understood his reasons. “Let’s get you out of here, then.”
“Just one more thing,” Darrin said to Tessa. He slid several papers onto the counter and pointed at two lines. “Sign here and here.”
She did so then turned to go.
“Stay out of trouble,” Darrin called to the boy with a serious look.