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“This is Spud,” Brick said over a cough. “Kobe’s pet. You might drape something over him to keep him calm. That way he’s less likely to chew holes in that rubber lid before they find him a cage. It wouldn’t be a bad idea for a vet to check him out, but their systems are so fragile, he’d be dead already if the smoke had gotten a good hold on him.”
Though nobody felt like smiling, Doyle managed to inject a wry note into his voice. “You haven’t changed, Brick.”
“Got lucky. Kobe’s room was at the top of the stairs and the cage was right by the door. Found him when I was feeling my way along the walls to keep myself oriented.”
The EMTs resumed their swift course toward the ambulance, the tennis ball can tucked under a strap on the gurney. Les turned toward the house. The sky was still lit up by fire, but even with her untrained eyes, Les could tell Carter and his crew were getting it contained. The flames weren’t as high, and the smoke was more gray than black.
The heat and her exertions had drenched her with sweat, her clothes sticking to her, but she hadn’t noticed until now. Only the need to stabilize Marty, give him an airway, had mattered.
When she looked to see where Brick was, she saw he now stood over Josie. Stripping off his coat, he knelt to cover her. The coat concealed everything but her feet.
She clutched the body bag. They should put her in it. They would put her in it, but for right now…Brick’s coat over her felt more right.
Though emotions choked her, when Brick put his fist to his mouth and coughed again, another priority took over. Les brought the jump kit, determined to do the same check on him she’d done for Gracie and the kids.
He held up a hand, seeing her intent. “I was wearing the SCBA. I’m just reacting to the smoke in the yard.”
“Whatever. Let me listen and look.”
Whether he was humoring her, or he realized she wasn’t going to be dissuaded, for once he dutifully followed her direction. Yet when she was done, he picked up the end of the stethoscope, as if speaking into a microphone, a trace of grim humor in his gray eyes. “I’m good, doc. The heat was intense. Even with the gear, it can be a little much.”
He looked at the covered small figure. “She was lying over her brother, both of them behind the bed. His arm and leg were sticking out, but she protected his most vital parts. The mattress had already caught fire. The smoke was too thick to see anything. I found them by touch. My guess is they got disoriented and overwhelmed by the smoke, so they couldn’t find the window. Barry got there in time to help me carry them out.”
His gaze moved past her, and she turned to see Chief Carter approaching them. His brittle gaze touched the covered body, then shifted to Brick. “Fucking hell,” he said. Then, “Glad you were on scene fast as you were. Hell of a thing you did, going in there alone without a spotter.”
“Gracie gave me a pretty good layout and I stuck to the walls. Just like we’re trained.” Brick met his gaze. “But if it’d turned out differently, I could have been a case study for what breaking the two-in, two-out rule gets you.”
Carter grunted. “Sometimes you have to make a call, and you’ve always had good instincts. They saved a life today. Actually, two. Gus said you got the guinea pig.”
Les didn’t hear any derision in the chief’s comment. Facing the loss of one sibling and a long and painful recovery for the other, it would mean something to Kobe that his beloved pet was back in his care.
Taking care of someone during grief helped deflect, delay and portion it out. She’d learned that, throwing herself into her studies after her father and Rory. She hadn’t been able to be home, helping her mother and Thomas anywhere near as much as she’d desired, so it had left her alone with those terrible losses.
“We could use help with the overhaul if you still want to pitch in,” Carter added to Brick. “And you can help me with the report. If the pint-sized doc says it’s okay.”
“Not a doctor yet. Just a med student.” That forced attempt at lightness wasn’t what she wanted to say. She wanted to say no, it decidedly wasn’t okay, that she wanted Brick checked out at the clinic, too. But he knew enough about this stuff to know if he was in any trouble. And he was sleeping with a med student who could keep a close eye on him when the day was done.
“A med student we were glad to have here.” Carter glanced at Brick.
“Yeah, I’ll be there in a minute.”
As Carter retreated, Brick pointed toward the road. Les noted Rory’s van pulling up, staying clear of the emergency vehicles. For the first time, she realized at least a dozen trucks and cars were pulled off on the sides of the road beyond the first responder vehicles. Community members responding to the emergency, not to gawk, but to see if there was anything they could do.
Rory was driving, Daralyn next to him and Elaine in the back. Daralyn’s hand went to her mouth as she noticed the covered body. Elaine put a hand on her shoulder.
By sundown tonight, a community plan would be in place, rallying around Alice, helping her with a place to stay, food, essentials, babysitting, whatever was needed. Everyone pitching in, according to their resources…or skills.
“So, doc, am I good to go?” Brick touched her hand. He’d removed his gloves when he took off his helmet and mask, so she was able to lace her fingers with his. When she did, she gripped hard and met his gaze.
Before answering, she dug out her phone with her free hand and hit the programmed number she wanted. “Edie? This is Les Wilder. I know Dr. Spring is going to the hospital. I’m going to have my brother drop me off at the clinic after the transport picks up Josie. I can help you however you need until he gets back, if you want. Okay. I’ll be there soon.”
She disconnected and met Brick’s gaze. “Looks like we both have to get back to work.”
I’m studying to be a doctor. I want to be a doctor.
It may have started as a way to feel less helpless about her family and her life. It might have been to thank her parents for paying all those hospital bills. But somewhere along the way, it had become real and true. The compass that pointed her toward what she wanted. Who she was.
And who she wanted to be with. A man whose present and future was directed toward helping others, in a way complementary to her own. Never mind the logistics of them doing it in different places, and being at points in that journey that might not align right away. That was a problem to think about later. What mattered was seeing that shared future, understanding the possibilities of it.
