Flash point, p.31
Flash Point, page 31
And what other adventures await Kyle, Heather, Joe, and Sarah?
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Acknowledgments
The expertise on fire fighting procedures came from a lot of research. I’m greatly indebted to all of the first responders who post photos and training online. A special shout out to Yermo/Calico firefighters Matthews and Wynne who took the time to answer all of my questions, show me all the equipment, and run through scenarios with me. They added a richness and details that I would not have discovered. Any liberties taken are my own.
This book would not be possible without the patience and willingness to read many, many drafts by Diana Brandmeyer, Liz Tolsma, Jenny Cary, and Danielle Reid. Special thanks to Sara Benner for her expert proofreading and Danielle Reid for her eagle eyes! Many thanks to my beta readers and reviewers!
Much thanks and love to my children, Caitlyn Elizabeth and Joshua Alexander, for supporting my dream for many years and giving me time to write. And most of all to my Lord Jesus, who makes all things possible and directs my paths.
Author’s Note
Laguna Vista isn’t a real town, but it’s based on the area of Orange County that I lived in for twelve years. It’s a beautiful location with the ocean to the west and foothills and mountains to the east and the austere-but-beautiful desert within driving distance.
Life in Southern California is routinely overshadowed by wildland fires. As I was writing this book, we had a devasting fire season up and down the state, experiencing some of the deadliest fires in our history.
I wanted to explore how fire and fear impacts people’s lives. And how we navigate our fears with the assurance we get from God’s Word. Joe and Sarah wrestle with understanding and accepting God’s unfathomable journey for their lives and trusting Him with the outcome.
I hope you will take away from reading Flash Point that you can trust God with your future, no matter how incomprehensible it may appear to you and be encouraged with how uniquely God has crafted your life.
About the Author
My favorite thing is discovering how much there is to love about America the Beautiful and the great outdoors. I’m an Amazon bestselling author, a mom to two navigating the young adult years while battling my daughter’s juvenile arthritis, exploring the delights of my son’s autism, and keeping gluten free. A California native who’s spent significant time in the Midwest, I’m thrilled to be back in the Golden State. Follow me on social media to see all my adventures and how I get inspired for my books!
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www.JLCrosswhite.com
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Sneak Peek of Special Assignment
Orange County, California, 1995
The announcer’s voice came over the loudspeakers at the El Toro Marine Air Station saying that the Blue Angels, the finale for the airshow, would be taking to the skies shortly. The sun was hot, but the breeze coming off the ocean cooled Scott Blake as he hustled across the concrete airfield with his friends Joe Romero and Kyle Taylor. They had seen all the static displays of the planes, many of which he had hanging as models in his room. He’d taken pictures of his favorite ones with the camera he got for his birthday. But he had only enough film for thirty-six photos, so he had to be careful.
Dad had brought them and then staked out a good spot at the center of the runway to watch the airshow, and there he’d sat all day. At eleven, Scott and his friends were old enough to run around and see everything by themselves. They even had their own money for snacks. Scott hadn’t been sure Dad would even bring them to the airshow. After Scott’s older brother, Christopher, had died, Dad hadn’t been in the mood to do much of anything. But he knew how much seeing the Blue Angels meant to Scott. He’d hadn’t even had to beg too much.
It had been a full day so far, one of the best ever. Kyle was even checking out the weapons the marines carried. He wanted to be a cop when he grew up. A parachutist had kicked off the show by descending from the sky with an American flag flying from his heels while the National Anthem played. Everyone had clapped as he landed on the infield.
Scott couldn’t believe they were going to close this base in a couple of years. His whole life had been lived out to the sound of the planes landing and taking off on maneuvers. There was even a sign on the Carl’s Jr. drive-thru that warned people not to place an order when the jets were overhead. They were loud, but it was cool.
He glanced at Dad who was staring off into space. Was he thinking about Christopher? He’d have been finishing his final year in college now, playing football on a scholarship somewhere. Scott’s chest hollowed out like it did whenever he thought about his brother. He’d make his parents proud, just like Christopher would have done.
The roar of an F/A-18 shrieked above them. Those were the coolest planes. He nudged Joe and Kyle. “That’s what I’m going to fly. You just watch.”
The announcer switched over to the Blue Angels’ emcee, and the show began. Scott wiped his hands on his shorts. This was it!
The planes split the sky with their tight formations and acrobatic moves in a mesmerizing routine. Unbelievable! He couldn’t tear his eyes away. The planes came so close to the ground that he could see the pilots’ helmets. What would it be like to be one of them? Feeling the positive and negative G’s as they made those tight turns and sweeping loops?
When the last Blue Angel came in for a landing, Scott let out a breath. His sno-cone had dripped all over his hand. He hadn’t even noticed.
Dad stood and folded his chair. He nodded in the direction of the parked planes with their canopies popped open. “Want to go meet them?”
“Yes!” He had two pictures left on his camera roll. He dropped the sno-cone paper in a trash can and snagged a couple of napkins from a hot dog stand that was closing up.
By the time they got to the pilots standing on the other side of a waist-high plastic fence, a small crowd had already formed. The pilots were chatting with the kids, signing programs, and taking pictures. The pilot closest to them was smiling as he talked with a couple of older girls.
Scott nudged his way forward, comparing the pilot with the picture in his program. He folded it back so the pilot’s picture was up and got his pen ready. “Excuse me, sir?”
But the man didn’t seem to see him. He was too busy paying attention to the girls. They didn’t even have a program for him to sign. Scott’s stomach sank.
He turned, but a voice snagged his attention. “You interested in planes?” Another pilot stood there, grinning at Scott.
“Yes, sir. I’d like to fly an F/A-18 one day. And I’ve got models of just about every other plane hanging from the ceiling in my room.” Scott thrust the pen and program at the pilot. “Would you sign my program?”
“I’d be honored to. What’s your name, pilot?”
“Scott, sir. Scott Blake.”
“Well, Scott Blake—” the pilot scribbled on Scott’s program but didn’t give it back to him. “Do you know how to fly this kind of airplane?” He began folding the program into a complicated paper airplane before handing it back to Scott.
“Wow, that’s cool! Thanks!”
The pilot winked at him. “You can fly that kind of plane most anywhere.” He gestured to the camera in Scott’s hand, the one he’d nearly forgotten. “Can we get a picture together? That way when you’re famous, I can say I knew you when.”
“Sure!” Scott handed the camera to Kyle. “Get a picture of us.” He moved to the fence and turned around.
The pilot set his hand on Scott’s shoulder, and Scott held up the paper airplane and smiled.
“Say cheese!” Kyle said as he snapped the shutter.
Scott smiled then turned to the pilot. “Thanks a lot!”
The pilot stuck out his hand. “Anytime. See you in the air!”
Scott shook it and grinned.
They moved off to let someone else get closer to the fence. He glanced over at the other pilot who was still talking to the girls, ignoring the kids trying to get his attention.
When he was a pilot, he’d be like the cool one that had talked to him and not the one that just wanted all the girls’ attention. Who needed girls anyway when you could fly those awesome planes?
“Dad, did you see that? We got a picture together, and he made this cool paper airplane for me.”
Dad squeezed his shoulder and smiled. “I did. Looks like you had a good time.”
“I did. Thanks for taking us, Dad.” For a moment, all was right in their small world. Him, his friends, and even Dad seemed like he’d had a good time. He’d do whatever he could to keep that feeling.
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Orange County, California, Present day
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Melissa Ellis scrolled through the profit-and-loss statements on her computer screen. The numbers blurred. She blinked and tried to focus. The financial meeting was in thirty minutes, and she had to make sense of these numbers. The problem was, they weren’t making any sense. Unease swirled in her stomach, making her regret the third cup of coffee. According to these numbers, Broadstone Technologies was hemorrhaging money. She just couldn’t figure out why.
She stepped away from her standing desk and paced her office. Moving around usually helped. She’d suspected something was wrong for a while now, yet all of her digging uncovered nothing. But numbers didn’t lie. Something didn’t add up.
As vice president of operations, she should have her finger on the pulse of how the company was running. Her ability to sniff out problems and deliver solutions had rocketed her to her position, the youngest VP ever in the company’s history. Which was saying something in an industry staffed by an old-boys network.
But this had her stymied. Maybe it was beyond her abilities. The old imposter syndrome raised its ugly head, and she forced it back down. There was no time for an emotional crisis. She was still in charge, still had a problem to solve.
She stopped pacing in front of her credenza and picked up a framed photo of her and her two best friends, Halley and Gracelyn. They were in middle school at Camp Eureka, a science camp. In the photo, slimy Oobleck had splashed on their tie-dyed shirts. They were grinning, arms slung around each other. It had been the best summer of her life, working with the girls to solve science riddles and having fun. Not having to worry about being in charge. Sharing the load and accomplishing something as a team.
She set the photo back on the cherrywood and let out a breath. Maybe she should call Halley and Gracelyn, see if they had any ideas. She nixed the idea the second it popped in her brain. As much as she’d like to, as a defense contractor, security clearances prohibited that.
Pulling open her door, she stuck her head out. “Danielle? Do you have a minute?”
Her perky assistant peered over the top of her monitor, Bluetooth headset firmly in her ear. “Sure. What do you need?”
“I’m going to send you the P&L I’m working on, see if your fresh eyes can make sense of it. The meeting’s in—” she glanced at her Apple Watch— “twenty minutes. Sorry, just do what you can. Maybe it’s obvious, and I’m just missing it.”
Danielle gave her a soft smile. “I’m happy to look at it. Why don’t you close your eyes for a few minutes, and I’ll let you know when it’s time to head over?”
“Good plan.” The best she’d heard all day. She stepped back in her office and closed the door. Heading over to the couch, she kicked off her heels and laid down. Maybe just a few minutes. Who knew? Maybe the solution would appear in a dream.
The caffeine coursing through her bloodstream kept her brain spinning. Maybe she needed to head to the pottery studio tonight and throw a pot. That always helped. She visualized what she might create and concentrated on breathing steadily in and out.
But all she could see were all the people who depended on her, whose jobs were in danger if she couldn’t solve the company’s financial crisis.
Melissa set her tablet and phone on her desk, blowing out a breath. The financial meeting had not gone well. In fact, Gavin Broadstone—the namesake of Broadstone Technologies and her boss and mentor—seemed to be blaming her. He was kind about it, but he made it clear that he thought the problem was in operations and she needed to solve it. She’d never seen him blame anyone without evidence. One of the things she admired about him was his fairness, waiting until the facts were in before making a judgment.
Her phone vibrated. She swiped the screen. Anything to get her mind off what just happened. A text from Heather inviting her to dinner tomorrow. Her finger hovered over the screen. She really didn’t want to drive anywhere but home on a Friday night. Though dinner with friends seemed a better option than what she’d likely be doing, going over those financials again. And didn’t that just show what a well-rounded life she lived. She started to reply when she got another text from Heather.
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Scott’s coming too.
* * *
Oh. She hadn’t seen him since the Fourth of July barbecue at Kyle’s. He’d been injured in a training accident—which was what they always called it—and was back home on medical leave.
What she had thought would be a relaxing time with friends morphed into something else. She didn’t feel like the vibrant, confident woman she had projected at the Fourth of July party. She didn’t even think she could fake it. Her friends wouldn’t mind, but Scott? She just didn’t know him that well.
She really should go throw pots instead. That always eased the tension from her shoulders. The wet clay slipping through her fingers, creating something new from a formless lump. She hesitated. Then again, being alone with her thoughts hadn’t been helping. Maybe being around company would. And it’s not as if this was a date. There would be plenty of people to carry the conversation. In fact, Joe, Kyle, and Scott would likely tell stories the whole time.
Plus, it could possibly be the last break she’d have in a while, since their avionics system being tested by the Navy was coming back for review, and it would require all of her attention. That Navy contract would provide a needed cash infusion, saving the company, .
And Scott was a Navy pilot. He might have an idea or a new perspective. At least she could talk to him about it.
She texted Heather that she’d be there. Checking the time, she saw she had a few more hours of productive work. She popped out the door. “Danielle, did you come up with anything in your scan of those numbers?”
“No, but I didn’t get to do much more than a cursory look. Want me to keep looking?”
“Yeah. The answer has to be there. I’ll start looking at all of our recent projects.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Danielle spun back to her computer.
Melissa closed the door and went back to her desk, plopping in her chair. She started pulling up the recent projects. But her mind kept drifting to the handsome naval aviator.
An automated voice came over the speaker in her office, and the light in her ceiling strobed. “There is a fire. Please evacuate your office via the stairs on the northside of the building and gather in your assigned area on the west parking lot.” The strobe in her office added to her headache. She powered down her computer, grabbed her coat, her purse—shoving her phone and tablet inside—and made sure her badge showed around her neck. She pulled her office door shut behind her, double checking that it locked.
“Danielle?”
“On it.”
Danielle held the emergency evacuation sheet, and she and Melissa moved through the cubical farm, making sure everyone was headed out the door and all computers were powering down for security purposes. “Was everyone here today?’
“Dana called out, but that’s it.”
They’d do a head count once they got to their assigned area in the parking lot. Likely it was just a drill, but security would come around and check to make sure everyone complied. Not a great day for a drill. Then again, when was it ever?
They headed toward the stairwell, their footsteps echoing off the walls along with everyone else’s. She heard sirens. Outside, a cold gust of wind made Melissa pull her coat on and wrap it around her.
The fire department’s equipment and personnel added to the controlled chaos. Was Joe Romero on this call? She scanned the area briefly, but first she and Danielle had to make sure everyone on their team was accounted for. Then they had to wait for the all clear.
While their computer whiz, Jeremy Chao, kept them entertained with stories of his adventures and near-death experiences, Melissa studied the firefighters. The one who seemed to be in charge turned so she could see that his coat said ROMERO on the back. That was Joe. She didn’t want to interrupt his work, but it was somehow reassuring that someone she knew was taking care of things.
