In Safe Hands (Search and Rescue #4)(76)

Her brain spun. No wonder Lou needed a whiteboard or an oversized pad of paper to organize her facts and theories. Keeping everything in her head was overwhelming and confusing. Daisy felt like she was thinking the same thoughts, the same questions, over and over. She looked at her phone where it was sitting quietly on her nightstand, and she was tempted to call someone.

Ellie had said she had trouble sleeping, but only when George was on a search and rescue call. Daisy had no way of knowing when and if he’d be gone, and she didn’t want to wake up anyone in the middle of the night. Just because she couldn’t sleep didn’t mean she should share her misery.

An odd glow in one of the upper windows of the vacant house caught her attention. She stared, thinking she had imagined it at first, but then it got stronger. The light reminded her of the Storvick girl’s night-light, just a muted illumination that was almost lost in the ambient light from the streetlamps.

The color was more orange than the night-light, though, almost an eerie red. Scooting closer to the window, Daisy stared at the odd glow, trying to puzzle out the source. It wasn’t right for a flashlight, although it might be if someone had a hand in front of the beam.

Although she didn’t want to take her eyes off the mysterious light, she needed to let someone know about it. She jumped off the window seat, grabbed her cell phone, and returned. Instead of sitting, she put one knee on the cushions and leaned forward.

The light was brighter, flickering and dancing, and Daisy sucked in a breath as she recognized the motion.

Fire.

The house was on fire. Fumbling a little, she pulled up the screen, planning to dial 9-1-1…but then she hesitated. If Libby or another dispatcher wanted her to talk to the sheriff before they sent the call to the fire department, the house could be burnt to the ground before anyone with hoses arrived. Instead, she pulled up her contacts and tapped on Ian’s number.

The ringing felt like it continued forever, and she wanted to cry when Ian’s recorded voice told her to leave a message. “Hi, Ian, it’s Daisy. The white house that’s for sale—the place two down from yours?—is on fire. I’m going to call Rory. Oh, it’s about two forty-five in the morning.”

She ended the call and called Rory. This time, there were only three rings before she answered. Although the other woman’s voice was a little gravelly, she sounded surprisingly alert, considering the time. “Daisy. What’s wrong?”

“The house across the street is on fire.”

Daisy heard a sucked-in breath. “Ian’s house?”

“No.” Even though Rory couldn’t see her, Daisy shook her head. “Sorry. No. It’s number 304. I see flames in the upstairs window.”

“Anyone inside?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Did you call Dispatch?”

“No. The sheriff—” Daisy cut herself off. It would take too long to explain, and the orange-and-red flickering was getting brighter. “I’ll explain later. Can you call it in?”

“I’m on it.” When Rory’s voice came again, it was muted, like her head was turned away from the phone. Daisy figured she was giving the information to Dispatch over her radio. “Daisy?”

“Yes?”

“Libby’s sending out the call. I’m at the shop, so I’m going to grab my gear and head out, but Ian and the other guys should beat me there. We’ll get there soon, okay?”

“Okay.” Daisy wasn’t sure why she was shaking. It wasn’t like she was the one who’d be fighting the fire. “Thanks, Rory.”

“Thank you, Daisy, for spotting it.”

It was terrible, watching the flames get brighter as she sat there and did nothing. She couldn’t take it any longer, so she focused her gaze on her phone. Chris would want to know, she decided, so she tapped his number. Like Rory, he answered quickly and sounded wide awake.

“Daisy. What’s going on?”

“Hey, Chris. Sorry to wake you, but the house with the blood is on fire.” She lowered her forehead to her palm. She’d been halfway coherent when she’d talked to Rory, so why had she gone into babbleland as soon as Chris picked up the phone?

“What? Did you call Dispatch?” he asked.

“No, because of the whole sheriff thing, but I got ahold of Rory, and she called it in.” She heard the faint wail of sirens. “I hear them coming.”

“Good. That was smart.” His last words were muffled, and the phone crackled.

“Chris? Are you still there?”

“I’m here.” The line sounded clear again. “I’m getting dressed. I’ll call you when I’m in the squad, okay?”

“Okay.”

The call ended, and she was back to being useless as the house burned. She looked away from the flames, trying to see if the fire had spread, but the other windows still looked dark. A shadow shifted on the far side of the house, grabbing her attention. She stared at the trees, trying to catch any other movement, but everything was still.

Deciding that it must have been her imagination, she returned her gaze to the glowing window. The sirens were getting louder, and the first engine turned into view, its flashing overhead lights blinding. To her relief, they cut the sirens as they pulled up in front of number 304.

The truck had barely stopped before three firefighters jumped out of the cab. Daisy recognized Ian, but the other two men were unfamiliar. They all seemed to know their individual tasks and moved with quick efficiency.