The probie stands in the kitchen with a look of sheer terror. The roof above him starts to collapse. The probie’s head snaps back. The young man falls to the floor, burning rubble on top of him.
My military training kicks in. I perform a maneuver called a ranger roll and drop to the floor, which is quickly turning into a giant cast iron skillet; the heat rises up and easily penetrates my turnout gear. I toss the rubble aside. We have to get the hell out of here before the whole damn house comes crashing down on our heads.
In one swift motion, I bring him up on my shoulders, Luckily, the probie ain’t too heavy. A buck sixty-five by my estimate.
I don’t try and run. But I walk with purpose. Each step brings us closer to safety. I hear more sharp noises of wood splitting.
Just a little farther. Come on. You ain’t dying today, probie. And neither am I. I got a daughter to raise and a cute nurse to seduce with scallops.
My step falters. But I’m close enough to the door so that when I fall, we both tumble onto Dennis’s front step. I lie on my back for a second, my chest rising and falling with labored breaths.
“You alive?” I hear Dennis say.
He’s crouching over me.
“And kicking,” I reply, with a little smile.
Jax joins us. His face is a mixture of concern and pride. “That was kick ass, Harp,” he said. “Joey didn’t realize the probie went in behind his back. If it wasn’t for you this guy would be—” Jax cuts off, interrupted by a deafening crash. I sit up slightly to observe the total collapse of the roof. Jax shakes his head with the imagined horror of what would’ve happened if me and probie were still inside.
Joey and Jax grab me under the arms and hoist me to my feet.
Joey pats me on the back and shoots me a look of unadulterated respect. “Man, I’ve never seen anything like that. The way you picked probie up. Like he was weightless. You gotta teach me that shit, man!”
“Sure thing,” I say. Talking makes me cough. Guess my lungs still haven’t fully recovered from my last near-death experience. Gotta love this job.
I examine the state of Dennis’s house. It’s toast. The second engine has arrived and it shouldn’t be too long before the fire’s out. At this point it’d be easier to raze whatever the fire leaves and rebuild from scratch.
Dennis assesses the damage. He has a distant, serious look in his eyes. It’s hard to tell what’s going on in his head.
Manny comes up to us and taps Dennis on the back. “Damn, lieutenant. What happened? You start smoking again?”
Dennis chuckles and shakes his head. “Nope. The nicotine patches are actually working. What happened was, I got up early to squeeze in a quick workout before my shift. I was down in the basement when I smelled gas. I hurried upstairs and saw that the kitchen window was broken. Gas was just spewing out the burners on my stovetop and there was a candle on the countertop. I got the hell out of there before calling it in. As soon as I got out here to the curb, the place lit up like the fourth of July.”
“Damn, lieutenant,” Manny says, shaking his head, his eyes wide with horror. “You sayin’ someone tired to set you on fire?”
Dennis nods. “Looks like it, Manito. Looks like it.”
I feel cold inside, and it ain’t shock. It’s the realization that someone wanted to hurt Dennis, a guy who never said a bad word about anybody. Someone wanted to burn my lieutenant alive. The cold feeling ignites, and I’m consumed by a flash of rage.
“Who the hell would do such a thing?” I ask.
“That’s whatIwould like to know as well.”
I recognize the charming detective’s smooth baritone before I turn around to see him walking up to us. Marcus Hargrowe. Looking like an NBA power forward. Tall, confident, and once again wearing what appears to be a very expensive suit. He smiles, but not his usual thousand-watt smile full of perfectly straight, white teeth. It’s a hesitant, sympathetic smile, no teeth involved.
“You guys all right?” the detective says, raising his eyebrows.
“As good as a homeless guy can be,” Dennis replies.
Marcus chuckles softly.
Manny turns to Dennis. “You ain’t homeless. You can crash at my place for the time being.”
“I don’t wanna be a bother. I can always get a cheap hotel room till I figure things ou—”
“No way, bro. You’re staying with me. That’s that.”
Dennis laughs, but he’s touched. I can tell. “Thanks, man,” he says. “I appreciate it. Seriously.”
