The Chief understood. Aiden, not Vanessa, should have been riding in the officer position. Moreover, Vanessa hadn’t mentioned any injuries, only that they were returning.
The Aiden powder keg must have blown.
Erin dropped her eyes, and Baker didn’t push her farther. They had bigger problems.
They worked steadily, and fifteen minutes later, the office phone rang. Erin answered it. “Hello, Firehouse 15. Firefighter Hudgens speaking, aide to Chief Baker.”
“This is Dispatch. We have a 911 call from a snowmobiler who has found a firetruck buried under a bridge. They report Rodriguez and Williams have been located.”
Erin hit the speaker. “Chief! Dispatch has Ladder 15!”
He took over, rapidly getting information and ordering the nearest Medic to their location. A small amount of relief crossed his face again, and then he covered it.
“Do you need to go there? Coordinate the rescue?” Erin asked haltingly.
“No. They will be taken immediately to the hospital, and I’m in command of the county’s response. Until a chief takes over for me, I can’t go anywhere. Hopefully, someone will reopen HQ soon. You gave the plows the addresses of the chiefs?”
“Yes, sir. One plow already cleared the path to HQ.”
The pace slowed down considerably because Chiefs Vega, Hastings, and Vickery finally reopened HQ, and Baker began shifting coordination to them. Even better, Battalion Chief Havner reorganized the nursing home scene. Dispatch informed them Luna and Williams were alive, though unclear how injured yet.
None too soon because Engine 15 arrived.
Chief Baker went out to meet them. Erin trailed after him, unable to stop whatever happened next.
The whole team fell into lineup since the Chief was present. Aiden stood at the head of the line. Erin didn’t join them due to her current position as aide. For the moment, she belonged to him, not them.
His gaze raked down the line, starting at Carver, Theo, Kevin, Vanessa, and then resting on Aiden. “Exemplary work. Your initiative with the snowplows today gave us mobility that I should have anticipated. For that, you have my thanks. I also need to inform you that your captain and lieutenant are en route to MetroGen right now. They had an MVA en route to the scene at the nursing home.”
Most of the team was visibly relieved, except Aiden, who barely reacted. Erin guessed they had drawn conclusions about Ladder 15’s fate from the radio communications.
“Clarke, meet me in the captain’s office. We have command business to discuss before I leave.”
Baker waited until Aiden was in the office. “Lieutenant Knight, why are you in command of Engine?”
“I… well…”
“Tell me the truth. You aren’t helping him by protecting him.” Baker’s words made the entire group wilt.
Kevin dragged himself forward. “Knight relieved him of command in the nursing home. Our search for rescues found five hospice patients dead. They suicided.”
Vanessa stepped in front of Kevin. “Lieutenant Clarke was in severe emotional distress. I took command and removed us from rotation.”
“Is this the first incident?” Baker asked, and Kevin and Erin exchanged uncertain glances. The Chief didn’t miss it.
“He’s been different ever since the high-rise fire,” Erin made the admission for the team they had been avoiding. She refused to let it feel like a betrayal. Aiden needed them to do something, anything, even if it meant telling the Chief.
Chief Baker snapped his attention back to Kevin. “He was struggling when I was here, but now it’s worse? Jones?”
“Much worse,” Kevin said sadly. “I thought… we thought with time, it would get better.”
“Wait here. I will be back.”
They watched the Chief walk into the captain’s office and shut the door. Through the paper-covered glass windows, they saw Aiden stand at attention and Baker begin a conversation. A few minutes later, Aiden stomped upstairs.
Baker went back to the lineup. “Knight, you are in charge. Clarke is confined to quarters pending evaluation.”
“Do you want us back on rotation?” Vanessa asked.
