queried, “Chris called me. He in the office?”
Logan nodded and Simon turned to head into the office. Then the bell rang and an announcement came over the station loudspeakers.
“ Dispatch to City Fire—Engine 14, Ladder 12 . Fire reported at 200 South Madison Road. Respond Code 2 .”
The members of A P latoon hurried through the lounge and into the locker room even though the men of B Platoon were on the clock . Chris came out of the office, watching as they ran back through the lounge, loaded into the two vehicles , and headed out of the garage. Afte r a moment he looked over at Martie with a slight smile, then turned to Simon. “Let’s go into the office.”
Martie stood. “Hey, Chris?” she called out.
He stopped and turned to her again. “Yeah?”
She picked up her recorder and switched it off as she spoke. “Can you give me the address of the Breckon Apartments? I’ve finished the interviews here and I’d like to get to the scene to do my survey.”
Chris started back out into the lounge. “ Airborne, grab your gear and go with .”
Raising an eyebrow, she said, “I have been in my fair share of burned out buildings before, Lieutenant. I know how to handle myself—I think I can manage on my own.”
She’d addressed him by rank to remind him that while they may have agreed there was something between them, she was here to do a job.
“You’re not going by yourself. It’s too dangerous,” Chris replied firmly. “I don’t think I need to remind you that a man is dead because of that building.”
A couple of the men from his crew cleared their throats. Martie felt her spine stiffen defensively, and she fought to keep the irritation out of her voice as she said, “No, Lt. Paytah, you don’t need to remind me. Nor should I need to remind you that Calvin Maynard is the reason I am here.”
S he grabbed her purse, stuffing the recorder into it and heading for the door. Martie heard Chris ordering Logan to go with her again, and she had half a mind to just take off and find the place on her own—it couldn’t be that hard. But as she was yanking the door of her car open, she made herself pause and take a calming breath. Certainly Chris knew she didn’t need a baby sitter. He was just concerned for her safety in a building that was at risk of structural collapse. In such a place, it was best to have a partner along in case of trouble.
“Lt. Liotta ?”
Martie turned to find Logan standing at the front end of the Sorento , his helmet in one hand and his turnout coat slung over the other arm. Wordlessly, she gestured to the passenger side, then climbed in behind the wheel.
***
Simon Temple had watched the boys from A-Shift leave , no doubt feeling the familiar rush of adrenaline cour sing through his veins—t hey all felt the thrill whenever heading out to a scene. Then Chris noticed him watching his exchange with Martie, had felt the younger man’s gaze on him as he ordered Logan to go with her a second time. He stayed standing at the end of the short hall that led to the office while the other man grabbed his helmet and bunker jacket, watching him hurry to catch up , before turning back toward the office. Simon followed wordlessly.
Reckless woman , he mused darkly. Why did she have to go and argue with him in front of his men? Didn’t she know he was just trying to look out for her? She’d worked the job herself—she had to know that going alone into a building weakened by fire—especially one as old as the Breckon Apartments—was foolhardy.
Chris sat down at the desk that still felt like it was Calvin’s and gestured for Simon to sit as well. “Have a seat,” he said gruffly.
Simon sat in the single visitor’s chair. “So, um, what can I do for you, Lieutenant?”
O pen ing a folder lying on the desk in front of him, Chris looked down at the paperwork inside, and then looked up at him. “I’m going to tell you something that I have n’t told anyone else
Logan nodded and Simon turned to head into the office. Then the bell rang and an announcement came over the station loudspeakers.
“ Dispatch to City Fire—Engine 14, Ladder 12 . Fire reported at 200 South Madison Road. Respond Code 2 .”
The members of A P latoon hurried through the lounge and into the locker room even though the men of B Platoon were on the clock . Chris came out of the office, watching as they ran back through the lounge, loaded into the two vehicles , and headed out of the garage. Afte r a moment he looked over at Martie with a slight smile, then turned to Simon. “Let’s go into the office.”
Martie stood. “Hey, Chris?” she called out.
He stopped and turned to her again. “Yeah?”
She picked up her recorder and switched it off as she spoke. “Can you give me the address of the Breckon Apartments? I’ve finished the interviews here and I’d like to get to the scene to do my survey.”
Chris started back out into the lounge. “ Airborne, grab your gear and go with .”
Raising an eyebrow, she said, “I have been in my fair share of burned out buildings before, Lieutenant. I know how to handle myself—I think I can manage on my own.”
She’d addressed him by rank to remind him that while they may have agreed there was something between them, she was here to do a job.
“You’re not going by yourself. It’s too dangerous,” Chris replied firmly. “I don’t think I need to remind you that a man is dead because of that building.”
A couple of the men from his crew cleared their throats. Martie felt her spine stiffen defensively, and she fought to keep the irritation out of her voice as she said, “No, Lt. Paytah, you don’t need to remind me. Nor should I need to remind you that Calvin Maynard is the reason I am here.”
S he grabbed her purse, stuffing the recorder into it and heading for the door. Martie heard Chris ordering Logan to go with her again, and she had half a mind to just take off and find the place on her own—it couldn’t be that hard. But as she was yanking the door of her car open, she made herself pause and take a calming breath. Certainly Chris knew she didn’t need a baby sitter. He was just concerned for her safety in a building that was at risk of structural collapse. In such a place, it was best to have a partner along in case of trouble.
“Lt. Liotta ?”
Martie turned to find Logan standing at the front end of the Sorento , his helmet in one hand and his turnout coat slung over the other arm. Wordlessly, she gestured to the passenger side, then climbed in behind the wheel.
***
Simon Temple had watched the boys from A-Shift leave , no doubt feeling the familiar rush of adrenaline cour sing through his veins—t hey all felt the thrill whenever heading out to a scene. Then Chris noticed him watching his exchange with Martie, had felt the younger man’s gaze on him as he ordered Logan to go with her a second time. He stayed standing at the end of the short hall that led to the office while the other man grabbed his helmet and bunker jacket, watching him hurry to catch up , before turning back toward the office. Simon followed wordlessly.
Reckless woman , he mused darkly. Why did she have to go and argue with him in front of his men? Didn’t she know he was just trying to look out for her? She’d worked the job herself—she had to know that going alone into a building weakened by fire—especially one as old as the Breckon Apartments—was foolhardy.
Chris sat down at the desk that still felt like it was Calvin’s and gestured for Simon to sit as well. “Have a seat,” he said gruffly.
Simon sat in the single visitor’s chair. “So, um, what can I do for you, Lieutenant?”
O pen ing a folder lying on the desk in front of him, Chris looked down at the paperwork inside, and then looked up at him. “I’m going to tell you something that I have n’t told anyone else
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