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Whatever magic Madelyn wove, it was clear both of the McCloskeys were caught in her spell.
"I'll find her." I was already grabbing my jacket.
"Call me as soon as you do." John was back on the phone.
"I will." I abruptly disconnected the call not wanting to waste any more time. I tossed an apology over my shoulder to a bewildered and pissed off Michelle Whoever.
The door slammed shut, muting her shouted, "Asshole!"
I pounded the call button to the elevator. Why was Madelyn Stone constantly an issue for me? It wasn't enough her face was all I could see tonight, even blocking out Claire's? The irony that it was Maddy herself cockblocking my attempts to get her out of my head wasn't lost on me. But I couldn't deny my concern for her. She was a friend, after all.
I was grinding my teeth by the time I reached the lobby. I was ready to punch something by the time I got to my car. I was almost sick to my stomach as I neared Madelyn's apartment and saw the multitude of emergency vehicles blocking the street.
There was no place to park along the street, but the fire trucks were blocking any traffic anyway, so I shut off the engine and left my car in the middle of the street. I took off running for her building. Tongues of orange and yellow flames licked their way out broken windows on the fourth floor while billows of black smoke rose from the roof. I ignored the yellow police tape and darted onto the lawn, but a police officer was quick to stop me. "You need to stay behind the line, sir."
"I'm looking for someone who lives here,” I panted, winded by my sprint as well as by fear. “We can't get in touch with her."
His severe look eased. He gestured toward an area to my left. "We've staged an area over there for all tenants. You'll probably find her there."
I gave a jerky nod and hurried in that direction. All around me women sniffled, children with wide eyes clung to a blanket or stuffed animal, and men stood quietly with stunned looks on their faces. But nowhere did I find the petite redhead I was looking for, and no one I asked could tell me anything about her. Finally, one little boy pulled on a dark-haired woman's sleeve. She bent down so he could whisper in her ear, his eyes nervously flickering between her and me.
"He say he no could sleep and was looking out the window. He see your friend leave earlier, but he not know if she come home or not.” She spoke with an accent and her eyes were sympathetic. "I'm sure she okay. She a smart and good girl."
She was both of those things, but that didn't guarantee her safety. Claire could have been described the same way, but it hadn't saved her. I wanted to cling to the hope that she wasn’t home when the fire broke out, but where would she go so late on a Friday night? A date? That thought added to the already hollow feeling in my stomach.
I thanked the woman and her son and grabbed the arm of a passing Red Cross volunteer. "I can't find someone who lives here. She's not here with the rest of the residents. Where else can I look?"
"I'm sorry, sir, I don't know. We're working right now
to get all the names of the tenants and their locations to make sure they're all safe. What's your friend's name?"
"Madelyn Stone."
The volunteer scanned the papers on her clipboard. "I'm sorry. I haven't met up with her, yet. But don't worry..."
I was off before she finished her platitude. Don't worry? How is one not supposed to worry when you can't find the very person whose apartment is burning?
I was an action-taker; I hated standing by helpless to find her.
I had to keep reminding myself all these other people had made it out safely. There was no reason to believe that Madelyn wasn't somewhere among the crowd of onlookers that had gathered to watch the midnight drama. I moved through groups of people, not bothering to apologize as I bumped shoulders or accidentally knocked someone off balance. I made my way to the man pointed out as the fire chief. I was about to demand a list of all that was being done to ensure no one was trapped in the building when I spotted a small figure walking hesitantly down the sidewalk.
Despite the darkness, the slight build drew my eye. I hurried in that direction, hope hastening my steps until the figure stepped under a streetlight. I stumbled in relief at finding the object of my search. I had to pause and gather my wits together. I wasn't fazed by the extreme relief that surged through me at her appearance; that was human compassion. But the intense desire to protect and take care of her as I witnessed the shock and despair etched on her face? That was more than altruism. It was more than friendship. It was caring a little too much.
In a matter of minutes, I understood what it would be like to lose Madelyn Stone from my life.
It was unsettling.
17
Maddy
Red and white flashing lights and blaring sirens roared past me as I left the Laundromat. The smell of smoke carried on the slight breeze, so I knew they must not be going far.
My steps staggered to a halt as I rounded the same corner the trucks had taken moments earlier. I couldn't believe what I saw as I slowly approached the building I now considered home. But the pungent smoke that burned my nostrils confirmed what my eyes were telling me – my apartment was on fire.
Shock and disbelief swept through me only to be replaced by what was best described as grief. I dropped my basket and clasped one hand over my mouth and the other around my stomach as I thought of all the people who might be losing everything they owned as they watched as helplessly as I did. I didn't have much, but everything that had been purchased and donated to create a home for me, not to mention the few items I scrimped and saved for, was probably either now a pile of ash or a soggy mess, and the thought of that made me sick. I was momentarily frozen in place, unable to take my eyes from the scene.
I was suddenly engulfed by strong arms and pulled against a large body. Panic paralyzed me before my adrenaline surged. I flailed my arms and kicked my feet and squirmed as hard as I able before I realized that the owner of the body was calling my name and had released me, except to support me by one of my elbows as I nearly spun myself to the pavement.
