Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 90721 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 454(@200wpm)___ 363(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90721 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 454(@200wpm)___ 363(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
I’d followed those rules to the T until the last fire, and I couldn’t keep that promise anymore. I needed back up and reinforcements or even more people were going to die.
Both ambulances were gone, indicating that Baylee wasn’t currently at the station, which was good because I needed to talk to Allen, and I’d rather do that without having to explain everything to her first.
I’d been keeping an eye on the paper and news and, so far, there’d been well over twenty fires between Kilgore, TX and Benton, LA that fit the same MO. When my own Captain wouldn’t listen to me, it was time to take the info I got and bring it to someone else. Someone that would actually give a fuck.
“Can I help you, sir?” A dark haired man about mid-twenties asked.
I knew instantly it was Jack’s brother, Tai. There was no denying those genes.
I held out my hand for the younger man to shake and I introduced myself. “My name’s Sebastian Mackenzie. I’m here to see Chief Allen.”
The man surveyed me from the tips of my black boots to the black hat that was covering my head. “Chief’s in his office. Do you know where that’s at?”
After receiving directions, I made my way through what had to be a living room, past the women and then men’s bunkrooms, and then finally made it to the offices.
Chief Allen’s office was located at the very end of the long hallway with the door standing wide open.
The office looked to be a spare gear room as well, because along the sides of the room were extra oxygen tanks, bunker gear, masks and... “Are those mannequins giving each other head?”
My voice didn’t startle Allen. Although I didn’t trying to mask my presence, he very well could’ve heard my boots hitting the wood floor on my way back there. That, or Tai had called ahead and warned him.
Allen smiled and glanced at the CPR dummies in the corner. “My employees find it funny to position them in new and exciting ways every day. ”
At a closer examination, I realized that there was also a dummy positioned underneath the two, hip to hip with the closest dummy. “You’ve got some mature employees.” I surmised.
Allen laughed. “It’s all fun and games. Especially with the tension in the air lately. We’re all on pins and needles just waiting for another arson call to come in. What can I help you with?”
Allen stood and gestured at the seat that was positioned in front of his desk.
I sat, crossed my right ankle over my left knee, and then blew out a long breath. “We need to talk.”
Thirty minutes later, Allen was walking with me, side by side, towards my Harley. “I understand where you’re coming from, son. I’ll have a talk with our investigator, as well as Longview’s investigator. You’ll be hearing from me as soon as I speak with them. Have you reconsidered my job offer yet?”
The abrupt change in direction surprised me.
Leaning against my bike, facing Allen, I shook my head. “Nah. Not really. I love my job, and the location. The main thing, though, is that I don’t want to make it awkward with Baylee and me. We’ve gotten pretty serious, and I don’t want to jeopardize that in any way. For now, I’ll decline.”
Allen’s weathered face looked pleased when I’d mentioned Baylee. “That girl really loves to talk. We know all about your son, and the Wardens. She’s very proud of you.”
My heart warmed at the knowledge that Baylee spoke of me often. Especially to those she called her closest friends.
Just as I was about to reply, the chief’s cell phone chimed, making him remove it from the holder on his belt.
After seeing the expression on the chief’s face, and then his worried glance in my direction, I knew immediately it had to do with Baylee.
Coming off my bike slowly, I stood with my arms crossed, waiting somewhat patiently for the Chief to finish his call. When I finally did, I wished what I’d heard had come from someone else. So that I could have the illusion of doubt. That maybe it wasn’t true since it wasn’t coming from the top.
But Allen was the top.
And that meant that Baylee was going to get throttled.
Maybe not right away, but as soon as she healed from the broken ribs she was now sporting, thanks to the psychotic drunk guy that tried to refuse transport, and then kicked the ever loving shit out of Baylee when she tried to make him.
“You want a ride?”
“Nah,” I thanked him and headed for my bike. “Her brother doesn’t really like me so much. I may need a way to leave before it’s all said and done.”
Allen chuckled before walking to his KDP issued SUV, flipped on the lights, and headed out of the parking lot.
From what I could tell from the little info we’d been given on the stubborn woman, she was perfectly healthy despite two broken ribs and a sore upper body.
By the time I walked into the ER with Allen, and found my wayward woman, I was really worked up.
Baylee was laying on her back, her feet up and resting flat on the bed in front of her.
Her wavy hair was up in a messy knot on the top of her head, and the white little tank top she usually wore underneath her clothes was now on display, as were her tits, stained a deep scarlet.
I walked up to the side of Baylee’s bed. She was wide-awake and staring at me with fear in her eyes. “Hey.” She said hesitantly.
One eye was swollen, and a scratch above her eye accounted for the blood that stained her front. My body gave a shudder at seeing all that blood just from a tiny little wound. I’d known the disease she had made her bleed but, seriously, how was I supposed to handle this shit? What would happen if she actually had a major wound? Would she bleed out faster? Would she live?