Chapter Seven #2
“I tried to get ahead of it,” she wheezes. “But the damn thing’s in the walls. Spread too fast.”
“We need to get you out,” I say, taking the extinguisher from her. “Can you walk?”
“I’m not leaving yet,” she wheezes between coughs. “Let me stay a few more minutes.”
“Nope.” Liam slips his arm around her. “Come on, Ellie. Let’s go. You’re tough, but you’re not invincible.”
She grumbles but she doesn’t fight him.
“Is anyone else up here?” I ask, the heat and smoke making me feel nauseous.
She shakes her head. “No, I don’t think so.”
“Okay, come on.” Liam coughs. “Let’s get the hell out of here.”
I lead the way back down the stairs, checking that the route is still clear. The smoke in the foyer has thickened and the visibility is worse than when we came in. I keep one hand on the wall, moving quickly but not rushing. Rushing leads to mistakes.
We get Ellie outside just as the first fire truck pulls up, brakes hissing on the wet road. The cold air hits my lungs like a slap and I cough hard, bending at the waist. Ellie is coughing too, but she tries to wave off the female paramedic who approaches her with an oxygen mask.
“I’m fine,” she rasps. “Go help someone who needs helpin’.”
The paramedic gives her a scolding look and ignores her protests, slipping the oxygen mask over her head, and leading her away from the building.
With Ellie safe, I get back to work. Liam and I split up.
He coordinates with the fire crew while I manage the civilians.
Branches from the burning pines keep falling, so I set up a perimeter using our SUV and some cones from the trunk, keeping bystanders and a few curious tourists at a safe distance.
A woman is crying about her cat still being inside.
I talk to her, get the details, and relay the information to the fire crew.
An older couple needs blankets and I pull some from the emergency kit in the SUV.
One man keeps trying to get past me to go back inside for his laptop. I block his path firmly.
“Sir, I understand,” I rasp. Trust me, I do. “But no one goes back in until the fire crew says it’s safe.”
“But my whole life is on that computer—”
“It’s a computer. It can be replaced,” I say gruffly. “You’re not going back inside.”
He gives me a dirty look, but he stops trying to get past me.
The firefighters work fast and efficiently tackling both the trees and the building simultaneously.
One tall firefighter directs the crew, moving between the hose teams and the ones working inside.
Time seems to drag and it feels like no matter how much water they pump into the building, it just keeps burning.
Eventually they make some progress, although it takes a long while.
Once the fire is mostly contained, the guy who’d been giving orders pulls off his helmet to wipe his forehead.
I catch his scent then, and beneath the smoke and sweat, there’s something familiar in it.
The same baseline as Liam’s, but different.
I know instantly he has to be Liam’s brother, not only from the scent but because he has the same height, build, dark hair, and eyes.
Most of the looky-loos have thinned by the time Jack comes over to Liam and me. Up close I definitely see the family resemblance. Jack smiles at his brother, although he looks tired. His turnout gear is streaked with soot and water, and his face is flushed from the heat.
“Jack, this is Jude,” Liam says. “He’s my new partner.”
“Howdy.” Jack tugs his gloves off and shakes my hand.
“Nice to meet you, Jack.” I force a smile even though I don’t feel like smiling. All I can think about is getting inside my apartment to see if anything is still left.
Jack smirks. “So you’re the poor guy partnered with my lazy-ass brother, huh?”
“Hey.” Liam elbows his brother’s stomach. “Knock that shit off. I’m the hardest working cop named Liam on the GPPD payroll.”
Jack laughs.
“You guys know how the fire started yet?” Liam asks.
“Yeah,” Jack says, directing his words to both of us. “It’s fairly obvious it was an electrical fire. The wiring in this building has been a concern for a long time. Ellie’s been trying to bring everything up to code, but looks like she ran out of time.”
“Hopefully insurance will cover everything.” Liam grimaces, giving me a concerned look.
“Any idea how long before the place will be habitable again?” I ask, meeting Jack’s gaze. I’m no fool. I know it’s going to be a while, but I just want a ballpark. “I… uh… I was staying here.”
Jack winces. “Oh, damn. Sorry.” He glances back at the building.
“The east side has significant structural damage. Second floor took the worst of it, but there’s smoke and water damage throughout.
Given how old the wiring is, they’re going to have to gut the walls and rewire the whole building.
That’s before you even get to the structural repairs, water damage, smoke remediation.
To be honest, this is more of a partial rebuild than a renovation.
I hate to say it, but something this major could take four to six months. ”
My stomach drops like a cement brick, but I try to hide how gutted I am. “I was afraid of that. Appreciate you being straight with me.” I let out a shaky breath, feeling dazed. “The important thing is everyone got out safe.”
Jack nods. “Agreed. There were no fatalities, which is a miracle. Some smoke inhalation, nothing critical. EMS is handling it. Could have been worse if you two hadn’t gotten the Ellie out when you did.”
“She didn’t want to leave.” Liam shakes his head. “She’d have stayed if we hadn’t dragged her out.”
Jack smiles. “Sounds like Ellie, all right.”
“Maybe Ellie missed her calling. She should have been a fireman.” I glance at my ex-landlord who’s bitching and swatting at the paramedic trying to put a blanket around her bony shoulders. “Or perhaps a boxer.”
They both laugh, but then someone calls Jack’s name and he starts the walk away. “Looks like my break is over. I’ll see you later, Liam.” He gives me a affable nod. “Nice meeting you, Jude.”
“Thanks, you too.” I quickly add, “Hey, do you think I could get inside my apartment to grab a few things?”
If anything is left.
Hesitating, Jack turns back to me. “Uhh… what apartment were you in?”
“2C.”
He nods. “You can go up. Your end of the hall didn’t take direct fire damage, but don’t stay long.”
“I won’t.” It’s not like I want to hang out inside a smoldering building.
“You want me to come with you?” Liam offers, starting to follow me.
“I’m good.”
Liam frowns. “You sure? I don’t mind.”
“No, I got it.”
He narrows his eyes. “If you take too long I’m coming in to get you.”
“Okay, Dad.” I shake my head. “I’ll be right back.”
I head inside the structure. The foyer is soaked and dark, the air thick with wet ash, melted plastic, and scorched wood.
Upstairs, the hallway is a mess of water, peeling wall paper, and debris.
My door opens, and inside, my apartment is mostly intact.
Hazy and reeking of smoke, but my things are there.
Coughing, I grab my duffel from the closet and pack quickly.
Clothes that will need to be washed before I can wear them, and a few books.
I find the photo album in the nightstand drawer and tuck it on top.
I don’t allow myself to be bogged down with sentimentality, and I’m back outside in five minutes.
Liam is pacing by the SUV and he eyes the duffel slung on my shoulder. “Is that it or do you need me to help carry stuff down?”
“This is it.”
He frowns. “You travel light.”
“Yes, I do.” I’m trying really hard not to let my stress overwhelm me. “Chief will understand if I don’t finish the shift, right? I need to call around to see if I can get a motel room.”
“Jesus, Jude, of course he’ll understand.” He winces. “But I don’t think you’re going to be able to find a motel room. Not with the ski lodge open.”
“There’s got to be something. I’m not picky.”
He shakes his head. “If there were spots, I guarantee they’ve already been snapped up while we were controlling the scene. Don’t forget, everyone here was displaced.”
I let out a harsh breath because I know he’s right. I’m royally fucked. “Well, I’ll… I’ll find something.”
He laughs, but it’s more of an exasperated sound than anything. “Jude, you’re not going to find anything in town.”
“Okay, well, I’m sure there’s something down the mountain.”
“What?” he bugs his eyes. “You can’t stay down in Silver Creek. That’s forty-five minutes each way in good weather. Over an hour in winter conditions. You can’t commute that every day twice a day.”
“Then I’ll sleep in my car for a night or two until something opens up.”
“You’ll freeze to death.”
I scowl. “I don’t have any other options, Liam.”
He steps closer. “You can stay with me. I have a spare room. It’s warm, it’s got a queen sized bed, and it’s only ten minutes from the station.”
My gut clenches. “What? No.”
“Why not?” He wrinkles his brow.
“I don’t want to impose,” I say gruffly. I can’t very well tell him the other reason; that I’m attracted to him and being around him more than I already am might be torture.
“You’re not imposing. I’m offering.”
“You barely know me, Liam.”
“Bullshit. I know you plenty.” He frowns. “That room just sits empty. Why wouldn’t you stay with me?” He jokingly sniffs under his arm. “Do I stink or something?”
I give a grudging smile. “No, you don’t stink. But I don’t think it’s a great idea to work together and live together. We’ll drive each other nuts.”
“No we won’t. We get along great.” He nudges my elbow, his dark gaze sincere.
“Come on. Take the room, Jude. It’s temporary.
Just until something opens up. It’s not safe to sleep in your car and it doesn’t make any sense for you to drive an hour each way when I have a perfectly good room that’s not being used. ”
“Liam—”
“What’s the alternative? Give me one better option and I’ll drop it.”
I open my mouth, but nothing comes. I’m sure he’s correct.
Every motel is full and every rental is taken.
Even if I could find a motel room for the night, it wouldn’t be long term housing.
Subzero temperatures in a car isn’t just uncomfortable, it’s dangerous.
Commuting from the valley in winter on mountain roads is a risk I shouldn’t take twice daily.
He’s right. I know he’s right. But it’s still too much to ask of someone I really don’t know that well.
“Liam, I don’t think I should. You heard your brother. It might be six months before I can get back into the Blue Pine Apartments.”
“So what?”
“That’s way too long to impose on you,” I say.
“I don’t agree. Besides, when the ski lodge closes for the season, there’ll be plenty of options for you. There are way better places to live than the Blue Pine Apartments.”
“The peak season doesn’t end until February,” I say with exasperation. “That’s four months. I can’t stay with you for four months.”
He sighs, looking frustrated. “I don’t understand what the problem is.
Even if it did take four months or six months, I wouldn’t mind.
Plus, I’m fairly certain something would open up sooner than that.
But if it didn’t, it seriously wouldn’t be a big deal.
I’d enjoy the company, to tell you the truth.
My house is way too big for just me. It would be nice to have someone there. ”
I slump. “You’re just saying that because you’re a nice guy and you don’t want me to feel bad.”
“That’s not true.”
I narrow my eyes. “I don’t need pity. I’m sure I can find somewhere to stay.”
He huffs. “This isn’t pity. I’m looking out for a friend. Hell, I’d offer my spare room to anyone in the department who needed it. And you know what? They’d take me up on that offer. Because it makes sense.”
I actually don’t doubt what he’s saying. He’s such a good guy, he would offer his spare room to any of our co-workers. I groan. “God, I don’t know.”
“I’m dead serious about wanting the company.” His eyes are warm and his tone so sincere, it’s hard not to be swayed. He must see I’m weakening because he urges, “Please, Jude. Come stay at my house. I really want you to.”
I let out a harsh breath. “Okay, but I’m paying rent.”
“No, you’re not.” He scowls.
“Yes I am.” I grit my teeth. “I was paying rent at my apartment. Why wouldn’t I pay rent to stay in your house?”
“Because I’m offering as a friend.” Irritation paints his voice. “This isn’t a money making opportunity for me.”
I lift my chin. “If you want me to stay with you, I’m paying rent. Otherwise, I’m driving down to Silver Creek to book a motel.”
“God, you stubborn son-of-a-bitch,” he grumbles. “Fine, you can pay some rent if it makes you feel better. But not as much as what you were paying.”
I laugh. “I’m paying whatever will make me feel like I’m pulling my weight. I don’t want your charity, do you get it? If I stay with you, it’s a business arrangement.”
He laughs. “No, it’s one friend watching out for his other friend, dummy.”
“And you say I’m the stubborn son-of-a-bitch?” I complain.
“Don’t get all riled.” He smiles. “So, are we doing this?”
I look to the sky, feeling cornered. “The second something opens up in town, I’m moving out.” I meet his gaze. “I mean it. I refuse to take advantage of your good nature.”
“You’re not taking advantage of me, but I understand you want your independence.” His smile widens and he looks happy. Maybe even relieved. “Come on. I’ll drop you off at the station so you can talk to the chief and pickup your car. Then you can follow me to my place.”
“Okay.” Resignation settles over me as I take one last look at the Blue Pine Apartments.
The old Victorian sits wounded under the winter sky, her blue paint blistered, her windows dark, water still dripping from her eaves.
The charred structure almost feels like a warning: stay too long in Golden Peak and you too might end up burned.
I tighten my grip on my duffel and follow Liam to the car.