Chapter 11
CHAPTER ELEVEN
“Let’s go! Let’s go!” Tawny hustled the others out of the bunkhouse. Her natural ability to lead in an emergency urged her to assert control.
As they raced toward a transport truck, the smell of smoke grew stronger. Plumes rose in the sky. Chino Hills State Park burned.
Moira climbed into the driver’s seat, Whitcomb rode shotgun, and the Titans huddled in the back. Joy perched on the bench across from Tawny. Her hands trembled, and her eyes were wide with terror. Tawny reached over and covered Joy’s hands with her own.
“Don’t be afraid. Just do what Captain Finnigan orders you to do. Remember, we’re assisting the fire department. Hear those sirens? They’re already on their way.”
Joy nodded and squeezed Tawny’s hands.
They arrived at the state park within ten minutes. Visitors fled by car or on foot. Moira drove farther into the park, where other first responders directed campers and hikers to safety. They veered off the main trail and ventured into where the fire raged. Sparks flew, and smoke billowed. The heat penetrated the truck, and their jumpsuits stuck to their damp skin. Moira said something into her radio as a fire engine pulled behind them. She twisted in her seat to face the team.
“Listen, we’re clearing out brush and using the hoses. Stay aware of what’s happening around you, and don’t wander off alone.”
“Yes, Captain!” The response echoed through the truck.
Everyone hopped out and grabbed their tools. The firefighters from Chino Valley Fire Department Station 66 shouted at each other as they unleashed their water hoses and ran toward the flames gobbling trees, brush, and vacant campsites. Moira ordered her crew to hack at the brush to keep the fire from spreading.
Tree limbs burned and crashed to the ground around them. Tawny pushed Yolanda and Terrin out of danger when she heard a telltale cracking above them and realized a huge limb on the verge of falling on top of them. A portion of it struck Tawny and knocked her off her feet. Yolanda and Terrin smothered the flames and grabbed her arms to lift her.
“Are you hurt?” Yolanda yelled.
“No!”
They went back to work and made good headway until the wind shifted. Burning pieces of debris caused spot fires to erupt, and the fire roared with renewed energy and intensity. Moira shouted orders and sent the Titans to put out the spot fires. Tawny, Yolanda, and Terrin coordinated as a small team and rushed into the danger zone near the fiery beast.
Adrenaline pumped through Tawny’s veins as she used a shovel to douse the growing flames of the spot fires. She kept a close eye on Yolanda and Terrin fighting fires close to her. More sprouted, and they moved farther away from the rest of the team, though they could still see and hear the others.
As Tawny turned toward a campsite with a tent pitched in the middle, an unusual sound caught her attention. A whine, a cry of fear and desperation, came from the tent.
“Oh, my God!”
She sprang forward. Out of nowhere, a firefighter materialized from the smoke and flames and tackled her. Tawny landed with a hard thud on her back, and the shovel flew out of her hands. At first, she assumed the firefighter was protecting her until a blow to her face sent pain spiraling through her. The attacker knocked off her helmet and punched her in the head, and she almost lost consciousness as her vision wavered. Though dazed, Tawny’s training kicked in, and she blocked the next blow with her forearm. The fake firefighter quickly drew a blade and sliced a wicked path through the outer layer of her turnout gear.
Tawny grabbed his wrist when he tried to use the blade again. With a sharp twist, she disarmed him. He tried to choke her, but she anticipated it and threw him off her, executing a defensive move that Justice had taught her. Weighing more from her gear, it was harder to leap to her feet, but she managed to gain her balance and kicked her assailant in the face multiple times. Bones crunched, and he let out a low growl. Tawny grabbed the knife off the ground and slashed his arms while he was disoriented. Blood flowed from the deep cuts she inflicted.
Another feeble cry came from the tent, but she didn’t intend to run from this fight or spook her attacker by yelling for help. She stood ready to kill him if necessary. His arms hung limply at his sides. He eyed the knife in her right hand. Then, without a word, he jumped up and fled into the thickening smoke as the fire advanced closer to the tent. Tawny dropped the knife, found her shovel, and rushed inside the canopy.
A child, no more than five or six, crouched in one corner, crying. Tawny set down her shovel and knelt in front of the boy. “Don’t be afraid. My name is Tawny, and I’m a firefighter. What’s your name?”
“Jimmy.”
“Jimmy, where are your parents?”
He shrugged.
“Okay, I’m taking you with me, and we’ll look for your parents.” She lifted the boy into her arms.
Something heavy fell onto the tent, crushing them beneath it and setting the tent on fire. Jimmy screamed. He’d landed beneath Tawny’s body. Her arms were free, and she could see the shovel nearby. From the weight on her back, she assumed a huge tree limb hit the tent. If she could grab the shovel, she might be able to use it as leverage to lift the limb off them. She had to hurry because breathing was becoming more arduous, and she could feel the heat on her back.
“Jimmy! Listen to me! I’m wiggling over to the shovel. We’ll be out of here in a jiffy.”
She moved a little, but the shovel was still beyond her reach. Tawny tried again, straining her muscles to reach for the shovel, but to no avail.
“Jimmy, can you help me? You’re closer to the shovel than I am. Try moving it toward me.”
He coughed and started to cry again. “It hurts.”
“I know, sweetheart. Can you see the shovel?”
Jimmy tilted his head and coughed. “I think so.”
“Try to stretch your arm far enough to move it just a little so I can reach it.”
The little boy tried twice and missed. “I can’t!”
“Please try one more time.”
This time, his small hand succeeded in pushing it a fraction of an inch toward Tawny. Her fingers clutched the handle. “You did it!” She gave him a high five. “Now all I have to do?—”
Buzz! Buzz!
Tawny’s heart palpitated with relief. “Do you hear that, Jimmy? Other firefighters have come to help us!”
The sound of the chainsaw scared Jimmy. He closed his eyes and covered his ears. Several minutes passed before Tawny felt the weight lifted off her. She rolled off Jimmy, but he panicked and grabbed her.
“Don’t leave me!”
“I’m not. I’m right here.”
Within a few more minutes, pieces of the ruined tent were cast aside. From the flat of her back, Tawny gazed into Moira’s anxious face. “Thank God you’re okay!”
She leaned over to give her a hand up, but Jimmy clung to her. Tawny lifted him with her. He wrapped his arms and legs around her and buried his face in her neck. “This is Jimmy. He was separated from his parents.”
“Hi, Jimmy. I’m Captain Finnigan. Guess what? Your mommy and daddy are waiting for you with your brother.”
“Hear that, Jimmy? We found your mommy and daddy!”
The fire had been contained while she’d been trapped in the tent. There were only a few hot spots to douse. Yolanda and Terrin fell into step on either side of her.
“Man, are we glad to see you,” Yolanda said. “When that tree fell on the tent, we thought you were a goner.” She gazed at Tawny closely. “What else?—"
“A whole tree?” Tawny cut her off.
“A majority of it.”
“Fire was burnin’ all around us,” Terrin added. “We had to find a way out so we could get help.”
“I’m glad you were there.”
When they reached the fire engine, the rest of the Titans and some firefighters clapped their hands. A young couple in their early thirties broke away from the group and hurried toward Tawny.
“Jimmy!”
Jimmy squirmed out of Tawny’s arms and threw himself at his parents. “Mommy! Daddy!”
They hugged and kissed him and examined him for any injuries. An EMT approached and said he needed to check Jimmy out. His parents gazed at Tawny. “Thank you. Thank you for saving our son.”
Another EMT touched Tawny’s shoulder. She winced. “We need to get you checked out, too, ma’am.”
“No. I’m fine,” she insisted.
Moira shot her a hard look. “You need to have that shoulder examined.”
“All right.” She followed the EMT to a second fire rescue truck.
The gray jumpsuits the Titans wore beneath their gear didn’t faze the couple, but Tawny saw other civilians frowning at them with suspicion. It reminded her that no matter how heroic they were, these women would always be convicts not worthy of notice or respect. Anger boiled inside her, but now was not the time to react.
In the fire rescue truck that accompanied the fire engine from Station 66, the EMT felt her shoulder with practiced hands. She unzipped her jumpsuit enough to pull down one side so he could get a look at it.
“It’s bruised, for sure,” he commented. “Put ice packs on it when you get back to camp. Your face is swollen, too, and it’s turning purple. What happened?”
She zipped up her jumpsuit. “I’m not sure. It was crazy for a bit.” Tawny didn’t mention the blow to her head. At least she didn’t feel nauseous, a sure sign of a concussion. “I’ll ice my shoulder and my face. Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
When Tawny rejoined the others, Moira ordered the Titans to board the truck. As she climbed in, Whitcomb shot her a weird look…as if… as if he didn’t expect to see her . Her chest tightened.
“You did good work out there today.” His tone lacked conviction.
“Thanks.”
“It’s hard to believe you were stupid enough to let a man get you in trouble.”
“It happens. Haven’t you ever been stupid in love?”
His eyes smoldered. “Not yet.”
She smirked to herself. I can’t wait to see the look on your face when I put you behind bars. You arranged to have me killed out there.
On their way back to camp, Moira praised them. “You worked as a team, helping each other and the Chino Valley Fire Department. I’m proud of you.”
The Titans cheered and high-fived each other.
At camp, they retreated to their separate bunkhouses to take showers. Grateful to shower by herself without prying eyes, Tawny reveled under the onslaught of hot water and took her time washing the stink, dirt, and grime from her body and hair. She dressed in clean underwear and a white tank top before stepping into a gray jumpsuit. When she solved this case, she swore she’d never wear gray again. Tawny twisted her wet hair into a bun and secured it with a hair tie.
She left the bathroom and gathered everyone’s dirty laundry while Terrin and Precious prepared dinner. She carried the load to the second bunkhouse and found the washer and dryer in an alcove off the main room. In addition to two bunkbeds, this bunkhouse also had a table with four chairs and a sofa.
Tawny noticed a rollaway cot and called out to Dee, “Hey, any idea what that cot’s for?”
Dee rolled her green-brown eyes. “Yeah, Stoneface said it’s for him and Whitcomb. They sleep in shifts.”
She grinned. “Stoneface, huh? Great nickname. Suits him perfectly.” Stoneface hadn’t cracked a single smile since they arrived earlier this morning. He didn’t look too pleased to see them back from the fire, either. “What’s his real name?”
“Something like Coleson or Colfer. I didn’t pay too much attention.”
Debbie emerged from the bathroom and waved at Dee. “Your turn.”
“Thank God. I hope you saved me some hot water.”
Tawny took Debbie’s dirty jumpsuit and added it to the load. She dropped in three soap pods, set the temperature to cold water, and pushed the start button.
“When it’s done, I’ll put them in the dryer,” Debbie offered.
“Thanks. So, Dee said the cot’s for Stoneface and Whitcomb.”
Debbie cackled. “His name is Colfer. Gary Colfer. And, yes, that’s true. They work in twenty-four shifts.”
That surprised Tawny. “They’re not allowed to go home?”
“I think they’re rotated out on the weekends.”
“I don’t see the need for two guards, but whatever. C’mon. Dinner should be almost ready, and I’m starving.”
By the time Dee and Susan finished their showers and joined the others, dinner sat on the table. They helped themselves to fresh garden salad, baked chicken breasts, green beans, and crescent rolls.
Tawny filled two plates and said, “Go ahead and start without me.” She took the food to the second bunkhouse where Stoneface Colfer and Whitcomb were hanging out. “This is for you. I’m not bringing you dinner because I’m required to wait on either of you. I’m doing it to prove you don’t have the right to demand anything of us out here. Anything . Any kindness you’re shown is my choice, which is more than what you deserve. You’re here to ensure we don’t escape, and that’s it.”
“Putting on airs will land you in trouble, Ginger.”
“I’m not being arrogant. I’m being truthful. And a simple thank you would be nice.”
Stoneface Colfer said, “Thank you, Tawny.”
Whitcomb ignored his partner’s politeness.
After dinner, Dee and Debbie offered to clean the kitchen. Four others started a card game, and two went outside to smoke. Tawny headed to Bunkhouse B to finish the laundry. She pulled their jumpsuits and underclothes from the dryer and folded them. Off to the side sat a large white laundry basket. Tawny dropped the piles of laundry into it and carried it to the main bunkhouse. She sorted the piles on her bunk and told the others nearby to claim their clothes. Then she joined the card game, though she longed to crawl into bed and sleep. Her entire body ached from fighting the fire and her unknown assailant.
When Moira exited her office, ready to leave for the evening, she approached Tawny, standing at the kitchen sink rinsing coffee mugs, and said, “Come with me.” Here, they didn’t have to hide speaking privately with one another. And it made sense after Tawny’s close call today.
They walked toward Moira’s vehicle. “I don’t know whether to be angry at you or proud as hell of you.”
“How about both?”
“Yes, that. The fire made the news, by the way. Marcus has been blowing up my cell phone with text messages asking about you. I keep telling him you’re fine, but he wants to hear it from you.” Moira moved in front of Tawny, blocking her from anyone’s view. She handed over her cell phone. “Make it quick.”
Tawny typed: Finn, it’s me. I’m okay. I love you. She kept the attack on her life from him for fear he’d do something rash, like storm the fire camp and rip Whitcomb apart with his bare hands.
His response was immediate: Thank God. I know it’s futile to tell you not to take any more chances. Just be careful. I love you, too, Red.
Tawny returned the cell phone, and Moira shoved it into the front pocket of her pants. “Any news about the case?”
“I passed on the tip about Corrigan and Dickinson. They’re working on it. Seems like your hunch might be correct.”
“Jesus. Do you know what this means? The corruption goes up the chain to the director himself. And he knows who I am.”
“Jiena is aware. Out here, you’re easier to protect. Seriously, I wouldn’t be surprised if she has agents keeping watch in the woods.”
Tawny’s eyes swept the darkness. Goosebumps broke out on her skin, and she shivered in the cool night air.
“I’ve kept you long enough. Stay vigilant, Tawny.”
“I will. See you tomorrow.”
Tawny watched the red taillights of Moira’s car disappear into the night. She shoved her hands into the pockets of her jumpsuit and wandered toward the redwood picnic table, where the tip of a cigarette glowed. She hopped on top and propped her chin with her hands.
“Wanna smoke?” Susan asked.
“Nah.”
“What did the captain want with ya?”
“To give me a little hell for what happened today and caution me to be more careful.”
“Not everyone appreciated us being there.”
“I felt that, too. But we can’t let that bother us. We have to hold our heads up high. This is our chance to do something positive with our lives. Don’t let someone else’s negativity bring you down, Susan.”
She crushed her cigarette into a warped tin ashtray. “I don’t know how you keep from bein’ beaten down by life.”
Tawny stared at the ground. She’d survived her partner being killed and an attempt on her life when Axel Anderson, Jr. cut her brake lines, and her squad car plunged off a cliff. “Because I’m alive. Every day is a gift.”
Susan jumped off the redwood picnic table. “You know what else is a gift? Brownies! C’mon. Let’s go grab more before they’re gone.”
Tawny grinned. “I’m right behind you.”