Where There’s Heat – By Aliza Mann #2
A woman’s voice, looking for a kid or a pet? What struck him was that the voice sounded familiar. Oh God… “Charity Davis?” No, no, no. He yelled out in the direction of the voice. She knew better than to still be at home when she was one of the people who put together a plan for evac.
“Michael…” Then her voice sounded shocked.
He walked around the side of the home and through the open door of the fence, he could see her standing there, her expression worried with those elegant brows knit and furrowed.
“You should be outta here by now. I’m going to ask you to get into your car and evac now, Councilperson Davis.
The fire is anticipated to shift in this direction and the mandatory evacuation started hours ago.
Do you require assistance getting yourself into that car and hitting the road?
You are wasting precious resources by remaining in your home.
” Shit, he had meant to sound kinder… but it was not a request. Why wasn’t she moving?
“You need a translator or something? It’s time to go, Ms.—”
Her hand flew to her throat as if unhinging something so she could speak.
“My cat. Puff… is missing. I can’t find her.
I was trying to get her into the carrier, and she must have thought I was taking her to the vet.
The last I saw her, she scurried through the bushes, but I can’t catch her.
Stubborn little shit, but I can’t leave without her.
” They stood there glaring at one another for a few minutes.
“Let me correct that statement. I won’t leave without her. ”
Mike ran a hand over his face. The problem wasn’t rescuing the animal.
Firemen were used to situations such as those – kids stuck in a swing set, cats stuck on the roof, and so many other rescue related issues.
Fire services was who they called to the scene.
He was frustrated because this well-connected lady surely had someone to call for help before time was up.
Ignoring the tiny twinge of jealousy over who may have been her emergency contact, he glanced around the yard.
“Do you think she would have climbed the fence when you weren’t looking?
” No sense in beating around the bush. He needed to get a move on.
The best thing to do would be to help her find the cat and get her high maintenance self the hell outta dodge.
Immediately, the head shaking started, her mess of curls flowing in the high wind.
She was wearing a cropped sweatshirt and loose joggers.
He’d never noticed how slim her waist was.
In her business clothes, everything looked uniform.
Normally, she wore her hair pulled back and bound in a bun at the neck.
“No, she didn’t. She’s never done that. She does like to crawl through the bushes though. ”
Mike looked around at the yard, chock full of barrels filled with flowers, low lying bushes, and tall plants around the trees. He’d never called himself a horticulturalist, so to him, it looked like a mini jungle. “Any favorite locations we can start with?”
“Are you going to crawl under there?”
He noticed her eyes brimming with tears as she looked directly at him for the first time. “Yeah, you point at it, and I’ll get in it.” He pulled his hood over his head and walked toward her. “Where was the last known location?”
Of all the firemen in the Palisades, why the heck was Michael there? She could have kicked herself. No doubt, he was judging her for still being home. If she hadn’t been looking for Puff for so long, she would have been evacuated.
“I saw her go under the Rosa Mundi,” she told him, then pointed in the direction.
The subsequent sigh was long and hard. “English, please?”
She couldn’t see his entire face, but knew he was genuinely confused.
“Sorry about that. I love planting and I sometimes forget others don’t know all the names of flowers.
The pink rose bush over there, but I believe she’s in the Spotted Dead Nettle – ur, the purple one next to it.
I haven’t seen her move in a while though.
Which is usually how I find her. I’ve been calling her to see if I catch a glimpse of her.
The black fur is not helping me locate her any easier today. ”
“Well, you keep doing that and let me know if you see anything moving around somewhere.”
“Okay,” Charity said. Watching as he bent over and got down on his belly, she hated that he was rescuing her.
Regardless of how she felt about it, he sure was fine as hell…
Even more in his yellow uni. No way was she supposed to be noticing the good looks, muscular build, and handsome attributes of her work nemesis.
She hardly saw him, but whenever she did, she wanted to throttle him.
Now… while on his belly crawling through her garden, she was impressed…
even a little excited to see him. “Nothing yet,” she called out in an attempt to hide that she’d been watching him.
“What’s her name again?” Michael’s voice was muffled, likely due to his face being in the dirt.
“Obsidian Puff. Puff for short. She’s pretty good at hiding, but most of the time I find her by now. I got worried she may have eaten something she shouldn’t have under there.”
“She’s going to be fine. Thankfully, your yard isn’t that big.” Michael rose to his knees and took down the hood.
A million fantasies ran through her head, thanks to her wayward dreams. All of them started with Micheal on his knees before her.
“Councilperson, we really have to go. We’re using resources best used for residents. Does he have a favorite hiding spot?”
Charity shook herself. He had been talking to her, hadn’t he?
“Um, yes. She also likes this corner of the yard. But I’ve looked over here, and honestly, all over,” she replied, heat working its way up and landing on her cheeks.
She turned and walked to the right end garden and bent to look once more under the viburnum. “She’s not there, Michael.”
“Call me Mike,” he said, as he bent down and replaced his hood. The plants jostled a bit as Mike stuck his upper torso into the shrubs. When he came out with a dirty, leaf covered Puff, she could have screamed.
“Oh my good— what a minute, how did you find her under there?” Taking her beloved pet baby from his arms, she brushed at his dirty head then pulled him into her chest.
“She’d wedged herself in the bush branches, not under. Since she’s all black, she resembled the branches. Double trouble. If there aren’t any more pets to find, I can get you to your car.”
“Thank you… Mike. You can call me Charity. You don’t need to add councilperson either. I don’t think we’ve ever bothered with niceties. I apologize for that.”
“No need. Please get Puff in her carrier and leave the house as soon as you can.”
“Okay. Everything is in the car, so once I get her in the carrier, I’ll clear out. Can you give me a hand?—”
“Yeah, I’ve got you,” Mike said. He jogged around them and grabbed the white crate. Once he opened the door, he held it out on approach.
Charity was able to maneuver her little terror into it then put the latch on the door. “Wow. Puff is a trip. She never goes in the carrier for me like that.” She couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face.
“I have that effect on animals. People not so much. Let’s move. This had everything to do with the fire closing in around us, and nothing to do with your presence.”
“Everything, as I’ve said, is in the car.”
“Chief,” Daniel said over the comms. “We have a problem.”
“Go,” Mike said into the receiver strapped to his shoulder.
“We lost our ride. One of the hydrants is dry. They have to take ours because it’s a water truck.”
“What’s the ETA on another pickup?” He rubbed at his temples as if a bloom of pain hit him there.
“Negative. No ETA given.”
“Dammit,” he said, a bit too forcefully.
“I can take you both down in my car,” Charity offered.
“I can’t let you do that. You’re a civilian. First priority is getting you out. Not us. We’ll walk out. But thanks for the offer.”
“Nonsense. I am the one that delayed you. Let’s go pick up your partner.” With that, she walked out of the backyard. She didn’t have time for that man’s stubbornness. He was going to take the ride whether he wanted to or not.
“Yes, ma’am.” The sigh was audible, indicating he wasn’t truly onboard with the plan.
“Meet you at the car. I’m just going to lock up. Thank you so much for not arguing with me on this matter. You see, unlike you, I would always look out for your well-being. I would never consider you a waste of resources.”
Charity could hear the grumbles as she carried Puff to the car.
He was obviously the grumpiest man on the planet.
Who could get upset over saving her pet?
In fact, during the strategy meeting he actually had people working on animal rescue for those who didn’t have enough space or time to include their pets during their evacuation.
The only obvious reason was he hated her.
If he’d recognized her car, he probably would have left her there…
That was harsh but likely true. Imminent danger, he would save her.
The niggling frustration at the realization unsettled her and she focused on doing the things she needed to instead – lock down the house, throw the last covers over her future in the event the house didn’t burn to the ground, and say her goodbyes to the place she cultivated with her parents before they’d died.
She didn’t have time to fret over whether Chief Michael Henry would save her or not. Yet, the not potential was the source of profound sadness.
“I’m not leaving unless you get in this car. Who’s wasting resources now?” Charity glared at him over the roof her of Audi crossover whatever the hell.