Chapter 11
ELEVEN
Sam pushed open the station door and held it for Bella. “Come on, sleepy head. Another new day awaits.”
Bella dragged herself inside the station and slumped into one of the recliners in the dayroom. “It’s so early.”
“Bella, you only woke up thirty minutes early.” Teenagers were so dramatic.
Sam went to the coffeepot, refusing to admit she was probably as tired as Bella. It was difficult to get quality sleep with her sister tossing and turning beside her.
Bella groaned and pulled the hood of her hoodie over her eyes. She burrowed into the recliner.
“Good morning, ladies.” Greer walked into the dayroom, duffel bag slung over his shoulder.
“Why is he so cheery?” Bella pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them.
“Because, Bella.” Greer gently tapped her on the head. “It’s a beautiful day.”
She pulled her hoodie back and glared at Greer. “Are you on drugs?”
He grinned. “Nope, they test us.”
“Come on, Bella, you can go back to sleep in a bunk room.”
The teen groaned and stood, following as Sam walked through the dayroom and down the hall that led to the bunk areas.
The station was a fairly new build, so that meant they each had their own small room.
A nice cozy room big enough for a twin XL bed, a nightstand, and a wardrobe.
Sam chose the bunk room closest to the dayroom so she could keep an eye on Bella.
She could have let her stay with Cass, but Sam wasn’t quite ready to leave her alone for too long. The pain and agony of thinking she was dead was still too fresh. If she could see Bella, she’d know she was okay.
Sam tucked her duffel bag in the wardrobe and grabbed a set of bedding. “Here you go.” She handed the sheets, blanket, and pillow to Bella, then left to let her make the bed and get some rest.
She normally didn’t bother with a bunk room while she was working the day shift. There were occasions she’d make use of it, but most of the time, she spent her free time doing chores around the station.
She skipped the early-morning hubbub in the dayroom. She didn’t have it in her to see all the pitying looks or answer all the How are you doing? questions.
Everyone clocked in and started the morning checks. They always checked the equipment at the beginning of shift. They’d check it again before the shift ended and make sure everything was restocked and cleaned if needed. The next shift would do the same.
It might seem redundant for both shifts to check, but they couldn’t be too careful. A simple mistake could be devastating. This helped minimize as much human error as possible. Perfection was the goal.
“So, the station had a visitor yesterday.” Greer stood next to her, checking his SCBA. “A certain US Marshal visitor.”
She wanted to be anywhere but here right now. She focused on her tank but didn’t respond. He had her telephone number. Why was he checking up on her at the firehouse?
“Came in and talked to Cap.” Greer was fishing.
“Probably asking about the fire.” She put her SCBA back in the engine.
“That wasn’t the only thing he was asking about.” He bumped her shoulder. “Wanna tell me about the man with the badge?”
She shrugged. “There’s nothing to tell you. His niece is the girl getting into trouble with Bella. Probably trying to do a background check on me and my parenting.” She was grasping for a plausible explanation.
“Uh-huh, sure.” Greer put his SCBA up. “That’s why he looked disappointed when he was told you were off for the day.”
“I guess you’ll just have to ask him yourself the next time you see him.”
“Oh, so you plan on seeing him again, do you?” He nudged her, grinning.
“That’s not what I meant.” She rolled her eyes at him.
“Whatever you say.”
“Shhh. Do you hear that?” She stopped and pretended to listen intently for something.
Greer’s brows furrowed as he concentrated. “Hear what?”
“The whistling?” She tilted her head.
He listened longer.
“Never mind, it’s just the wind tunnel between your ears.”
“Ouch, that hurt.”
“You know I love you.” She smiled sweetly and moved on to checking the hoses on the engine.
Once the equipment check was done, Sam went to the bunk room to check on Bella. She was still snoozing.
Sam stood in the doorway and watched her sleep.
Her chest tightened. What were they going to do now?
She’d still been unable to get in touch with her landlord.
She had some money in savings, but not enough for the first and last months’ rent and a deposit for a new place to live.
Not to mention purchasing new clothes, furniture, and all household necessities.
That was if they didn’t have to pick up and move again. Something Sam didn’t want to do. Not just for Bella’s sake. Sam liked it here. Renegade was her home, and her RFD brothers were family. A loud, boisterous family, but a family all the same.
A hand rested on her shoulder. “Everything okay?” Lieutenant Fischer asked quietly.
Sam closed the door to let Bella sleep. “Yes. Just thinking.”
“I don’t want you worrying about the next steps. Station 4 and all of RFD are here for you.”
Her throat clogged with emotion. “Thank you.”
She would expect nothing less from her friends. Not out of selfishness but based on their history. There had been several times in the last six years that RFD had banded together for one another.
When the previous fire station chief was diagnosed with cancer, they’d held fundraisers to help with the finances, done work around his house, like mowing the lawn. Little things that made his life easier. When Cass had the twins and they spent time in the NICU, the RFD family had been there.
“Have you heard anything new on the fire?” she asked Lieutenant Fischer. She’d spoken to him briefly yesterday, so she knew the investigation was being handled outside Station 4.
“Nothing new. You’ll be the first one I tell when I do.” He patted her back as they walked to the dayroom.
The call alarm wailed. “Engine 4, med call.” The dispatcher gave the address.
Sam and Lieutenant Fischer rushed to the engine. Turnout gear was stowed inside, and everyone climbed in.
“That’s Mr. Bonetti’s address. The sheet says chest pains.” Lieutenant Fischer filled them in on the call information.
“Mr. Frequent Flier himself.” Greer nudged her knee. “Twenty bucks says he declines a ride.”
“Greer!” She punched him in the arm. “You are not betting on the poor, lonely old man.”
“What? His calls always end up with him declining to go to the hospital once he’s calmed down. You know it’s just his anxiety with a touch of hypochondria.”
Mr. Bonetti was getting older, and Sam dreaded the day that it really was something serious. Hopefully, that wasn’t today.
“You’re a horrible little man,” Murph said from his seat.
“Who you calling little?” Greer sat up straighter.
Compared to Murph, Greer was little. Murph was six-six compared to Greer’s five-eleven and three-quarters. Maybe if he did the pompadour thing, he’d break the six-foot barrier.
“That’s enough, children. Greer, you take this one,” Lieutenant Fischer instructed.
Murph staged the engine in front of Mr. Bonetti’s house. Sam looked around, her pulse quickening when she didn’t see him. Normally he met them on the porch or in the driveway. But there was no sign of him.
“Greer.”
“I know.” Greer’s voice held a note of worry.
They piled out, grabbed the medical bags, and made their way up to Mr. Bonetti’s door.
Greer rapped on the wood. “Mr. Bonetti. Renegade Fire Department.”
He waited a minute, but Mr. Bonetti didn’t answer.
“Help.” A weak voice could be heard from somewhere in the house.
Sam dropped the medical bag and dug in the potted fern for the key to the front door. She didn’t want to cause damage getting in if they didn’t have to, and Mr. Bonetti had told them more than once where he kept his extra key.
She unlocked the door and let Greer take the lead.
“Mr. Bonetti, where are you?” Greer paused and listened.
“In the kitchen.” Mr. Bonetti’s voice was so weak.
Adrenaline pulsed through Sam’s veins.
Greer rushed into the kitchen and stooped down in front of Mr. Bonetti on the kitchen floor.
“Hey, Mr. Bonetti. How are you doing?” Greer assessed the patient.
“My chest hurts.” He panted, his hand clutching his chest.
Chest pains, shortness of breath. Could be a heart attack. But could also be a number of other things as well.
“We need a twelve lead.” Greer started wrapping the blood pressure cuff around Mr. Bonetti’s arm.
Sam pulled the supplies needed to start an EKG from the med bag. She raised his shirt and started placing the electrodes on his chest and abdomen with steady hands.
“BP is one eighty-five over one-fifteen.”
Sam studied the monitor. “I’ve got irregular rhythm. No ST elevation.”
“Mr. Bonetti, are you allergic to aspirin?” Greer asked.
They knew the answer, with as many times as they had been to see him, but the question still had to be asked.
“No.” His voice was weak, and he was clammy.
“Renegade EMS.” The relieving EMS crew shouted from the front door.
“In the kitchen.” Mr. Bonetti’s voice was weaker than normal.
The EMS crew wheeled a stretcher in, and Greer started the handoff. Mr. Bonetti was loaded into the ambulance, and it sped off.
If the Marshals forced her and Bella to leave Renegade, she would never be able to work as a firefighter or a medic. She would have to give up everything she’d built for the last six years. Now wasn’t the time to sort out her feelings about God. It was time to do what she knew.
Stick to the plan.
Liam studied his computer screen, still running down known associates of the Mob. He’d even looked into the Williamses’ mother, a real piece of work.