Chapter 27
Liv gripped the steering wheel tightly as she navigated the familiar roads back to Waverly Junction, her mind swirling with a torrent of questions and doubts. Why hadn’t Michael Wheaton, the man she had trusted and worked alongside, told her he was born in Waverly Junction? What transpired during that high-risk rescue operation in 2012 to make him leave New York? And was it merely a coincidence that he and Jackson shared the same birthday, or was there something more sinister lurking beneath the surface?
Was she seeing things that weren’t there? Was he just creepy?
Liv wrestled with the troubling thoughts. She couldn”t shake the feeling of unease that gnawed at her. As she drove back to town, the familiar sights and sounds of Waverly Junction blurred past her in a haze, her thoughts consumed by the case files. But her thoughts were interrupted by the shrill ringing of her phone. The chief of the Waverly County PD’s name flashed across the screen.
Her heart skipped a beat as she answered the call, the anguish in the chief”s voice sending a chill down her back. “Where are you, Liv?” he demanded, his tone edged with concern. “We”ve got a situation here.”
“I’m on the outskirts of Waverly Junction. What’s going on?” Her pulse quickened with fear.
“The power plant for the Waverly Junction Hospital is on fire. They’re evacuating the patients to neighboring Waverly County and Spring Hill.”
Jackson. The news hit Liv like a freight train. “I’m on my way.”
She redirected her course, throwing on her lights, and headed toward the hospital. She hated to make the call, but she speed-dialed Michael’s number. “Where are you?”
“I’m at the hospital. They’re evacuating everyone. All the ICUs and the nursery are going first.” He took a deep breath. “Where are you?”
“I’m about fifteen minutes away. I’ll meet you in the physician lot.” She ended the call. The next call went to her mom.
“Liv, where are you? I’m with Martha. The hospital staff is trying to get Jackson out of the hyperbaric chamber. It’s on battery power. They’re reversing the dive.” Charlotte’s breath caught. “Liv, there’s so much smoke.”
“Mom, you and Martha get out of there. Get outside. I’ll try to figure out what they’re doing,” she pleaded. Next she dialed Turk Crenshaw. “Turk?”
“I’m trying to get to him.” She could barely hear him over the sounds of shouts and radios. “The hyperbaric chamber is in the hospital basement.”
“Turk… don’t let Michael Wheaton near him,” she yelled. She hoped he was just jealous of Jackson, but she wasn’t going to take any chances.
“I can’t hear you!” he roared.
Her own breaths were coming too fast. She tried to slow herself down. By the time she was able to be heard, Turk had ended the call.
As she neared the scene, the acrid scent of smoke filled the air. She tamped down her nerves as she navigated through the throngs of emergency vehicles and panicked bystanders, her senses on high alert.
A scene of commotion, confusion, and frantic hustle met Liv when she arrived. Smoke billowed ominously from the power plant attached to the hospital, casting a dark shadow over the surrounding area as flames exploded through the rooftop. After parking in the physician”s lot, Liv’s heart twisted with conflicting emotions when she spotted Michael leaning casually against his parked car, the picture of calm amidst the chaos raging around them.
“I waited for you,” he said, his voice even and composed. “I figured we”d help with the evacuation.” He didn’t mention Jackson.
His cool words struck a nerve, a bitter reminder of the wall that stood between them. But for now, she pushed her thoughts aside, focusing instead on their job.
Though she had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach, Liv joined Michael in the efforts to evacuate the hospital. Her professionalism kicked in as she helped usher patients to the safety of awaiting ambulances and buses. She hoped she would hear from Turk.
As the last of the patients were safely evacuated from the smoky scene, Liv allowed herself only a tiny moment of respite, her chest heaving with exhaustion as she surveyed the scene before her. The hospital facility had been saved from complete destruction, but the scars of the smoke would linger for months to come.
“Liv, I’m heading over to the power plant to do a walkthrough,” Michael said.
The idea of him checking for evidence bothered her. If he started the fire, he could also destroy the evidence.
Liv”s heart sank as she glanced at her phone, realizing she had missed six calls while she was evacuating patients. The list included Turk, her mother, and Sophie—each one a reminder of the scene unfolding around her. But there were two other missed calls that caught her attention—both from Brad Killian.
“Michael, hold on,” Liv interjected, her voice tense with apprehension as she turned toward him. “I need to take care of something first.”
Before she could voice her concerns, Detective Joey Andrews approached, his expression grim as he surveyed the scene. “This is a shitshow,” he muttered, his breath heavy with exhaustion. “How”s Captain Reynolds?”
“I haven”t heard,” Liv admitted reluctantly, her stomach churning with worry.
“Well, go find out,” Joey insisted, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Liv hesitated slightly before responding, “I was heading to do a walkthrough with Michael.”
But before she could protest further, Joey cut her off. “I got this. Mike and I can handle it. You head to County Hospital. That”s where they took the most critical,” he instructed firmly.
With a nod of agreement, Liv turned on her heel and headed toward her car. As she drove to the hospital, she called Turk first. Her heart pounded in her chest as she waited for him to pick up. He answered on the first ring, his voice steady and reassuring.
“Turk, it”s Liv,” she began, her voice tight. “What”s happening with Jackson?”
Turk”s response was immediate, his words a lifeline in the darkness. “We managed to bring him out of the dive within the hyperbaric chamber,” he explained, his tone filled with relief. “He”s been transferred to the ICU at Waverly County Hospital. His oxygen levels are still low, and he”s still unconscious, but he”s responding.”
A wave of gratitude washed over Liv as she listened to his words, a sense of hope filling her. “Thank you, Turk,” she murmured, her voice choked with emotion.
But Turk”s next question brought her up short, a chill running down her spine. “Why didn”t you want Michael Wheaton near him?”
Liv hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. “I”ll explain when I see you,” she replied evasively, her mind filled with fear.
With a promise to meet him in Jackson”s room, Liv ended the call and dialed her mother”s number, her heart hammering in her chest as she waited for her to pick up.
“Mom,” her voice trembled with urgency, “is Martha okay?”
Charlotte”s response was immediate. “Martha is with him, Liv,” she explained gently. “But until we know he”s alright, she’ll be staying with me.”
Liv”s breath caught in her throat at her mother”s words, a surge of guilt washing over her. “I”m so sorry, Mom,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. “I should have been there.”
But her mother’s next words made her feel better. “Tell me what”s going on, Liv,” she insisted. “I can help.”
With a deep breath, Liv launched into her theory, explaining in detail the suspicions that had been gnawing at her since the warehouse fire. “Mom, his timeline is off.”
Charlotte listened in silence, her breath catching as Liv recounted the evidence that pointed to Michael”s possible involvement. And then it clicked. The whiff of memory hit her.
“The tomato can. Jackson wanted me to have it as evidence. Michael took it to process. He said he’d take it before ‘the explosive inside kills someone.’ We had no idea what it was.”
When Liv finished speaking, there was a moment of tense silence before Charlotte spoke, her voice steady and resolute. “I”ll keep Martha safe,” she vowed, her words a promise.
Liv ended the call and dialed Sophie”s number next, her hands dancing against the steering wheel as she waited for her sister to pick up.
“Sophie,” Liv greeted her sister as soon as she answered. “How is Jackson?”
Sophie”s response was immediate, echoing the clinical detachment of a seasoned medical professional. “Jackson”s condition is stable for now,” she explained, her words a balm to Liv”s frayed nerves. “But he”s still unconscious, and we”re monitoring him closely.”
Liv swallowed hard. “I need to see him,” she whispered.
Sophie hesitated for a moment before agreeing to meet her sister in Jackson”s room. Liv ended the call and dialed Brad”s number next. The wait for him to pick up seemed endless.
“Brad, it”s Liv,” she began as soon as he answered. “What did the lab find?”
But before Brad could respond, there was a sudden popping sound, and Liv”s car engine seemed to freeze. She pulled to the side of the road, panic rising within her as flames erupted from under the hood.
As Liv”s trembling hand reached for the trunk release, her heart pounded in her chest, a mix of fear and determination coursing through her veins. She needed the extinguisher that sat inside the trunk. But as she pressed the release, her heart sank. The doors remained stubbornly locked, trapping her inside with the encroaching flames.
Panic surged within her as she frantically fumbled for her keychain, her fingers seeking out the small ResQme device that Jackson had given her. It was a simple tool, disguised as a cute kitty for a fundraiser, but now it was her only hope. With shaking fingers, she activated it, feeling a surge of relief as the window shattered under its force.
The glass exploded into a cascade of pebbles as Liv scrambled to escape the fiery prison of her car. Heat licked at her skin, smoke stung her eyes, but she pushed through, driven by sheer willpower and the thought of Jackson waiting for her.
Finally, she collapsed onto the grass, her chest heaving with ragged breaths as she watched her car erupt into an inferno. Tears mingled with the sweat on her face as she realized how close she had come to being consumed by the flames.
Within minutes, the sound of sirens filled the air as Station 3”s engine and Brad arrived from opposite directions. Turk and Luke rushed to Liv”s side, their faces etched with concern as they approached the smoldering wreckage of her car. Turk wasted no time in barking out orders, his voice a beacon of authority.
“Get those hoses over here and watch your backs!” Turk”s commands rang out loud and clear. “The grass is dry. Don’t let it burn.”
The firefighters swarmed around her, their movements a blur of urgency. A wave of exhaustion washed over her. The adrenaline that had fueled her through the emergency was fading, leaving her feeling vulnerable in its wake. Turk and Luke wrapped her in blankets, shielding her from the biting cold that lingered in the aftermath of the fire.
“Liv, can you hear me?” Turk knelt beside her. His touch was reassuring, grounding her.
Struggling to focus, Liv nodded weakly, her breath coming in ragged gasps. “I-I”m okay,” she managed to whisper.
Turk and Luke exchanged a worried glance, their brows furrowed with concern. “What happened?” Luke asked softly as he leaned in closer, his eyes searching hers for answers.
Taking a shaky breath, Liv recounted the events that had unfolded moments before, her voice trembling with emotion. “I-I don”t know,” she admitted. “One minute, I was talking to Brad Killian from DCI on the phone, and the next, the car just... exploded.”
Turk”s expression darkened with concern as he listened to Liv”s account. “What happened before the explosion?” he pressed.
Liv struggled to recall the details, her mind still reeling from shock. “There was a popping sound.”
A silent understanding passed between Turk and Luke as they realized the danger Liv was in. “Like the pop we heard at the warehouse?” Luke”s voice was grave.
With a nod, Liv confirmed their suspicions.
“For now, let”s get you to the hospital and make sure you”re okay,” Turk said.
Liv insisted on doing things her way. With Turk and Luke”s help, she struggled to her feet, her body aching.
Numb with shock, she could only stare as Brad approached, his expression filled with worry as he surveyed the scene before him. “Liv, are you alright?” He looked her up and down. Turning toward Luke and Turk, he introduced himself, “I’m Brad Killian, DCI. We met at the Harvest Dance. What happened?”
Turk and Luke quickly recounted the events as they knew them, the sudden popping sound from the car”s engine and Liv”s escape from the inferno. Brad”s expression darkened as he listened, then he immediately called in a contingent of the state highway patrol to investigate the car explosion, his voice clipped as he issued orders over the radio.
Turning his attention back to Liv, Brad crouched down in front of her. “Okay,” he said softly, “we”ll figure this out. But for now, let”s get you to the hospital and make sure you”re okay.”
“The explosive inside. There was an explosive inside,” she mumbled.
“You’re safe now. It’s okay,” Brad tried to soothe her.
She couldn’t put the words together to explain.
They guided her toward the waiting ambulance. Brad promised to meet them at the hospital soon.
Liv”s thoughts were consumed by the chilling realization that Michael may have tried to kill her—a betrayal that threatened to destroy her.