“Leave it.” Jonny clamped his hand on Will’s shoulder. “You’re safe at this distance. There was an explosion and it’s sent you flying.”
Will nodded. “I’m fine.”
“Let’s have someone with more sense than you tell us that.” Two paramedics started to fly over, Dinah and Keith, both regular attenders. Will would be in good hands.
Jonny went back to the fire, shouting to his men, co-ordinating their actions, watching as the flames started to die, gradually losing energy like a runner who had started too quickly. They had control now; they were in charge.
“Jonny, you need to see this.”
The ambulance was still there, Will getting what he needed. The sensation of relief mixed with the expelling of adrenaline coursed through his veins. If he and Rayah left and got to their hotel, they’d be having some very hard sex. His girl would need priming and then he needed to remind them both that they were alive.
“What is it?”
“We’ve just entered on the east side. Police want to go in but we need to…”
“It’s too soon for the police. That building’s going to drop.” He could see the rafters becoming more unstable. At some point, the roof would be down on itself. There was no way anyone would be entering that for a couple of days.
“Jonny.” Carl Williams, Jonny’s counterpart from the Astley station and a man who was about to retire this year, stepped towards him. “I’m here to swap out. You’re over your hours.”
Jonny nodded. He was definitely over his hours. “The boys have found something.”
Carl nodded and the two of them walked over to where three of his team were congregating.
“What’ve we got?”
One of his men shook his head. “Remains. Body. It’s charred – no clothes.”
“Forensics?” Carl said.
“On their way. Along with the rest of Severton’s finest boys in blue. This will spoil their weekend training.”
Jonny grinned, not because of what they’d found, but the disruption this would cause. This was one of the worst-case scenarios, finding human remains. They would have no idea whether the person had been alive in the fire while they were there until the forensics team had carried out their investigations and that was something he’d deal with when they knew more, but the comment lightened the mood and made them remember that the sun would still rise tomorrow.
“They still think they’ll do better overall. But this weekend was meant to be their dry run.”
“What date’s the Iron Man?”
“Three weeks off. The Blue Boys were meant to be doing their big cycle this weekend.” There was laughter.
“Finding humour in dark places?” Jonny turned his head and saw Alex Maynard standing there, having teleported in seeing as no one had noticed his approach.
“Always.” He held out his hand to shake Alex’s, feeling that momentary stab of guilt at the fact he was sleeping with Alex’s cousin and keeping it a secret. Rayah deserved to be more that someone’s dirty little secret and he was getting fed up of it being that way. What he felt for her wasn’t just a convenient fuck; he wanted her in more than just his bed.
“I believe we have a body inside?” Alex was understated as always.
“It appears so. I haven’t been in.”
“And he’s not going in, because he’s officially off shift and heading out for the weekend.”
Alex’s poker face was fixed. “Anywhere nice?”
“Just having a couple of nights of peace while the kids are in London with Grace’s parents.”
There was a nod from the youngest Maynard. “Interesting. Rayah’s having a quiet breakaway too.”
“I’m giving her a lift.”
Alex regarded him, whatever thoughts he had masked. “I saw her at the perimeter that’s been set up. She was making noise.”
