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Three minutes later he pulled up to chaos.
The place blazed bright, and the gray flannel smoke stretched a huge column into the dark sky. Several neighbors stood around, hurriedly dressed, their faces etched in worry. Frannie Burlinson stood clutching her robe in both hands, tears streaking her face as she watched Jake's fellow firefighters work to knock down the fire. Looked to be hottest in the garage space, but the snorkel was doing work, pouring water into the structure.
Jake pushed past Guy Gordon, a captain on B shift. "Jimbo in there?"
"Yeah, Frannie said he got pissed about the Visa bill and told her she could sleep with her goddamn new purse."
Jake eyed the fire. "Where's Eva?"
Guy jabbed a gloved hand toward the garage. "She and Dutch went in to find Jimbo. They started initial assault."
Jake felt that concrete brick in his gut break apart into panic. "Hank sent Eva in after Jimbo? That's-"
''They were on the scene first," Guy said, casting an incredulous look at Jake. "She's doing her job. Saving Jimbo."
Jake knew that. But he still didn't like it. Eva, for all her capabilities, was still...
No. He believed in Eva. He always had.
Jake jogged over to Hank. "What's the status?"
"I don't have time for this, Jake. I'm running the fire right now." Hank turned away, barking commands into his mic. Hank was right. He didn't have time.
Jake hung back, listening to Frannie sob and say things like, "I'm taking the purse back. I'm taking it back."
Something about that broke his heart. The things people do and say to each other, that when it comes down to flames leaping against a deep sky, mean so little. Egos get in the way. Pride gets in the way.
He damn well knew that.
Hank worked a fire like a consummate professional. He remained calm, trusting his crew to do the job. Jake watched as the flames surrendered to the massive influx of water. The monster was just about contained. Eva would come out. Dutch would come out... carrying a no doubt drunk Jimbo. It would be fine.
But then the garage roof caved in.
Onlookers screamed, firefighters lurched toward the structure. Jake felt as if he might pass out.
Eva was in there.
Eva.
Without thinking he ran toward the building.
"Hey, hey," Hank yelled behind him.
All he could think about was Eva... and how he'd left things. He'd screwed up so badly and he had to get to her. Had to make sure she was safe and understood that he was a dumbass extraordinaire. She had to know he loved her and he'd been wrong. Just like Frannie, he would take it all back.
Just as he got to the crushed opening, someone caught him and pulled him back.
"Are you dog-shit crazy, man?" Moon said, yanking him around. "It's still hot."
"Eva's in there."
"I know. And we will get her out." Moon tossed him aside like a bear tossing a pup. "Stay the hell back."
Jake made another lunge and Moon bowed up. "Don't make me knock you out, Jake. Stop getting in the way."
Helpless to participate on any level, Jake moved back toward the trucks, his eyes never leaving the building. Some of the team had already pulled aside the blackened aluminum door that closed over the bay. It had melted into something that looked like a piece in a museum.
Jake's radio squawked and he heard Dutch. "I'm clear. Eva, I can't see you. Eva!"
