Scorched secrets, p.2
Scorched Secrets, page 2
part #1 of Finnegan First Responders Series
“Checking on me via phone is one thing, but there’s no reason to stop by.” She shot him a glance. “You did tell him I was fine, right?”
“Yep.” Hearing fire truck sirens, he glanced around for the source of the blaze. “Wow, strange that they’ve gotten another call out so soon. Two fires in the span of a few hours is unusual.”
“Colin?” Faye reached over to grasp his arm, the other hand pointing toward her passenger-side window. “Is that smoke?”
A curl of dark smoke lifted toward the sky. “Yes.” They were too far away to pinpoint exactly where the smoke was coming from, but the general area was residential.
“A house fire?” She continued holding on to his arm as if needing the support.
“No way to say for sure.” Car fires were more common in the summer, especially those cars that weren’t well maintained. Lack of coolant often caused engines to overheat.
Different from the car fire that had damaged Faye’s car. That fire had been started in the back seat, not the engine. The entire interior had been toast, and based on the year, make, and model, he felt certain her insurance company would consider it totaled.
They were heading in the same direction as the smoke, which gave him a bad feeling. He shot a glance at Faye, her gaze still lingering on the smoke.
“What if that’s a house fire in my neighborhood?” Her voice was low and husky.
“We’ll find out soon enough.” The words had barely cleared his lips when the sirens grew impossibly loud. In his rearview mirror, he saw the fire rig he’d been on just a few hours ago coming up behind him.
Wrenching the wheel, he moved his Jeep over to the side of the road to give the fire truck room to pass by. A second rig came up next, along with an ambulance. All three vehicles sped past, intent on responding to the scene. The keen sense of dread grew worse as he pulled out to follow behind them.
Faye gripped his arm tightly. “Colin? Could it be my house?”
“Let’s not jump to conclusions.” He did his best to sound calm, but deep down, he feared she might be right. It would be a huge coincidence if one of her neighbors’ houses started on fire less than an hour after her car had been targeted by arson.
He turned to head down Sunny Creek Parkway, then had to stop when the road was completely blocked off by the fire trucks. Shifting the Jeep into reverse, he backed up and then parked along the side of the road.
“It is my house!” Faye abruptly released him to push open her car door. The locks were still engaged, so she fumbled to hit the unlock button to get out.
“Faye, wait! We don’t know that.” He caught her hand. “Hold on, they’re not going to let you get close to the scene. Wait here, I’ll go and check things out.”
“It’s my house, see? I live in the white Cape Cod.”
Feeling grim, he watched as firefighters surrounded the house, aiming their fire hoses at the blaze. There were several areas along the house where the fire had progressed, making him realize this was also the work of arson.
Sure, there could be an electrical fire, but he didn’t think that was the case. No, just like the fire in Faye’s car, this one had been deliberately set.
As if reading his mind, Faye whispered, “Why is this happening?” Her blue eyes were wide and tortured. “My car and my house? Why?”
“I don’t know, but I’ll find out.” He squeezed her hand and jumped out of the car. He’d barely made it a few feet before an explosion rocked the earth.
He fell onto his hands and knees but quickly pushed up and kept going. His firefighter brothers and sisters were over there! The smoke was thicker now, making it impossible to see.
Coughing, he pulled the collar of his T-shirt up and over his nose and mouth to keep from inhaling so much of the thick smoke and soot. He didn’t have any protective gear, and the blaze from the fire was hot on his skin. Raking his gaze over the area, he searched for his firefighter family.
Two guys emerged from the smoke, each carrying one of their fellow firefighters over their shoulders in the typical fireman carry. “This way,” Colin shouted, gesturing for them to follow to the clearing in the road.
The firefighters gently placed their fellow firefighters on the ground to be examined. Colin took the one closest to him. Out of nowhere, Faye was there, too, examining the other firefighter.
Together they worked on his teammates, using rescue supplies from the ambulance. Even as Colin started an IV, then placed a breathing tube down Larry’s throat, he silently prayed for God to save these two injured men.
Chapter Two
Focusing on caring for the injured firefighters helped keep the shock and fear at bay. Faye diagnosed the firefighter she was working on with a concussion and what appeared to be a broken wrist. No other obvious signs of injury, but he’d need an abdominal and pelvic CT scan to be sure.
When the firefighter woke up and groaned, she couldn’t hide her relief. The firefighter who’d carried him over had called him by name, so she used it now. “Mike? I’m Dr. Faye. You have a concussion and a fractured wrist, but you’re going to be okay. Just rest here for a few minutes.”
“What about Larry?” Mike peered up at her in confusion. “He was right beside me.”
“I’m going to check on him now, but I need you to stay here.” She patted his arm, then rose to her feet, stumbling over to check on the second firefighter. Colin looked up at her, his expression grim. “Larry hasn’t woken up yet, and his pupils are unequal. I inserted an airway, but I’m concerned about him.”
“Let me take a look.” She used her phone flashlight to check Larry’s pupils. Her stomach knotted with concern when she noted his left pupil was completely blown. She glanced over at the ambulance crew. “Get him transported to Trinity ASAP! I’ll call to let them know he’s on the way.”
The crew jumped to do her bidding, lifting Larry up onto the stretcher, then wheeling him to the waiting rig. Moments later, he was tucked inside and on his way to the medical center.
True to her word, she called her colleagues to clue them in. “Injured firefighter on his way, severe head injury, left pupil blown. Make sure the neurosurgeon is available to take him to the OR.”
“Understood,” Dr. Murry said. “Thanks for the heads-up.”
Faye lowered the phone, overwhelmed with guilt. Larry couldn’t have been much more than twenty-five years old. And he could die because some heartless arsonist had targeted her house.
Why? That was the confounding question.
“Faye?” Colin’s voice drew her from her thoughts. She stared at him, expecting to see anger in his brown eyes. She wouldn’t be surprised if he blamed her for his colleague’s injury. He looked grim but not angry. “Come with me.”
“Where?” She turned to stare at the house. Or rather what remained of her house. There was damage to the properties alongside hers too. Would her insurance cover all of this? What if others had been injured, or worse?
“Come with me to the Finnegan homestead. You need to get some sleep.”
Sleep? That was a laugh. “I won’t be able to sleep. And why do you call your childhood home the homestead? I’ve always wondered about that.”
“My parents started it, and we carried on the tradition.” He followed her gaze to the chaotic scene. “There’s nothing more we can do here. The team has it under control.”
He was right, but she didn’t have to like it. Tearing her gaze away, she tried not to appear as dejected as she felt. “You may as well take me to a hotel.”
“You won’t get a room this early.” He took her hand in his. “Is there a reason you won’t go with me to the homestead? I promise my family will make you feel welcome.”
Her exhausted brain couldn’t come up with a good reason. Colin was being neighborly, and really, if anyone else in the Finnegan family, say Alanna, had made the offer, she wouldn’t have hesitated. “Okay, I’ll come with you for now. But I can’t stay indefinitely.” It would likely take months for her house to be repaired, if that was even an option.
Did insurance companies total houses the same way they did cars? She figured she’d find out very soon.
It was difficult not to think about how hard she’d worked to rebuild her life after her divorce. Taking her small bit of equity out of the sale of their joint home, she’d added a small nest egg from her savings to purchase the Cape Cod. She’d liked that house; it was small and cozy but all hers.
Now it was gone, just like her car.
Gone. Her knees threatened to buckle, but she forced herself to walk back to Colin’s Jeep under her own power. Reminding herself they were material things helped keep things in perspective.
Yet it was impossible to ignore the sense of being violated. Her things weren’t anything fancy or expensive, but they were hers.
Now they were a pile of ash.
“Hey, you’re going to be okay.” Colin slipped his hand beneath her elbow as he guided her to the passenger-side door. “We’re here for you.”
“I know.” It was nice to have friends like the Finnegans. She straightened her spine and slid into the Jeep. She wasn’t sure sleep would come easily, but she hoped a few hours of rest would help her make sense of this.
When Colin jumped in behind the wheel, she glanced at him. “We’ll need to call my dad and Mitch Callahan.”
He nodded. “We will. Mitch can’t do much at your place yet; the scene is too hot. But he’ll be there tomorrow for sure.” He grimaced. “Maybe this time you should call your dad.”
She pulled out her phone and made the call. She ended up leaving a message, no doubt he was still in his meeting with the mayor. There were always budget issues when it came to police and fire services. Both were necessary, yet no one liked to pay more taxes to fund their civil servants.
“I keep coming back to the possibility this is related in some way to my dad, that someone is trying to get to me to hurt him.” She abruptly straightened and picked up her phone again. “I should have thought of this before! I need to warn Claire and Annie.”
“Good idea,” Colin agreed.
Unfortunately, her stepmother didn’t answer either. Not surprising. Faye liked Claire, but her stepmother made a career of going to the gym, shopping, having breakfast and lunch engagements, and generally doing nothing all day while staying away from home. Maybe Faye didn’t understand it, but since Claire made her father happy, she kept her thoughts to herself.
After working five twelve-hour shifts straight, doing nothing all day sounded nice.
“Your dad will keep Claire and Annie safe,” Colin assured her. “I still think there is a personal vendetta behind these attacks. Are you sure there haven’t been any contentious patient or family situations that we should be aware of?”
“Even if there were, I can’t really discuss my patients with you or Mitch Callahan or anyone else.” Patient privacy was a big deal in healthcare. “Besides, it’s a rare day I don’t have an irate patient or family member. But angry enough to do something like this? Setting fires to my car and my house?” She shook her head, fighting a wave of helplessness. “I can’t even imagine anyone who would take such a drastic measure.”
“I understand patient privacy, but this is serious.” He scowled as he threaded through traffic toward Brookland. It felt odd to be heading to the neighborhood where she’d grown up. Especially since she hadn’t lived there since heading off to college.
“You think I don’t know that?” The image of Larry’s blown pupil flashed in her mind. “I hate knowing Larry is suffering because of me.”
“Not you, Faye. The arsonist.”
“An arsonist carrying out a sick grudge against me.” She couldn’t hide the bitterness in her tone. “Same difference.”
“Every firefighter goes in knowing the danger. This isn’t your fault.” He reached over to gently squeeze her hand. “Your dad would tell you the same thing.”
She didn’t agree, but arguing took too much energy. The brief adrenaline surge that had rejuvenated her when responding to the injured firefighters was fading fast.
When Colin pulled into the driveway of his childhood home, she was assailed by doubts. Why was she here? A hotel would be easier, no need for idle chitchat. With reluctance, she pushed her door open and stepped out of the vehicle. She must have been moving slow because Colin was already there, providing a helping hand.
“Are you hungry? Rhy’s wife, Devon, likes to make breakfast.”
“Not necessary. I’m more interested in sleep.”
Colin stopped at the front porch to key in a code in the alarm. As he opened the door, he called, “It’s me, Colin. I brought a guest, Faye Kimble.”
“Come in,” a female voice called. As Faye crossed the threshold, the scent of bacon, eggs, and coffee made her mouth water. Maybe she was hungry. “It’s great to see you, Colin.” A pretty, petite dark-haired woman smiled warmly. “We’re always thrilled to have guests. And you’re just in time for breakfast. Rhy is off today; he’ll be down shortly.”
“Thank you.” She nudged Colin with her elbow, hinting he shouldn’t mention her earlier statement. “Breakfast sounds lovely.”
He flashed a smile, then keyed in the alarm code again. “Faye, this is Devon Finnegan, Rhy’s wife. Devon, this is Dr. Faye Kimble, she works at Trinity as an ER physician.”
“ED physician. Emergency department,” Faye corrected. “ER is old language from when it was a single room with cubicles. We’ve come a long way from that.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Faye.” Devon gestured toward the coffeepot. “Help yourself. I made it for Rhy and Elly since I’m only drinking decaf these days.”
Faye wasn’t sure why Devon mentioned the decaf until Colin asked, “And how is our future niece or nephew?”
“He’s fine, thanks.” Devon grinned. “The morning sickness is easing a bit, which is nice.”
“He? I thought Rhy calls the baby she?” Colin teased.
“I’m right, he’s wrong.” Devon shrugged. “Either way, we’re keeping the baby’s gender a surprise until he’s born.”
Realizing Devon was pregnant only made Faye feel worse about imposing on them. Then again, breakfast had already been in the works when they’d arrived.
“No coffee for me either.” Faye took another step into the room as Colin walked over to pour a cup. “I’ve had more than my fair share while working last night.”
“Night shift is rough,” Devon agreed. “Please sit, Faye. I’m sure you’re exhausted.”
“Thanks.” She dropped into the closest chair as Rhy entered the room. He smiled at her, glanced curiously at Colin, then kissed Devon.
“Rhy, this is Dr. Faye Kimble. Faye, our oldest brother, Rhy.”
“Nice to meet you.” She smiled, trying not to wish they’d tried a hotel instead. “I appreciate your hospitality.”
“Oh yes, Faye. You’re Chief Kimble’s daughter,” Rhy said with a nod. “Always happy to help a neighbor.”
“Sit down, Rhy, I have enough food for the four of us.” Devon slid food onto four plates with the grace of someone who had made a living serving others.
The men sat, Colin choosing the seat next to hers. Rhy took Devon’s hand, then bowed his head. “Dear Lord Jesus, we thank You for this food we are about to eat. We also ask that You keep our family and the Kimble family safe in Your care. Amen.”
“Amen,” Colin and Devon echoed.
Faye had been caught off guard by the prayer. Her family had attended church, mostly on special occasions, but it was clear the Finnegans lived their faith daily. Oddly, she was comforted by that thought.
She expected Rhy to ask Colin why she was there, but the conversation was centered around family stuff, like Quinn and Sami’s upcoming wedding.
“You need to make sure you’re off work, Colin,” Rhy said. “I know it’s not easy to coordinate our schedules, but Quinn really wants the family to be there. Especially since Sami doesn’t have anyone to support her.”
“I requested off, Rhy, that’s all I can do.” Colin sent her a sly wink. “Although maybe Faye can put in a good word with her dad. My boss won’t deny my request for a weekend off if there’s a directive from the top.”
She chuckled. “Yeah, I can try, but don’t pin your hopes on that. My dad leaves the managing of day-to-day operations to his captains.”
“Hey, it’s worth a shot,” Colin joked.
She finished her meal before anyone else but was too tired to be embarrassed. Colin noticed, though, and rose to his feet. “Come on, I’ll show you the guest room.”
“Okay, thank you.” She carried her dirty dishes to the sink, then turned back to face Rhy and Devon. “Thanks again. I appreciate your hospitality.”
“Anytime,” Devon assured her.
She followed Colin up the gracefully curved staircase to the second floor. He opened the second door on the right and gestured for her to step inside. “Get some sleep. We’ll talk more about our next steps later.”
“Okay, sounds good.” It was only when she’d crawled into bed did she register his comment.
We’ll talk about our next steps? She appreciated his kindness, but this wasn’t his problem, it was hers.
Although honestly, she had no idea what to do about it.
“Okay, Colin, what’s going on?” Rhy pounced the minute he returned to the kitchen to finish his meal.
Swallowing a sigh, he met his brother’s gaze. “Faye has been targeted by an arsonist.”
The shock in Rhy’s gaze, especially when he glanced at his pregnant wife, made Colin wince. “Okay, first of all, no one knows she’s here. Secondly, both attempts took out her personal property, her car and her house. Faye hasn’t been physically harmed by either fire.”
