“I’m sorry.” She hugged him back.
“We’re just glad you’re okay.” Dean stuck his hand out to Liam. “I’m Caleb Dean.”
Liam and Sophia had followed them into the station.
“Liam Roberts.” He shook hands with Dean. “My niece, Sophia.”
If Sam wasn’t mistaken, that handshake lasted a fraction of a second too long as they sized each other up.
Dean and Cass were the first people she and Bella had met when they’d moved to Renegade. Dean had taken her under his wing when she’d started at the station. He was like the older brother she’d never had.
“Thank you for bringing Bella home earlier. We thought she was the one inside.” Dean gritted his teeth.
“No problem.” Liam stuck his hands in his pockets. “Any idea whose body it was?”
Dean shook his head. “Not yet. We put the fire out and went back on call. Fire marshal, police, and forensic pathologist are still out there.”
Sam’s throat constricted. Everything they owned was gone. They literally only had the clothes on their backs. Her knees buckled, and she grabbed one of Liam’s arms to keep from falling.
His muscles tensed beneath her palm. “Whoa.” He steadied her with the other hand. “Are you okay?”
No, she wasn’t okay. Far from it. “Must be the adrenaline wearing off.”
“Come on, Sam, let’s get you inside.” Dean grabbed her other arm and led her into the dayroom.
Greer jogged over and handed her a bottle of water. “Here. Can I get you anything else? Have you eaten?”
She loved her crew. They were the family she’d never had. Sure, there was constant ribbing and friendly competition, but when one of them needed something, they all stepped up.
She shook her head. Food was the last thing she wanted right now. The thought of it made her nauseous.
“What about you, kiddo?” Greer asked Bella.
“I could use a snack.” She shrugged.
Bella seemed to be taking today’s events in stride, which was good. Of course, she hadn’t been exposed to as much emotional trauma as Sam. She hadn’t spent what had felt like an eternity thinking her sister was dead. Grief had a tendency to drain people. Emotionally and physically.
Bella followed Greer into the kitchen.
Liam cleared his throat. “If you’re good, Sophia and I are going to leave.”
She nodded. “We’re good. Thank you.”
He dipped his head in farewell and turned to Dean. The two men shook hands again before Liam and Sophia walked out of the dayroom.
Dean knelt in front of Sam. “Are you sure you’re okay?” Concern filled his features.
Her chest tightened, and she took a deep breath, struggling to release the tension. “I’m just tired.”
“Sam.” Cass rushed into the dayroom, her dark hair streaming behind her. She wore her usual slim jeans with a black T-shirt.
Dean stood up to face his wife, then looked at the bay door. “Where are the boys?”
Cass waved toward the bay, her smartwatch snug on her wrist. “Out there, bothering Holt and Tate.”
Zachary Holt and Logan Tate, the firefighters who manned the ladder truck, would entertain the two boys just fine, but Sam wouldn’t let them loose in a gas station with a hundred dollars.
“Cass, why don’t you drive Sam and Bella home with you? Me and one of the guys will bring her car after shift.”
