Sergeant.”
“If you like big dogs, then you’ve got to meet our friend Lucy,” Bennett said. “She’s got three of the most terrifying German Shepherds you’ve ever laid eyes on.”
Carter’s eyes gleamed. “German Shepherds are the most common breed used as police dogs. The New Jersey General Assembly actually tried to get a law passed to treat them the same as the human officers … so if someone were to shoot down a K-9 officer it would be the same as shooting a man! Isn’t that cool?” When neither James nor Bennett looked suitably impressed, Carter looked down at his bowl. “I visit a website about citizens who capture criminals. I guess it’s kind of a weird hobby, huh? Still, maybe your friend Lucy wouldn’t find it so strange. I’d like to meet her sometime.”
James almost choked on his cornbread. He didn’t want Bennett introducing Carter to Lucy. Why, she might fall in love with him and where would that leave James?
“Have you seen her?” James asked, trying to sound nonchalant.
“She was here earlier.” Bennett took a swallow of beer. “I saw her talking in a kind of serious way to Sheriff Huckabee.”
James looked around the room in hopes of spotting Lucy so that he could finally arrange a time to talk to her privately, but he didn’t see her. As his eyes wandered over the rows of townsfolk, they came to rest on a young man holding a cell phone to his ear. An attractive blonde was sitting next to him, and though she seemed to be batting her eyelashes and bumping her shoulder into his in order to get his attention, the man stared straight ahead with a look of horror spreading across his face.
Suddenly, James felt goose bumps erupt up and down his forearms. He stared as the young man snapped his cell phone shut, jumped up from the table, and headed directly toward where James watched in agitated fascination.
“Chief!” The young man urgently plucked the sleeve of a man seated behind James. The older man, who was deep in conversation with his tablemates, ignored his fellow firefighter at first, but the young man persisted. “Chief!” he said loudly. “There’s a fire!”
“Where, Brady, in the kitchen?” The chief and several of the other firefighters laughed and took fresh swigs of beer from their cups.
“No, sir. It’s the Polar Pagoda. That new ice cream place. It’s burning like crazy!”
The chief swung around to face Brady. “How do you know? We haven’t gotten a call.”
“My little brother just rode by there on his bike. He called me on my cell. The 911 call will probably come any second now, sir. We should get ready!”
Chief Lawrence looked down at his beer cup and then back at Brady. “You sure your brother ain’t just messin’ with you, rookie?”
“No, sir. He’s a good kid.” Brady fidgeted anxiously with his cell phone. “And there’s more, Chief!” he added, his voice rising a notch.
“What?” the chief demanded crossly, his eyes sweeping around the crowded room as he absorbed the possible problems of their situation.
“My brother said … well, he said he saw someone inside.”
At that moment, the alarm sounded.
As pandemonium erupted around him, James grabbed onto Bennett’s elbow and shouted, “Let’s go!” over the roar of the alarm.
Several firemen were shouting at a group of slow-moving patrons who had thoughtlessly parked their cars in front of the station house’s garage doors. It became quickly apparent that at least half a dozen firemen were perfectly sober as they expediently gathered their equipment and prepped the truck for an immediate departure. James couldn’t believe how little time it took before they were boarded and, with set expressions on their faces, clearly prepared to face whatever danger lay ahead.
“You’re blocking our truck!” Chief Lawrence roared at a flustered woman who squeaked and dropped her car keys onto the pavement. “Hurry, woman!” he yelled again, pulling on his jacket and helmet
“If you like big dogs, then you’ve got to meet our friend Lucy,” Bennett said. “She’s got three of the most terrifying German Shepherds you’ve ever laid eyes on.”
Carter’s eyes gleamed. “German Shepherds are the most common breed used as police dogs. The New Jersey General Assembly actually tried to get a law passed to treat them the same as the human officers … so if someone were to shoot down a K-9 officer it would be the same as shooting a man! Isn’t that cool?” When neither James nor Bennett looked suitably impressed, Carter looked down at his bowl. “I visit a website about citizens who capture criminals. I guess it’s kind of a weird hobby, huh? Still, maybe your friend Lucy wouldn’t find it so strange. I’d like to meet her sometime.”
James almost choked on his cornbread. He didn’t want Bennett introducing Carter to Lucy. Why, she might fall in love with him and where would that leave James?
“Have you seen her?” James asked, trying to sound nonchalant.
“She was here earlier.” Bennett took a swallow of beer. “I saw her talking in a kind of serious way to Sheriff Huckabee.”
James looked around the room in hopes of spotting Lucy so that he could finally arrange a time to talk to her privately, but he didn’t see her. As his eyes wandered over the rows of townsfolk, they came to rest on a young man holding a cell phone to his ear. An attractive blonde was sitting next to him, and though she seemed to be batting her eyelashes and bumping her shoulder into his in order to get his attention, the man stared straight ahead with a look of horror spreading across his face.
Suddenly, James felt goose bumps erupt up and down his forearms. He stared as the young man snapped his cell phone shut, jumped up from the table, and headed directly toward where James watched in agitated fascination.
“Chief!” The young man urgently plucked the sleeve of a man seated behind James. The older man, who was deep in conversation with his tablemates, ignored his fellow firefighter at first, but the young man persisted. “Chief!” he said loudly. “There’s a fire!”
“Where, Brady, in the kitchen?” The chief and several of the other firefighters laughed and took fresh swigs of beer from their cups.
“No, sir. It’s the Polar Pagoda. That new ice cream place. It’s burning like crazy!”
The chief swung around to face Brady. “How do you know? We haven’t gotten a call.”
“My little brother just rode by there on his bike. He called me on my cell. The 911 call will probably come any second now, sir. We should get ready!”
Chief Lawrence looked down at his beer cup and then back at Brady. “You sure your brother ain’t just messin’ with you, rookie?”
“No, sir. He’s a good kid.” Brady fidgeted anxiously with his cell phone. “And there’s more, Chief!” he added, his voice rising a notch.
“What?” the chief demanded crossly, his eyes sweeping around the crowded room as he absorbed the possible problems of their situation.
“My brother said … well, he said he saw someone inside.”
At that moment, the alarm sounded.
As pandemonium erupted around him, James grabbed onto Bennett’s elbow and shouted, “Let’s go!” over the roar of the alarm.
Several firemen were shouting at a group of slow-moving patrons who had thoughtlessly parked their cars in front of the station house’s garage doors. It became quickly apparent that at least half a dozen firemen were perfectly sober as they expediently gathered their equipment and prepped the truck for an immediate departure. James couldn’t believe how little time it took before they were boarded and, with set expressions on their faces, clearly prepared to face whatever danger lay ahead.
“You’re blocking our truck!” Chief Lawrence roared at a flustered woman who squeaked and dropped her car keys onto the pavement. “Hurry, woman!” he yelled again, pulling on his jacket and helmet
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