by Rachel Lee
Gradually the scene slowed down. Then one truck pulled out for town. The other remained. She stood alone by the car, realizing how much she missed the camaraderie after a fire, even more than she missed the adrenaline rush that went with it. Maybe she’d quit volunteering too soon.
Pointless thinking, though. She’d moved into another field, one that helped solve fires, one that often rescued insured people from the terrible results of accidents. Sometimes ordering a check to be issued felt a lot more helpful than running through a house with an axe ever had.
Of course, there was that time she’d saved a litter of kittens... A smile danced across her face at the memory. She’d never been at a scene where they saved a human life, but she hadn’t volunteered for long. She’d known plenty of other firefighters who’d helped rescue people. Smoke detectors, though, had reduced the risk of death.
But kittens didn’t know what that shrieking meant, and a scared momma cat could often take them to the wrong place trying to make them safe...until it was too late.
“Smiling?” Wayne asked as he joined her.
“Something made me think of a litter of kittens I rescued once way back when. So the kids did it?”
“Yeah.” He doffed his gear into the back of his vehicle then they slid in. They weren’t far down the road before he remarked, “I don’t know who Les is angrier at, himself or his kids.” He shook his head, still smiling faintly.
“Is school out today?” It was, after all, Thursday. Three kids could get up to a lot on a day off.
“They’re homeschooled, but that didn’t have anything to do with it. A pure craving to amuse themselves during some free time. Apparently they thought they’d put the fire out.”
She smiled and shook her head. “Not quite.”
“Evidently. Sometimes I think every kid needs to play with fire at least once. Most are simply lucky.”
She grabbed the grip over the door as they hit an especially deep rut. “I was amazed by that tumbleweed,” she said. “I’ve never seen anything like that.”
“It was something, wasn’t it? It’s not usually a big problem because when it catches on a fence, there isn’t a handy ignition source most of the time. Ranchers clear it out, of course, but it’s not a huge priority unless there’s a high fire danger. This was in a class by itself, though. That fence was buried in the stuff. Maybe from the high winds we had last month. Anyway, if the shed hadn’t caught fire, it’d still be sitting there doing no real harm until he could get around to it. As it is, that stuff burns hot and fast.”
She nodded. “I saw. Almost as bad as a dried-out pine.”
“Close.”
They reached the smoother county road, ending the bumpy ride. Charity cracked her window, enjoying nature’s air conditioning. “I loved the way you walked up to those kids and questioned them. Once you asked them what you’d find, it was all over.”
He laughed. “I try not to leave a whole lot of wiggle room. It saves time, and with kids, why prolong the agony for them? They knew they were in hot water. They were just wondering if anyone would figure it out.”
She joined his laughter. “One of them would have let it out sooner or later.”
“They usually do.” He was still smiling as they drove along the road back to town at a saner speed this time. “So how did it feel to suit up again?”
“Is that why you asked me to ride along?”
He glanced her way, the corners of his eyes crinkling. “There’s a lot bad to say about this job, but there’s a lot more good. I figured you might be getting a little itchy to try it on again.”
“I didn’t do anything, kind of a fifth wheel. And I didn’t want to get in the way. Your people clearly know what they’re doing. But suiting up again... It felt weird.”
“Good or bad weird?”
She thought about it for a second. “I wish they’d come up with a more comfortable turnout suit. I know it’s probably impossible, but all that insulation against the fire holds body heat in and it’s awful.”
“Can’t argue with that.”
“And it’s heavy. I wasn’t even in full gear and I felt as though I’d better get back in shape.”
He laughed again then eyed her. “Nothing wrong with your shape.”
She shook her head grinning. “Watch it, Chief. As for my shape, the other kind, I’ve never forgotten how heavy that equipment is, but I sure noticed I’m not used to carrying it anymore. Other than that... I got my adrenaline rush, I wanted to dive in and help, and I met all the old feelings that kept me doing it for over a year.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.” She leaned her head back, letting the breeze blow over her face from the cracked window. “It was great. Thanks. I tasted the rush again.”
He was silent until the town began to rise on the horizon. “Now I’m in for it.”
“In for what?” She turned her head to look at him.
“Bringing you along is going to make me the butt of endless jokes and even a few questions about whether I’m thinking about hiring you. Heck, you might even hear some of it, too.”
She hesitated before asking, “Can I hang around after we get back?”
He shot her a look. “No problem, but why?”
“Because I realized the thing I miss most was the camaraderie afterward.”
From the side she saw him smile. “Hang around. I don’t have to explain about strutting roosters, I guess.”
“And teasing. I’ve been through it all. Say, is there some place I could pick up some baked goods for the guys?”
Chapter 5
Wayne wondered what was going on inside that woman. Her flirtation, waving her leg at him, had been obvious, but then she’d turned back to serious topics, like the possibility the arsonist had a practice site out there somewhere.
Then she’d decided to ride along with him and suit up. He’d hoped she would, but had expected her to beg off. But no, there she’d been, and she’d suited up, and now she was talking about what she missed about firefighting.
Had he been trying for that without realizing it? Man, he hoped not. This woman had a life elsewhere. He couldn’t imagine she’d be happy in this sleepy county away from all the big city lights, and if she thought this many fires was normal out here, she was getting the wrong impression.
As he walked into the bakery with her, it occurred to him that he may have set up some unrealistic expectations. What did he think he was doing here? Yeah, he was attracted to her. Yeah, he could tell she was attracted to him. But attraction wasn’t enough.
He’d learned from Lisa that even growing up around here wasn’t a defense against the lures of a more populous area. Glenwood Springs had been enough to spoil her for this area, and from here she’d gone to Denver, a much bigger city. How could he expect a woman from a metropolis like Atlanta to want to hang around here?
Clearly he was not thinking with his big head.
“How many guys will there be?” she asked him. Then, without waiting for a response, she bought enough Danishes, doughnuts and cookies for a legion. Melinda appeared more than happy at this unusual purchase and threw in some extra crullers.
“You’re going to make my crew fat,” Wayne remarked as he helped carry the haul back to the car.
“They can use those treadmills,” she retorted cheerfully. “Besides, if they’re going to be merciless to you, they deserve the extra workouts.”
He was still smiling by the time they got back to the firehouse. The first truck was already being prepped, turnout suits apparently having been checked and put into the laundry to get ready for the next rollout. The second truck still wasn’t back, and Wayne knew they were making sure the fire was really out. That thing had been spreading like mad when they arrived, hot enough to leave dangerous coals behind.
&
nbsp; Donna was off duty, her replacement for the next four days a mild-mannered older man named Hugh Gallan. Wayne introduced him to Charity.
“Arson investigator from the insurance company on the Buell place,” he said. “Charity, this is Hugh Gallan. He’s been with the department for nearly thirty years.”
“Thirty? Really?” She shook his hand, offering him a warm smile.
“It’s a great life,” Hugh said frankly. “You go to bed at night knowing you’ve done some good for the world.”
Wayne watched a thoughtful look pass over Charity’s face. “Truer words never spoken, Hugh,” she said finally.
“Hugh’s a font of knowledge,” Wayne said. “If there’s anything he doesn’t know about firefighting, I haven’t found it yet.”
Hugh grinned almost shyly. “Not true, Chief. I haven’t found anything yet that you don’t know.”
Charity looked between them. “You guys play chess this way?”
Both men laughed.
“Come on, Hugh,” Wayne said. “Charity brought a heap of goodies from the bakery. We can hear the alarm in the break room.”
Apparently their 911 dispatch was properly set up, Charity thought as she walked back to the break room with the baked goods. The 911 dispatcher, wherever he or she was, would contact the appropriate department, setting off an alarm. A check of the computer or a radio call could get them all the info they needed in an instant. State of the art, and it meant that no one had to stay up all night here.
For such a small operation, this one didn’t cut any important corners.
The second truck pulled in, setting off another round of activity. Then in ones and twos the guys began to drift into the break room. The instant they spied the assorted baked goods, the atmosphere ratcheted up from weary cheer to party mode.
Wayne hung back a little, waiting for the teasing to begin. Leaning against a counter, he folded his arms, smiling faintly as his crew dived into the baked goods. “Charity brought them for you” was all he said. The worst was yet to come. Or maybe not; maybe they’d restrain themselves in front of Charity because she didn’t know them. She perched at one end of a bench, a leg tucked under her, and delicately ate a cruller. Fresh coffee had been made to wash down the goodies.
But something had shifted. They might not know Charity, but they zeroed in on her in a friendly fashion. She had turned out with them.
“So what did you think about wearing all that gear?” Hal Leas asked. Powdered sugar clung to one corner of his mouth.
“I think I need to get back in shape,” she said honestly, but with a little laugh. “It’s been five years since I wore that gear. I didn’t even have the full turnout on and I was wondering if you guys had added lead to the pockets.”
That brought a round of laughter, but nobody had missed the reference. Questions immediately bubbled around the table. Had she been a firefighter? For how long? Why had she left? Did she want to come back?
Well, thought Wayne, she’d gotten the camaraderie she had wanted. Knowing that she had once been a firefighter brought her right into their circle. Charity answered their questions easily and asked a few of her own. Circle closed.
Wayne slipped into his office to call the sheriff on the landline. With everyone laughing and talking in the break room, now would be a good time to get a few minutes.
He was put through to Gage immediately. “What’s up?” Gage asked. “Don’t tell me that fire that had you screaming out of here a couple of hours ago was arson.”
“No, careless kids. But I want to talk to you about the Buell fire.”
“Shoot.”
“Charity Atkins talked to an investigator in Atlanta to try out a theory we had. I don’t want to talk about it just yet, but the guy did suggest something interesting. He said that to carry off a fire of this kind successfully, he had to have practiced somewhere.”
Gage fell silent, but even over the phone Wayne could hear Gage drumming his fingers. The first word that broke the silence was a curse, followed by, “One you wouldn’t have been called to, I take it.”
“Obviously. I’m thinking abandoned line shacks somewhere. If the arsonist kept it under tight control, smoke might have been noticed, but everyone who saw it would think it was a routine burn, especially if it didn’t spread, and we weren’t called.”
“Got it,” Gage answered. “You just put a helluva task on my lap. But I don’t have to tell you that.”
No, he didn’t. They were both aware of the wide-open miles around them, the unlikelihood that even if they questioned people they would recall having seen smoke in the distance at this late date. Sooner or later someone might notice one of their long-unused structures was burned, but who knew when that might happen.
“All right, we’ll keep an eye out, but I guess this has to be confidential. I don’t imagine we want our arsonist to know we’re looking farther afield.”
“That’s the thing, isn’t it? I’m feeling boxed in, Gage. And that little display at Charity’s place is bugging me. Why would anyone go for her?”
“Hank Jackson could have been the target, but damned if I can see any reason he would be. Or it could be kids.”
Wayne couldn’t deny the possibility, although something about the way it had been set up disturbed him. Whoever had done it had understood the importance of fuel in addition to the accelerant.
“Let me think on this,” Gage said. “Say, is Ms. Atkins doing more than just clearing the table for her company?”
“Between you and me, yes. But I put it out there that she’s a paperwork type of investigator.”
“Good. I’m still trying to get you a state investigator. I figure they’ll get so sick of my calls they’ll get us one.”
“I hope so.” But it didn’t seem so important now. With Charity having worked out a likely formula for the fire and Gage keeping an eye out, he was past wondering what an official investigator could tell him.
But he was worried about Charity. Her determination to stay might be putting her in harm’s way. As much as he tried to make her seem unthreatening to an arsonist, there was no guarantee it would be believed.
At an impasse and hating it, he returned to the break room, aware that his absence would be notable if it extended too long. Charity was right about the camaraderie, but it had to be nurtured like anything else.
He walked in to a surprise: the crew were trying to persuade her to join them in a training exercise next week. What the...?
Charity was laughing and shaking her head. “No fair,” she said. “I haven’t been in training. You’d probably have to drag me around before long. Or I’d screw everything up for you.”
“Hey, we get lots of newbies for training,” Stan argued. “You’re not quite a newbie. I mean, like, we don’t have to explain to you how to navigate through smoke. Or how scary it can get. You wouldn’t panic on us.”
To his surprise, Charity looked tempted, really tempted. “It’s been a long time,” she repeated. “Let me think about it. So you guys have a state-of-the-art training facility?”
“Well, I don’t know if it’s state-of-the-art,” Ken answered. “But these days we don’t have to wait to burn down a building someone wants to get rid of.”
Charity nodded. “I knew you guys looked good when I watched you. Tip-top.”
Which made more than a few male chests swell. Wayne wondered what was going on here. Men responding to a beautiful woman who understood what they did? Probably. He’d heard that before his time Donna had had some trouble breaking into this department. Guys generally didn’t like girls in their clubhouse. But Donna had breached the wall through sheer determination, and maybe it had stayed down for good.
“So how long are you going to be in town?” Bill Husted asked.
“Not too much longer, unfortunately. I’m alm
ost done clearing the Buell fire. After that, they’ll send me someplace else.”
“You ought to stay here,” Randy Dinkum said. “Then you can complain like my girlfriend that there’s nothing to do around here.”
Everyone laughed and Randy got a few playful punches. “Just sayin’,” he answered good-naturedly. “Shoulda dated Donna.”
Ken laughed. “She’d wipe you off her boots, man.”
Wayne’s cell phone rang and once again he slipped from the break room to his office. It was his daughter, Linda.
“Hey, Dad,” she said brightly, “I’m making dinner tonight and invited Jeremy over. That okay?”
“As if I have any choice when you already invited him?”
She laughed. “You don’t like him.”
“Do, too,” he answered truthfully. Jeremy was the least of his worries about his daughter.
“Anyway, I wanted to know if you’re going to be home so I know how much to cook.”
“If you cook for Jeremy, you cook for an army.” That kid was lean as a sapling but could eat like a lineman. “Hey, Lindy, can I bring a friend, too?”
A moment of silence. “For real?” Then she squealed. “Go, Dad!”
“You don’t even know who it is.”
“Female?” she asked, a teasing note in her voice.
“Yeah. Colleague.”
“Female’s enough. Bring her.”
He wanted to roll his eyes when he disconnected. Linda had been pushing him to date for the past couple of years, but he just hadn’t been interested. This wasn’t a date anyway. Just a courtesy to a stranger in town.
Who the hell did he think he was kidding? Himself, of course. Never a wise thing to do.
Sighing, he returned to the break room to consider just how much folly he was in danger of committing.
* * *
Donna had appeared. Wayne smiled inwardly at the sight of her. He had more than one person who couldn’t stay away from the firehouse during break, especially when there’d been a fire. She was getting all the details on today’s activity while enjoying a cookie.