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“Good morning, Lieutenant. We really hope that we’re not intruding on your morning schedule. Our law firm represents the Boston Fire Fighters union, as well as Mr. Robert Long. We’d like to be able to speak with a few of you about Mr. Long. Is your cap in?”
The guy looked me over. I had purposely dressed in a tight skirt today. Not to mention the fact that my shirt showed a bit more cleavage than usual. I’d been around firefighters my whole life. If there was one thing I knew about them…it was that they could be like putty in a woman’s hands, even the married ones. Yet I’d never once had one misbehave, which spoke volumes to me about these men.
“No intrusion at all, ma’am. Anybody here to help our boy is welcome. Let me go let Captain Riggs know you’re here.”
With a bigger smile, I replied, “Thank you so much, Lieutenant…”
“Hendricks, ma’am. Just call me Hendricks.”
I nodded. “Thank you, Hendricks.”
He turned and took off up the stairs. Trying to contain my smile, I glanced over to Russell. The look on his face alone was priceless.
“How did you know he was a lieutenant? And I thought there were only fire captains.”
My mouth nearly fell open. And this man called himself a good lawyer. Had he not read up on the fire department? Amazing, since most of his cases would be representing the fire fighters’ union. “There’s a rank structure within the fire department. His T-shirt said, ‘I’m in Charge When the Captain’s Away.’ The lieutenant is under the captain, and if the captain is out, he is acting captain. I simply put two and two together.”
“Right. I knew that.”
Responding with a half smile, half smirk, I glanced around the station. God, how I’d loved spending time with my father at work when I was younger.
“Little Rory Adams. How the hell are you?”
Glancing over my shoulder, I grinned wide. “Captain Riggs. How are you?”
He pulled me into a hug and whispered into my ear, “Jesus, when did you grow up to be a beautiful woman? Does your father know his little girl is here?”
With a chuckle, I squeezed him harder. He pushed me out at arm’s length and shook his head. “If any of these guys makes one comment to you, you let me know, you hear?”
“Yes sir, but I’m sure they’ll all behave.”
He rolled his eyes, then turned to Russell while extending his hand. “Captain John Riggs.”
“Russell McCormick, sir.”
“Let’s head on up to my office and talk.”
Russell motioned for me to go first as he said, “Sounds great.”
As we walked back to the captain’s office, I couldn’t hide the fire in my cheeks at the stares I was receiving. One guy tripped while mopping as he watched me walk by.
Russell leaned closer to me and whispered, “I’d say you’re making a nice first impression.”
Digging my teeth into my lip, I was now regretting my shirt choice.
As we walked into the captain’s office, I pulled my sweater from my bag and put it on, making sure to pull it together to hide the fact that I had on a low-cut blouse.
“Cold?” Russell asked while smirking.
Asshole.
“A little,” I answered with a sweet smile.
“So, you’re here to talk about Long?”
Russell and I both responded with a “Yes.”
“Well, he’s a great firefighter. A great person. I hate that this is happening to him.”
Taking out a notebook, I went to ask a question, but Russell beat me to it.
“Captain Riggs, was there anything different you noticed about Mr. Long before the alleged incident?”
He pinched his brows together. “No, everything seemed to be normal. He was getting ready to ask his girlfriend, Rochelle, to marry him, and we all knew he was nervous about that.”
I wrote that bit of information down and Russell didn’t.
Russell then asked, “Has anyone ever come to you with any such allegations before regarding Mr. Long? A female firefighter?”
“No. Never.”
With a curt laugh, Russell said, “Is that a truthful answer?”
My head turned quickly as I gave Russell a dumbfounded look.
“What do you mean is that a truthful answer?”
“I know you all consider yourself like family around here, so I’m sure if anything like this was brought to your attention in the past, you’d share that with us so that we aren’t caught off guard at the trial. Am I correct?”
Riggs looked at me and then back to Russell. Leaning forward, he pointed to him. “Are you accusing me of something?”
“No,” I responded. “Russell, may I speak with you in private please?”
He didn’t even bother looking at me. “It’s okay, Rory. I’m sorry, Captain Riggs. But you have to know my number one interest is the client and the Boston Fire Department. This allegation was made while Mr. Long was on duty and here at your fire station. I need to know if there has ever been anything that this woman’s lawyer is going to dig up and hit us with at the last minute.”
