Chapter 53 #2
Finn pulled. She found herself sprawled on top of him, in his arms. There was no time for celebration.
They were still on unstable ground. The stairs couldn’t be trusted.
She tried to crawl. Her left leg wouldn’t work right.
Finn stood. Despite the blood running down his face, he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder.
With extreme caution, they moved toward the other bedrooms on the second floor. The fire hadn’t travelled to Willow and Aspen’s old rooms. Upside down, she noticed the bridge was wet.
She heard the squawk of a radio from below, the sound of someone calling their names. Finn paused, pulled her off his shoulder, and answered the call.
“We’re up here. Second floor.”
A firefighter emerged from Willow’s childhood room. He must have come through the window. Only his eyes were visible, but she recognized him. Aidan Conroy.
His voice was serious, near angry. This wasn’t the first time he’d helped them out of trouble. “This time, you two have gone too far.” She would have hugged him if they weren’t still in danger.
Another firefighter appeared.
“Aidan, let’s get them out. You can scold later.”
Smoke from the house cast an eerie fog around them. Beside Finn, Rose sat on the tailgate of someone’s truck, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. Her leg had been dislocated. The paramedics popped it back into place.
Finn hadn’t let go of her. She hadn’t let go of him. They’d come too close to death.
He wrapped his arm around her and held her tight.
She leaned against him. “I thought he’d killed you.”
“I thought he killed me, too. With a fucking telephone.”
They were both treated with oxygen. Each of them had sporadic bouts of coughing. Both had given Reggie and Clare their statements after. Mack and Zane were close by.
Thorne sat on a nearby tree stump with an icepack on his head. A firefighter found him unconscious on the ground. He’d come round but was fuzzy on what happened. They’d go over it again tomorrow.
Finn looked down from where they sat and asked, “Where’s your other boot?”
Rose glanced down. One of her wildflower boots was gone. Her left. Given everything that had happened, she hadn’t noticed. Had the paramedics removed it? She didn’t see it.
George had been holding onto her left leg, likely her boot as well. His weight had dislocated her leg. The boot was a size and a half too big. She could visualize how it’d happened. He’d taken it with him when he fell.
She shook her head in disbelief. “I think that rain boot saved my life.”
Her eyes closed. She’d have to thank Mr. Munstead and his daughter.
Finn brushed her hair out of her eyes. “And the fire department? You giving them any credit?”
“What do you think?” She pressed her side against his.
Quick steps sounded on the gravel. Broome broke through the smoke, a look of terror on his face as he rushed into the area. Rose slid off the tailgate and winced. Finn followed, supporting her left side. Thorne eased himself up to stand and moved closer. He slipped an arm around her as well.
With near violence, Broome grabbed all of them into a hug.
Rose squeezed him back. He sounded as if he were crying. An impossibility. He held them for the longest minute and then released them. Then swore and wiped his eyes. She pretended not to notice.
The men and women of EHFD were doing their best to save what they could of the house. The fire wasn’t out. They’d kept it from spreading. Occasional flames still flickered amongst the plumes of smoke.
In uniform, Reggie stood beside the fire chief as Ladder 1 arced water over the roof. Yells and squawks came through a nearby radio.
With a splintering sound, a corner of the house collapsed. Rose broke into sobs at the sight. A smaller section followed soon after.
Finn didn’t let go of her. Neither did Thorne.
One ambulance left the property. With George Hindley. Firefighters had found him on the first level. They hadn’t shared whether he was alive or dead.
Reggie approached, gave each of them a fierce look before turning to Broome. “Thought you should know. They all denied a trip to the hospital by ambulance.” He motioned to Rose. “Even this one with her dislocated leg.”
She glared at him. “Crud. You would have to say something.”
Broome shook his head and gave each of them the I practically raised you look. “All of you know better. Two of you doctors.”
He clapped a hand on Reggie’s shoulder. “Thanks man. I’ll take them in.”
Broome moved his SUV closer and opened its doors.
As he helped her into the back seat alongside Finn, Sheriff Hutchins came through the smoke. He looked disheveled, as if he’d thrown yesterday’s uniform on.
He asked, “What’s going on here?”
Reggie nodded to them and stepped back. “Take them to the hospital. I’ve got this.”
His movements looked militant and controlled as he turned and placed his hand on his service weapon.
Rose watched him motion to Mack, Clare, and Zane to join him.
Together, the four officers walked toward the sheriff.
They surrounded him. Reggie’s lips moved.
The sheriff’s expression turned ugly. Mack held onto his arm as if to keep him there.
A dark SUV came down the driveway fast enough to spit gravel. It braked behind a fire engine. Both doors opened.
A disheveled Louise Winston appeared in the mixture of light and lingering smoke. Her husband, the mayor, followed close behind, looking near as bad.
Broome turned away from Rose. Thorne still stood outside the car, one hand on the passenger door.
Louise Winston ran toward the four police officers. The mayor struggled to keep up.
The woman stopped outside the circle of cops, closest to Sheriff Hutchins, speaking loud enough to hear. “Darin Hutchins! You inept fool! Where is my brother?”
Was she yelling at the sheriff?
Whatever Hutchins said wasn’t audible, but Louise clearly didn’t like his answer. Through the tiny gap between Reggie and Clare, she struck the man’s chest with one fist. “You promised me you would take care of him.”
This time, the sheriff’s voice carried. “You told me he stopped setting fires. The house behind you—that’s his doing.”
“Where is he? I’ll take him home, take care of him.”
Rose exchanged looks with Finn, Broome, and Thorne. She’d never known Louise Winston had a brother. Their families weren’t close. It took little thought to connect her brother’s identity.
One of them must have told her what happened to George.
Louise shook her head as if in denial. Behind her now, the mayor tried to gather his wife into his arms, perhaps to console her.
She clearly wasn’t having it. Rose’s mouth fell open when Louise turned and shoved her husband hard enough to make him fall to the ground.
Then she shifted and attempted the same with the sheriff.
He stumbled back, but Mack still had a hand around his arm. It kept him from falling.
The mayor got to his feet with help from Clare. “Louise, stop this.”
Louise said, “Where is she? The little bitch. It’s her fault. Her face. I’ll take care of her once and for all.”
Reggie reached for Louise. It appeared she reached for him. She collided with him, then spun, using the cop as a springboard. A weapon lay in her hand—a gun.
Reggie cursed and dove for the woman as she came towards Broome’s SUV. Reggie caught her free arm at the same time she raised the firearm.
Rose’s eyes met hers. Louise’s face twisted into something ugly. There was no mistaking the level of hatred the woman directed at her.
“Fuck.” Thorne’s voice.
The world around her slowed. Her car door slammed, as did Thorne’s. Broome moved, perhaps taking cover. Finn curled over her in the seat. She waited for the sound of gunfire.
It never came.