Chasing the Fire (Backdraft, Fully Involved, Flashover) by Kathryn Shay Page B

been in the
operating room, too. And she felt the thrill of his success. In med
school, she’d watched other doctors operate and experienced the
same kind of exhilaration. But then it was because she knew she’d
get to do the same someday.
    Those dreams had been dashed. She put her
hand to her stomach, which felt queasy from the stress. So much
loss.
    When the last stitch was in place, Linc
looked up at her and angled his head toward the door. Meet me
out there, was the silent communication. She nodded.
    They met up in the hall. His face was sweaty,
but his eyes glimmered with his success. A deep and abiding smile
broached his lips and even his stance was…confident. She used to
find that reaction to medicine sexy.
    She still did.
    He drew her off to the side. “She’s stable
and will get casting, of course. You were right, the bones were
fragile as glass. I’ll bet these aren’t the first broken ones she’s
had.”
    “The poor kid.”
    “She’ll get good care here.”
    “Yeah, but what about when she goes back
home?”
    “I honestly don’t know.”
    A nurse named Renee approached them. “Lisa
Beth, the police have been waiting to talk to you. I stalled them
when I realized how involved you were in the surgery.” She nodded
to Linc. “Pretty impressive, isn’t he?” Must be she wasn’t too
afraid of him. And maybe she was attracted to him.
    “Yeah, I always knew he would be.”
    Linc gave her a double take. She was too high
to stop the compliment.
    Renee said, “They probably want to talk to
you, too, Dr. Roberts. They’re in the first-floor waiting
area.”
    “You go down and I’ll get cleaned up and come
out.”
    Ten minutes later, Linc found Lisa Beth and
two cops huddled in a chair grouping, in front of a wide expanse of
windows. As he reached them, he heard the woman cop ask, “You went
inside when you were explicitly told not to by dispatch?”
    Lisa Beth raised her chin. “I saw the shadow
of the kid before the bastard kicked her down the stairs. I
couldn’t wait.”
    “You have to know that was risky to your own
life.”
    “My call, I guess.”
    The woman studied Lisa Beth. “I’m Captain
Megan Hale. I came on this case because I heard the fire department
was involved.”
    Lisa Beth winced. “Your husband, Mitch
Malvaso, is our battalion chief. So, um, you kind of understand
us.”
    “I don’t think so. You were wrong,
Firefighter.”
    Linc interrupted. “If it helps, the girl
would have died had the paramedics not intervened. Not only did
they get to the hospital in time for surgery to do any good, but if
they hadn’t treated her on site, and on the way over, she probably
would have bled out.”
    There was more discussion of the incident,
and though Linc was unhappy Lisa Beth had put herself in danger, he
was very proud of her quick thinking and bravery. It made him want
her even more.
    While they were still talking to the cops,
another woman approached them. “I’m Denise Cruz. I’m from the
Department of Children and Families.”
    The police officers gave her their
report.
    After they left, Lisa Beth turned to Ms.
Cruz. “Do you have information on the girl?”
    The woman checked her clipboard. “The house
was rented by John Lombard. She’s a foster child. She’s been there
six months.”
    “She has a bad case of malnutrition and other
signs of abuse.” Linc was angry now. “How is it that your
organization didn’t know all that?”
    The woman’s tired face turn sad. “Same old,
same old. We’re understaffed; she fell through the cracks.”
    “She can’t go back to that house!” Lisa
Beth’s voice rose a notch.
    The woman nodded. “I know. But she will have to go back into the system when she’s
released.”
    Linc said, “With two broken legs, that won’t
be for a while. And she’ll need rehab.”
    “DCF won’t pay for anything fancy. But at
least we’ll have more time to find a home.”
    The woman started away and Lisa Beth called
out, “What’s her