Rescued Duty (Last Chance Fire and Rescue #5)

Chapter 23

TWENTY-THREE

Z ack opened his eyes and moaned, which prompted a cough. The forced movement thrummed the dull ache that still lingered in his head. Ouch. He turned to his side in the bed and grimaced. His shoulder was definitely bruised.

Where was he?

He blinked a few times to clear the fogginess away. The bright lights overhead and the beep of a machine nearby brought back the memories.

He’d been called out to the entrapment at Ethos and he’d blacked out.

Although, he remembered seeing Naya at some point. Or had that been a dream? Whatever it had been, she’d thrown herself at him, and having her snug in his embrace was where he wanted to stay.

Where was she?

He pushed himself up to a seated position. He needed to touch base with Naya. Make sure she was okay. If she’d heard anything about the situation, she’d be investigating it.

What if…

“You’re awake.”

Zack jerked his head to the side, having been unaware that anyone else was in the room.

Naya sat in a chair by the wall. She smiled at him and slid to the edge of the seat. Her ebony complexion and dark eyes sparkled, but he took note of the lines that creased her brow.

“You’re here?” He swung his legs over the side of the cot, the blankets dangling to the floor. Someone had pulled off his boots, but he was still in his turnout gear—minus the jacket.

“Of course. I couldn’t let you experience all the excitement by yourself.” She chuckled, then sobered. “How are you feeling?”

Zack rubbed his temple. “My head still hurts. But all things considered, not terrible.” Being alert was a better state than the previous one he’d been in. The Lord’s grace had been over him. For that, he was grateful.

“What happened in there?” She scooted the chair closer.

Zack took a moment to get his bearings and remember all the details, some of which still seemed fuzzy. “Someone drove a forklift into the office building. It set off a CO leak, and people were trapped in the conference room.” He sighed. “We got everyone out of the room before I blacked out.” He recalled helping a woman when Eddie went down. “Is the rest of the crew okay?” He leaned forward, and the motion tugged at the IV in his arm. “And the employees?”

“They got everyone out of the building, but I haven’t heard any other updates.”

“My lieutenant—Bryce—should be close by.” Zack glanced at the clock on the wall. It was already the afternoon. He located the red call button on the bed and pressed it. Better get a nurse in here sooner rather than later to speed up the process.

“Zack, was Ingram trapped in the room?” Naya whispered. “They pulled her out with the other victims.”

He tried to picture if he’d recognized anyone when they’d first gone in. “No, I don’t think so.”

“She was there, Zack. In the building. She never works weekends.” Naya propped her hands on her knees. “I tried calling her boyfriend, Will, who also works for Ethos, but he never responded. Why was she at work when she was going to meet me for lunch?”

A knock sounded on the door.

“Is everything okay in here?” A nurse peeked her head in. Her brown hair sat in a topknot, and her name badge read Charlotte .

“Yes, ma’am,” Zack said. “I’d like to know when I’m going to be discharged.”

“The doctor will be in soon.” She smiled before ducking out.

Zack reached for his phone on the side table. “So Ingram got out okay?”

“Yeah. She’s a few doors down on this floor.” Naya sniffled. “I need to hear what happened. Find out why she was in the office.” Her eyes widened. “Someone I spoke with outside thought this might be the environmental group’s doing.”

“Could be, but since it was a forklift, they would have needed access to the warehouse.”

“Or it’s another employee working both sides.” She bit her lip. “Zack, what if it’s all my fault? I talked with Sylvia, and she works with Ingram. Now this?”

“Hey.” He leaned forward and took hold of her hand. “You couldn’t have known Sylvia’s intentions.”

You couldn’t have known either.

Zack shook his head to clear the thought. He needed to come clean and tell her what happened when they were teens. When he’d gone to find her bracelet. A symbol of the promise he’d intended to keep. The promise he’d made to never leave her. Regardless of how she responded, having all the details might ease her anxious heart regarding the current situation.

“There’s something I need to tell you.” He pulled in a deep breath.

Another knock sounded, and an older man in a white lab coat stepped into the room. “I’m glad to see you’re awake.” He pushed down on the sanitizer dispenser and rubbed his hands together. “I’m Doctor Welch. Seems like your crew had quite the run-in today.”

The man took Zack’s vitals. “Seems like you and a firefighter by the name of Rice caught the brunt of the exposure.”

“Eddie?”

“That’s the guy. He just woke up, so my colleague is checking him out now.”

“In addition to CO exposure, your labs showed the presence of acetaldehyde.” He handed Zack a paper. “I’d like to keep you for observation. There’s quite a list of symptoms to watch for over the next forty-eight hours. Vitals are good, but anything could change.”

Zack scanned the details on the page. He was familiar with these chemicals from his hazmat training and reviewing safety data sheets. They were no joke. No wonder the environmental group was up in arms. The IV pulled on his skin again. The last thing he wanted, though, was to be stuck in here any longer. “With all due respect, Doc, I’d like to be discharged. I know what to look out for.” He held up the paper.

Dr. Welch’s brow furrowed. “If you stay here, we can monitor any changes and act quickly.”

“At the first sign of any symptoms, I’ll be back. My job comes with risks, but I also know how to stay safe.” He only had a lingering headache, and the bright lights and noises in the room wouldn’t help the pain.

“All right.” Dr Welch sighed. “I’ll need you to sign off that you’re leaving against our recommendation.”

An hour later, Charlotte walked back into the room. “Here are your discharge papers.” Zack signed off, then let the nurse take out his IV. “You’re all set,” she said.

“Thanks.”

He stuck his feet in his boots, and Naya stepped out into the hall in front of him. “Can we stop over to see Ingram before you find your colleagues?”

“You bet.” Zack wanted the events of the last few hours from her perspective too. He prayed it would shed light on the situation and who might have been part of the incident.

Naya knocked on the door, then pushed it open. “Hey, Grams?”

Zack followed behind.

A smile lit up Ingram’s face when she caught sight of the two of them. “You’re here.” She held out her arms, and Naya hurried over to the bed to give her friend a hug.

Zack pulled out a chair from the table by the window, then decided against the idea. He wanted to give the two of them space for a minute. “I’m going to grab a water bottle. I’ll be right back.”

He located the nearest vending machine and inserted a handful of quarters. His head still had a dull ache, which he hoped would go away soon, or he might need to take some pain meds.

“Stephens. Glad to see you’re up and moving.” Bryce patted him on the back.

“Lieutenant.” Zack nodded, then pulled the water from the machine’s receptacle.

“How’re you doing?”

“Grateful to be alive. How’re Eddie and Ridge?”

“They’re fine. Eddie’s getting discharged now.”

“Good.” Zack took a swig of water. “This team, they’re everything to me, sir. I don’t know what I’d do without ’em.”

A smile tugged on Bryce’s face. “We plan to keep it that way. Ridge and I are taking the trucks back to the firehouse. Everyone will be clocked out from there. Go home and get some rest.” Bryce started down the hall, then stopped. “And make sure that girl of yours is taken care of.”

Zack stood in the hallway for a minute. The crew had his back. And they cared about his life.

Your girl.

Would Naya ever be his?

Zack needed to gather his thoughts. He and Naya had been through a lot together, and instead of the present circumstances pulling them apart, he found himself yearning to stick close by.

A far cry from where things had stood between them when they’d first crossed paths again a week ago at the bridge.

He wanted to make his intentions clear, but first he needed the chance to explain.

Zack took another sip of water, then he returned to Ingram’s room.

Ingram was upright in bed. “I had to pick up papers.” She looked up and spotted him in the door.

Naya turned, perched on the edge of the bed. “Gram was just talking about why she was at the office today.”

Zack sat down in the chair and set his foot on top of his other leg.

“Will needed to get some papers he’d left in his office. Said he had some extra work to catch up on. Since I was already out running errands, I offered to bring them over to his place.”

“It couldn’t have waited until Monday?” Naya shook her head.

“Apparently not.” Ingram shrugged. “When I found them, they were in a sealed envelope.”

“Did you find that odd?” Zack chimed in.

“I wouldn’t have if Will hadn’t been so adamant about not snooping around. He said the information was confidential for a project, and since it wasn’t in my department, I could get in trouble if I leaked any of it.” Ingram sighed. “Guess that shows he doesn’t trust me if he thinks I’d stick my nose into something that isn’t my business, then go and make it public.”

“I’m sorry, Grams. He doesn’t deserve you if he can’t have faith in you.” Naya raised her brows even as a sad smile turned up the corners of her mouth.

“I suppose.” She sighed. “Once I got the folder, I went to pick up my purse from his desk, then the office door slammed shut.” Ingram’s shoulders shook. “No one was there, but when I tried to open the door, it was locked.”

That didn’t make sense to Zack. Most doors locked from the inside to keep people out, not the other way around. Especially in a corporate office setting. “Someone must have barricaded it.”

“I tried calling for help, but my phone didn’t have any service, and Will’s office phone was disconnected. The last thing I remember is feeling lightheaded. Then I was in the ambulance.”

Zack planted both feet on the ground and leaned forward in the chair. “You need to tell all this to the police, Ingram. Let them know what happened.”

Naya nodded. “He’s right.”

Someone had deliberately targeted Ingram. “Where’s Will’s office in relation to the conference rooms?”

“Right around the corner. He has the prime spot for when he needs to meet with different teams.”

So the chemical leak would have easily penetrated into his space. “Sounds like someone either set you up, or they thought you were Will.” Zack frowned. “Either way, they locked you in there so you wouldn’t be able to escape the leak.”

Ingram pinched her lips, then exhaled. “What if he’s mixed up in something between the two groups? He’s been so on edge lately. I thought it was me, but what if it has something to do with the Green Warriors?”

“We need to check on Will.” Naya stood up. “If someone wants to hurt him, he needs to know he might be in danger.”

“I have a few questions for him myself.” Zack crossed his arms.

“Do you want me to give him a call?” Ingram asked.

“No,” Zack and Naya said in unison.

“I want the element of surprise.” Zack stood and pushed in his chair.

“We’ll let you know what we find out.” Naya gave Ingram a quick hug.

Zack wanted to tell Naya to stay with Ingram and let him confront the guy, but it would be a pointless argument. At least she wasn’t going off on her own again.

They headed for the elevator to take them outside. “His house is ten minutes from here.” Naya rattled off the address.

“Just follow my lead when we get there, okay?”

“This is my friend we’re talking about. Whose boyfriend has crossed the line.”

Zack held up a hand. “I’m not saying you’re wrong. And I don’t doubt your capabilities. But I like you too much to let you get hurt.”

“Oh.” Naya stepped out of the elevator and into the parking garage.

Well, that comment had rendered her mute.

They walked in silence to her car, where Naya climbed into the driver’s seat. “I guess we have a lot to talk about.”

Zack slid on his seatbelt, and they pulled out of the garage. “I’d like to finish the story I was going to tell you earlier after we chat with Will.”

“I’d like to hear it.”

A few short minutes later, they turned into a suburban development lined with townhomes, and Naya parked two doors down from Will’s.

Zack wished he had his weapon on him, but he kept it locked in his glove box when he was at work, and his car was still at the firehouse.

His gut told him to be on guard. The neighborhood was quiet this afternoon, but that didn’t mean something sinister wasn’t going on behind the scenes. The gray clouds still covered the sun, and a light breeze rustled the leaves.

Zack stepped up onto the front porch first and tapped the door with his knuckles.

No answer.

He knocked harder and the front door swung open. “Will?”

He glanced back at Naya, who shrugged.

She cupped her hands around her mouth. “Will, it’s Naya. Ingram’s friend. Are you home?”

Still no reply.

Zack stepped into the dimly lit foyer, Naya on his heels.

They cleared the first room and walked down the hall into the kitchen.

Naya let out a scream.

Zack turned, and his gaze locked on a hand sprawled out on the floor. He raced around the counter to where Will lay in a pool of blood.

Zack crouched down and put a finger to the man’s neck. “He’s dead.”