Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 118733 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 594(@200wpm)___ 475(@250wpm)___ 396(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 118733 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 594(@200wpm)___ 475(@250wpm)___ 396(@300wpm)
They reached their staging location and got out of the truck. Inside the fire station, the crew told him and Damian to grab lunch, which was chili and cornbread. One of the member’s wives had made their lunch, which was perfect for the weather.
Kent ate greedily. It was by far the best bowl of chili he’d had in a long time. After he filled his bowl for a second time, he couldn’t eat another bite, and thanked the crew member for sharing. The alarm bell didn’t startle him or anyone at the table. The firefighters moved with rushed precision as they put their turnout gear on.
“Station 49 and all ALS units, please respond to a two-car MVA with injuries and entrapment.”
“Shit,” Damian muttered as he tossed his napkin onto the table. He and Kent stood and ran out to their rig in the pouring rain.
“We knew it was going to happen,” Kent said after he’d alerted dispatch that they were headed to the scene.
“Never fails. It’s like people forget how to drive in the rain, when it literally rains every spring.” Damian sped toward the accident, which wasn’t far from the waterfront. Traffic had already backed up, and Damian had to lay on the horn to get cars to move. He yelled “Move!” many times, but some people wouldn’t budge. “We should be able to write tickets to these assholes.”
Kent agreed. “Not a small fine either. Something substantial. A grand, at least.”
“And more than three points on their license. They ignore us now. Need us later.” Damian shook his head as he maneuvered the rig around a car. Kent glared at the driver as they passed by him, but it didn’t matter. Some people flatly refused to move out of line.
Once they arrived on scene, Kent was out of the truck and at the rear in a rush to grab his things. He ran toward the first car, knowing Damian would take the second car until the other medics arrived. He crouched at the driver’s side of the mangled sedan and immediately sought the pulse of the driver. “Hold on. We’re going to get you out.” In the distance, Kent heard the blaring horns of the firefighters. The trucks had the hydraulic rescue tools, which they would need to use to get the driver out of his car.
Kent viewed the passenger and froze. She had an eerie resemblance to Maeve, but that was impossible. She should be at work right now. Not in some stranger’s car.
Maybe this is her boss?
No, that thought made little sense to Kent. Maeve hated her boss. She wouldn’t get into a car with him. Yet, his mind screamed at the woman in the passenger seat, referring to her as his girlfriend. He left the driver and raced across to the other side. Kent yanked on the handle of the door, and it easily opened. He dropped to his knees and surveyed the woman.
Somewhere a bloodcurdling scream erupted.
Damian sprinted toward Kent and stopped next to him. “What is it? Are you hurt?”
“Maeve!” Kent screamed. “Oh, God, Maeve.” Kent ignored Damian and reached for the c-collar. He fumbled with placing it around her neck, his fingers unwilling to work the way he needed them to. Damian pulled his hands away and took over, aggressively moving Kent out of the way. Kent fell onto his ass but scrambled to his knees and crawled toward Maeve.
“I need to help her.” Kent tried to force Damian out of the way. He yanked on his partner’s arm to clear the way. Damian’s strength prevailed, and he shoved Kent back again.
“Stay there.”
Kent sat on the sidewalk with his knees drawn to his chest. He watched the scene unfold around him, unable to do his job. Two of the firemen he had eaten lunch with were busy taking the car apart with the jaws, while his partner prepared Kent’s girlfriend for transport. The loud crunch of metal and glass being torn away from the vehicle made Kent’s stomach twist into knots. He had never been on this end of an accident before, and he wasn’t sure how to cope.
“Where do you need us?” Reeva asked when she and Isha arrived at the car.
“I need one of you to help the driver and one of you to stay with Kent until Captain Greig gets here.”
“I’ll stay with Kent,” Reeva said. She went over to him, squatted, and looked for any signs of injury. “Are you injured?”
“No.”
“Why are you sidelined?”
“That’s Maeve in there.”
Reeva asked him to repeat himself.
“That’s my girlfriend.” Kent pointed to the car. Reeva turned and examined the wreckage. Her expression told Kent everything he needed to know. He started to get up, but Reeva placed her hands on his shoulders and pushed him back down.
“You need to sit here and let Isha and Damian do their jobs.”