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She answered on the second ring.
“Hello?”
“Mom. Aaron and Wiley have to take a pass on supper tonight. A chopper went down right behind the school. Caused a lot of damage and some minor injuries to a few kids. I’ll fill you in on the details after I get home, okay?”
Shirley gasped. “Oh my God! Is Dani okay? Were any of the injured from our family?”
“Dani and Lili were suffering from smoke inhalation, as were a few others, but they’re getting checked out. Like I said, details to follow.”
“Yes, okay, honey. Thanks for letting me know.”
“Sure,” Sean said, and then disconnected.
After a quick exam by one of the doctors on-site, he headed for his van. He didn’t know what he lookedlike until he got in the vehicle and realized his skin and clothes were covered in a thin layer of soot and ashes.
He sighed. There was no place to clean up, and nothing clean to put on, but as soon as he gathered up his equipment at Amalie Lincoln’s office, he could go home.
Amalie was sick to her stomach from the worry of not knowing what was going on, and then Sean Pope walked in. One look and she was afraid to ask.
Thankfully, Sean started talking.
“It was a chopper crash just behind the school playground. The children are all mostly okay. A few have cuts from flying glass and some smoke inhalation.”
“Your sister-in-law?”
“She and a teacher’s aide wound up taking shelter in a classroom on the other side of the building. We found them as they were making their way out. They’ll be okay.”
Amalie shuddered. “And the people in the chopper?”
Sean shook his head. “The chopper blew up in the air. They probably never knew what hit them.”
She reeled like he’d just slapped her. “Oh my God.”
When Sean saw her expression go blank and her eyes fill with tears, he realized she was likely remembering being trapped in a burning car.
“Uh…I’ll just get my things and leave you to—”
Amalie jerked, and then swiped at the tears on her cheeks. “No, wait! I have your check written, andeverything is working beautifully. I have my programs loading, and you’ve already shown me how to set the security system when I leave. I’m so grateful for your help.”
“Can I email you a receipt?” Sean asked.
“Yes, of course,” Amalie said, and went to get the check from her desk.
She hurried back, still wiping tears, and then looked up as she handed it to him.
“One of these days I’m going to figure out why I thought I knew you.”
“I’m sure our paths will cross again,” he said. “But I promise to be a lot more presentable. I don’t think I’ve been this dirty since I was a kid back in Conway.”
The hair stood up on the back of Amalie’s neck. “Conway, Arkansas?”
“Yes. We were born and raised there. We didn’t come home to the mountain until after Grandma died. Mom inherited the family home and we all moved here with her.”
Amalie’s voice was trembling. “What was the name of your elementary school?”
“Uh…Ellen Smith Elementary.”
Amalie just kept staring. “There was a boy in my class that you remind me of! But you have different last names, so it couldn’t have been you.”
