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Nicole had seen Reed and Sawyer bring out more people from the blaze only to return back into the monster. Keeping her eyes fixed on the clinic, she was still aware of Gretchen and Ethel, who were handing out water to people near her by the sawhorses. Back in the park, she’d heard others were doing the same there for the bigger crowd. The local restaurateurs had brought the bottles for everyone since the temperature had risen several degrees due to the blaze.
Her law enforcement training was in high gear. Though the bulk of her attention was on the fire, she was keeping a close watch out of the corner of her eyes at everything going on around her. No Russians yet. Two beautiful women stood on either side of a young Hispanic boy. One of the women had long auburn hair and the other had blonde.
“Nicole, have you met Amber?” Ethel put her hand on the auburn-haired beauty. Clearly everyone, including the county judge, was trying to distract themselves from the tragedy, but failing miserably. “Or are you going by Kathy White these days, Amber?”
“Just Amber, Judge.” The woman extended her hand to Nicole. “I haven’t had the pleasure.”
Kathy White? The missing person on the report. Nicole felt her heart skip a beat.
“I’m Nicole Flowers.” She took Amber’s hand. “Nice to meet you.”
“This is my sister Belle.” Amber motioned to the blonde woman. Then she put her arm around the boy. “And this handsome devil is Juan.”
“Hi Juan,” Nicole said, giving him her best smile despite her current state of worry.
“Are you the policewoman from Chicago who Mama Belle and everyone have been talking about?”
“Juan, that’s rude.” Belle shook her head.
“Sorry, Mama.”
“To Miss Flowers, young man.”
“Sorry, Miss Flowers.”
“Nothing to be sorry about.” Glancing back at the fire every few seconds, Nicole leaned down in front of Juan until they were at eye level with each other. “I am from Chicago and I am a police officer.”
He smiled broadly. “Magnifico. Do you like our town, Miss Flowers?”
“Very much, Juan.”
Gretchen turned to Amber and Belle. “I bet it was arson.”
“Don’t go starting rumors until the official word is out,” Ethel scolded
.
“You’ll see I’m right,” Gretchen answered.
Arson? Nicole’s gut twisted into a knot of fresh worry for Reed and Sawyer.
* * * *
With Sawyer and Cody close behind, Reed inched his way forward through the haze of black into the final room they would be able to check. They should’ve already called it a loss and pulled back. This floor was going to give way to the bottom of the building any minute. Spotting three unmoving forms in the room, Reed held on to a sliver of hope but mostly expected the worst.
“I got this one,” he said, moving to the unconscious person on his left. Charlie. He looked bad. Real bad.
“Mine.” Sawyer took the one to the right. “This is Doc. He’s breathing.”
Cody went to the Russian on the bed.
Each of them hauled one of the men onto their shoulders and rushed out the room.
A sudden explosion knocked them off their feet and the floor collapsed. Falling, Reed’s thoughts were of Nicole only and how much he wanted to hold her again.
* * * *
All the blood in Nicole’s veins turned to ice as an explosion at the clinic shook the ground under her feet. Sawyer and Reed are still in there!
