I picked up my fork and focused on the oily eggs on my plate, occasionally glancing at Paisley to see if she was looking at me. She wasn’t, not even a little bit or once. Disappointment settled over me, and a tiny prickle of jealousy traveled down my spine. Last night’s events played like a bad movie repeatedly in my head. The kiss, the passion, and the hesitation—the conversation on the drive back to her place. I wanted to relive it, make better choices this time, and be there for her in a way I hadn’t been last night. Like an angsty teenager, I wanted her tonoticeme as someone more than the boss she’d kissed in a drunken, angry haze.
I stood to wash my plate in the sink just as the tone went off. We all froze, and a hush fell over the room as we listened to the dispatcher over the speaker.
“Ladder One, respond to 1654 Walden Street for a house fire. I repeat, respond to 1654 Walden Street for reports of a house fire.”
“Alright, guys, let’s go.” I set the plate back onto the table and headed to the door. Paisley was hot on my heels, with the others behind her.
“Wait, wait, wait,” Tanner shouted from the kitchen. “Did they say 1654 Walden?” His eyes darted from the computer screen that held the details of the call to each of us and then back again.
“Why?” I asked, halfway out the door by now.
“That’s my house.”
Chapter29
Paisley
Even over the sound of the sirens blaring, slicing into the silence of the air, the tension in the back of the truck was palpable. Every so often, my gaze flitted at Tanner to read his face. He looked scared shitless, and that’s about as real as it could have gotten. I knew what it said.
“Almost there!” Korbin shouted from the driver’s seat. “Get ready, guys.” I secured my helmet, and Tanner did the same.
“Are there any other people inside, Rey?” Hansen called. “Any pets?”
“No,” Tanner said. “It’s just me.”
I wanted to reach out, put my hand on his shoulder, reassure him, and tell him that at least he hadn’t been inside when it started. But I couldn’t. Tanner and I were hardy friends, and I knew my sympathy would fall on deaf ears.
“Jesus Christ,” he said when we pulled up behind the first truck. I silently echoed his sentiments, heart racing with anticipation and fear as I followed the guys out of the truck to survey the damage.
Tanner’s house, or what was left of it, anyway, was roaring with red and orange flames. The wood structure, which I could tell had once been finished with beautifully lacquered logs, burned and sizzled until black. Another engine was already on the scene, but we were all too late. The house had burned, and it had burned far past saving.
“I’m so sorry,” I said, but Tanner didn’t hear me. He was already helping Korbin unload the ladder and prep the hose. I stepped forward to assist them, unable to look Tanner in the eye as we cranked on the hoses and soaked the cabin with icy water, carefully keeping a safe distance from the flames until they died.
“Stand back!” Hansen shouted, motioning with his arm. We all took a step away as the structure collapsed on top of itself, falling into a heap of charred wood and flickering flames. Sparks licked at the tall trees above the fallen house. Beside me, Tanner let the hose droop slightly, and I stepped toward him to help keep it straight. My heart shattered into a million pieces as the rest of us watched Tanner’s house go down in flames. When I finally gathered the courage to look at him, a small tear rolled down his face, and all I could do was look away.
By the time the flames were down and the charred structure was soaked with water, we were all exhausted. The police were there searching the scene and gathering reports, and Tanner and Hansen picked through the rubble in search of anything that may have made it out unscathed. Unfortunately, there didn’t seem to be much still salvageable.
I was peeling the gear from my sweaty body next to the firetruck when Korbin stepped up next to me and leaned back against the bumper. Ash streaks colored his face, and sweat shimmered on his forehead. Neither of us said anything for a long time as we watched Tanner rake through the debris. A cop with a notepad was following him around, asking questions and jotting down notes. Finally, when I couldn’t hold my question in any longer, I leaned back against the bumper beside Korbin and crossed my arms over my chest.
“Do you think this was an accident?”
A heavy silence settled between us, and for a long time, I didn’t think Korbin would answer. “No,” he said finally. “I don’t.”
“Why?”
“I’ve seen a lot of accidental fires. This wasn’t one of them.”
“It could have been anything, you know. A wood stove. A space heater. Faulty wiring.”
Korbin shook his head slowly, pondering this. “We won’t know anything until they do an investigation, but until then, keep our suspicions on the downlow. Tanner doesn’t need more stress. He’s lost everything.”
“But you think someone did this?” I pressed. “You think someone actually did this to him?”
“Maybe.”
“Why?”
“I have no idea.”
