The Best Man (Blue Heron #1)(115)

“So great. So happy, now that she’s not stuck with an idiot, don’t you think?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Jeremy said. “He’s only an idiot maybe half the time. Sixty percent, tops. Hey, Carol! How’s your bursitis? You’re doing what I told you, right?”

“Jeremy, give me a hug,” Mrs. Robinson said. “You’re so handsome! Don’t make that face, just do it. You can have Levi arrest me on sexual harassment later.” She giggled like a twelve-year-old as Jeremy obliged.

At that moment, Levi’s phone buzzed. Dispatch. “Chief Cooper,” he said.

It was an MVA out on Route 154. A rollover, people inside, possible injuries. Not a job for Everett, in other words.

Within seconds, Levi was in the cruiser, lights and sirens on. No ice tonight; it was cold and dry. On his way out of town, he saw three volunteer firefighters heading to the station in their pickup trucks, blue lights flashing in the early dark of the November night. That meant Levi would be first on the scene.

Sure enough, he was. He parked across the road, aiming the headlights at the vehicle. “Car on its roof,” he said into the radio. “Someone’s trying to open the door. I’m investigating.”

He ran up to the Toyota minivan, which was flipped, having slid to the side of the road. Minimal damage. A blonde woman was yanking on the door. “My kids are inside, and the door’s stuck!” she yelled, hysteria edging her voice.

“Fire department and ambulance are on the way,” he said. “Don’t worry. I’m a cop and an EMT.”

“Thank God,” she said. “One minute we were fine, the next minute, a deer ran out, I jerked the wheel and we flipped. Should’ve hit the damn thing.”

“Mommy! Get us out!”

The road was flat, so the chances of the van rolling farther were small. The side window was broken; Levi lay on the asphalt and worked his way in. His leather jacket would protect him from the shattered glass, and with little kids in the car, he wasn’t going to wait for the fire department.

Both kids were strapped into booster seats, dangling upside down. No blood, though the older one was pretty pale. “Hey, guys,” Levi said. “You okay?”

“Get us out!” the bigger kid said. He was maybe six or seven.

“My juice spilled,” the younger one said.

“Oh, yeah?” Levi said. “You get it all over you?”

“Yes. It’s yucky.”

“That’s okay,” Levi said. No apparent injuries. “You’ll get dry soon. Anything hurt? Neck, stomach, anything like that?”

“I’m fine,” the little guy said.

“I’m scared,” said the older one.

“Well, I’ll stay with you till the fire department comes, how’s that?”

“Thank you,” the older boy whispered.

“It’s gonna be okay. Just a couple minutes more.” He glanced at the mother, who was squatting next to the car. “They’re doing all right, ma’am. I need you to step back a little, though.” She didn’t move. He didn’t blame her.

“Mommy’s right here,” she said to the boys. “Don’t be scared.”

“I’m not scared,” the younger kid said. “I’m really brave.”

“You’re both doing great,” Levi assured them. “Just hang tough.”

“I told them not to unbuckle,” the mom said.

“That was smart,” Levi told her. “How about you? You feel okay?”

“I’m fine,” she said. “A little banged up.”

In the distance, he could hear the sirens of the ambulance and fire trucks. “Boys, the fire department’s on the way. They’re gonna put a special brace on your necks to make sure you don’t get hurt, and then we’ll get you out of here, okay?”

“Can’t you get us out now?” the older kid said.

“It’s safer if we wait. They’re almost here. So, how old are you?” he asked, just to keep them talking and calm.

“I’m seven, and Stephen is four,” the older one said.

“Four and a half,” Stephen corrected.

“Got it. And what’s your name, big guy?” Levi asked. The siren was louder now.

“Cody.”

“I’m Levi. Nice to meet you.” Engine One pulled up, and Levi could hear Gerard Chartier on the radio.

“Levi, is that your ass hanging out of there?” a familiar voice called.

“Hey, Jess,” he answered. “Good to have you back in town.”

“Thanks, and why are you doing my job?”

“Guess who’s here?” he said to the boys. “The firefighters. You’ll be out in a few minutes.”

“I like upside down,” the younger kid said, and there was something familiar about him. Levi wondered if he’d seen them in town. Hard to tell from this angle.

“Hey, Chief,” Gerard said. “You want to do the honors, since you’re already in there?” He handed in a neck brace, and Levi fastened it around the younger kid’s neck, then did the same to Cody. Gerard got the cutter and clipped the hinges off the door.

“Keep them in the car seats and we’ll just carry them to the rig. I’ll check them out there,” Gerard said. He was a paramedic, the senior ranking member of the fire department.