I hear a number of our teammates running over to get in between us. I’m pissed when Carter’s face gets in my line of sight. At that point, I don’t give a shit who’s in my way. I want a piece of Don.
“Chaos, calm down,” Carter implores, but keeping his distance, holding up his hands in between Don and I. Sean is standing next to him, to help put space between our two bodies.
“What the hell is this shit?” Sean demands.
“Why don’t you ask him?” I point at Don. “He’s been on my fucking case since I got here and I’m just doing my damn job!”
“He’s a fucking hothead who doesn’t listen!” Don snarls.
“I do my goddamn job!”
“Yeah, and the next time you run ahead of us and a beam fucking falls on you, who the fuck do you think is going to be pulling your sorry ass out?” he yells.
The room goes silent as everyone pivots to Don.
“That’s what this is about,” Carter finally says, breaking the silence.
“What?”
“Corey.”
“Fuck this.” Don angrily stomps off in the direction of the garage where the fire truck is parked.
Sean and Carter turn to me, sympathy in both of their expressions. They exchange a look between the two of them and then back to me.
“Listen,” Sean starts, “Don is a hell of a firefighter, and Corey is his best friend.”
“I get that. It’s tough his friend not being here and I’m his replacement, but—”
Carter shakes his head. “That’s not it. Not entirely.” He looks to Sean.
Sean shrugs. “I’m going to go talk to Don. You fill him in,” he tells Carter.
I watch as Sean heads off in the same direction as Don had.
“Do you know how Corey was injured?” Carter questions, turning to me.
“A collapse, right?”
He nods. “Yeah, Don, Corey, and I entered a two-story home. There was a mother and her children inside. We search, and I tell Corey to check the end of the hallway where one of the bedrooms is located. Don and I head in the opposite direction. Minutes later there’s a loud crash from down the hall. We run and find Corey trapped under a beam. It pinned his leg and hit is head pretty good. He had a concussion and had been knocked out. It took a while to pull him out but we did. Unfortunately, the hospital couldn’t save his leg.”
Inhaling, I take the story in as I rub my hand down the side of my face. I get it. Don seeing his best friend in that predicament, knowing you couldn’t get to them.
“But that’s not it,” Carter says. “Don should be the one to tell you the next part.”
****
I move into the garage behind Carter to see Don and Sean standing at the far end of the truck. Don’s arms are folded over his chest and he stares at me. Then he looks between Sean and Carter, the four of us are standing in a circle.
“Look, man …” Don pushes out a heavy breath. His shoulders appear weighed down by the weight of whatever’s on his mind. “I’m sorry for that shit. You’re a hell of a firefighter.”
I nod, pushing out a heavy breath, deciding to let it go. “Water under the bridge.”
He nods. “Did you tell him everything?”
“Not the investigation,” Carter replies.
My ears perk up. I have no idea what investigation the three men are talking about, but I have a feeling I’m about to find out.
