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

the kitchen. Riley saw the
shadows in his face. It hit him suddenly. “You’re nervous, aren’t
you?”
    “Hell, yeah. This thing, you know, between us
is so new. I…” He shrugged.
    Riley clapped his father on the back. “Don’t
worry, Dad. Jack Harrison is a good guy. He’ll help us both.”
    oOo
    Week 5 after the breakup
     
    IT WAS SO exciting, Jane almost
couldn’t stand it. The officer on a day shift at Ladder 5 was sick
and Jane had been designated as his sub for her first shot at
lieutenant. The only dark spot was that Riley had lost his
officer’s appointment and she could only imagine how he was
feeling.
    No, don’t think about him. She, had of
course in the five weeks since their breakup, but she wouldn’t
today.
    Her group had been called to a house fire
right near the station and arrived in three minutes flat. “Ready
for your first foray?” Lisa Beth asked as she swerved the truck
onto the fire ground. She’d been surprised to find Lisa Beth
subbing, too, though rumor had it she did a lot of that.
    “You betcha. You gotta have my back,
girl.”
    “Of course. We women stick together.”
    Jane grinned.
    A rescue squad had been brought in, too, but
from the looks of the small house and the gray smoke, the call
would be routine. The captain of that squad came over to her.
“Phillips, good to see you.”
    “Thanks, Cap.”
    “Your people need to ventilate the roof. When
you’re ready, give me the signal and I’ll send my guys inside.”
    Soon, a ladder had been heeled by one member
of the crew, the K-12 saw lugged up by another, and she and Lisa
Beth ascended the rungs one behind the other. Lisa Beth positioned
herself along the cut line the first two had marked off, and, using
halligans, the three of them ripped back the dark shingles as Jane
walked around the roof.
    Something didn’t feel right.
    She jumped up and down on a section near the
middle.
    Just as she heard, “We’re ready, Lieutenant,”
from one of the guys, and the loud buzz of the saw, Jane realized
what was wrong.
    “Stop right now, all of you,” she shouted
over the noise. “Head down the ladder fast.”
    “What the hell?” one man asked when the saw
suddenly stopped.
    “I said go! The roof’s spongy. It’s gonna
cave.”
    The two men and Lisa Beth followed her orders
and descended quickly. Jane was right behind them as soon as they
jumped off the ladder. She was four rungs down when the roof
collapsed.
    The ladder shuddered under the force.
    Jane grabbed the steel railings but lost her
footing and slid downward.
    She woke up to pain. “Oh, fuck.” She hurt all
over.
    “Hold still.” Lisa Beth’s voice. “You slid
down the ladder and hit your head. Then you blacked out. You’re
stretched out on the ground near a shade tree.”
    “C-can I walk?”
    “The three of us tried to break your fall, so
I think you’re gonna be okay. No broken limbs. You didn’t even
crack the skin on your skull.”
    She braced her hands on the ground to sit up
and pain shot out from every nerve ending. “I can’t believe I’m
okay. I hurt all over.”
    “You aren’t gonna be dancing the tango
anytime soon.”
    She closed her eyes. “I want Riley.”
    Lisa Beth stilled. “Yeah, it’s normal that
you would.” After a minute, she sat back and crossed her legs. “I
don’t know what he did, but I’ll tell you, honey, he’s a changed
man this last month.” She waited. “He even brought his dad to the
firehouse one day.”
    “I didn’t know that.” Tears clouded her eyes.
“Shit! Don’t let the guys see me so emotional.”
    “Wouldn’t think of it.”
    When she finally could sit up, Lisa Beth
helped her, gave her water and some ibuprofen. They stayed in the
shade for a bit and watched the action. Flames shot out of the
house, through the roof, windows, everywhere.
    “It’s fully involved,” Jane observed.
    “Yeah, somebody missed something.” Lisa Beth
waited. “You saved our lives, you know.”
    “Oh,