Feisty Firefighters Bundle Read online

  ‘I’m not getting anywhere,’ he told her wearily. ‘Most managers quite rightly refuse to give out any information on their clients.’

  ‘Then let’s go and talk to them in person. Even if they won’t tell us anything, we can keep our eyes open and even snoop around a bit. We should make a list of all the less expensive places and visit them tomorrow. I’ll help as soon as my shift finishes. Are you going home again now?’

  ‘No, I think I’ll stay here tonight. She left Megan here the last time she wanted to make a point.’

  ‘She might go back to the house.’

  ‘She didn’t last night. I’ll go home to get some clothes in the morning and check to see if she’s left any kind of message.’

  The only message Shelley left was a broken window. Baby equipment and other items were missing but Jason couldn’t see any point in reporting the burglary to the police. There was no proof that it had been Shelley and they would be wasting valuable searching time by trying to persuade the authorities to become involved.

  Jason and Laura spent the whole of the day visiting the motels in person, trying to persuade people how important it was that they find Megan.

  ‘She’s got a medical condition,’ Laura invented desperately in the end. ‘And her mother hasn’t got the medication she needs.’

  ‘Try the police, then. It’s none of our business. How do we know you’ve got any right to be tracking her down, anyway?’

  ‘We could hire a private detective,’ Laura suggested late that afternoon. ‘They might be better at this than we are.’

  ‘What could they do that we’re not doing?’

  ‘I don’t know. They might have contacts to track things like credit-card use.’

  ‘She won’t need a card for a while,’ Jason said. ‘She cleaned out my wallet when she broke into the house and I had the rent money for a month in there.’

  ‘She’ll be in touch.’ Laura was trying to reassure herself as much as Jason. ‘As Stick pointed out, it’s you she wants. She’s just trying to show you that she’s capable of taking Megan away. She’s betting that you’ll be missing her enough to agree to anything to get her back.’

  ‘I am missing her. Crazy, isn’t it?’ Jason pulled Laura into his arms and held her tightly. ‘I know you’re worried about her just as much as I am but don’t worry. We’ll get her back…somehow.’

  ‘Are you coming into work tonight?’

  ‘May as well,’ Jason said grimly. ‘We’re not getting anywhere like this so we’re going to have to wait for her to contact us. Waiting for that will be a lot easier at work than sitting at home by myself.’

  It was a busy night for both the fire and ambulance crews. Laura hardly saw Jason and when they were diverted from returning to station after a job that finished at 6 a.m. she groaned aloud.

  ‘No sleep all night and now a job that will probably make us late and I really wanted to see Jason.’

  ‘Must be tough for you guys at the moment,’ Tim said sympathetically. ‘Have you got the details for this priority-one through on your pager yet?’

  ‘No. I don’t even know what suburb we’re supposed to be heading for.’ Laura picked up the radio handpiece. ‘Inglewood 950 to Control.’

  ‘Must be busy.’ Tim noted the length of time taken to respond. ‘We’ll just keep cruising for a minute.’

  ‘Towards the station,’ Laura suggested with a smile. ‘That way, if we’re too far away from the action they’ll have to send someone else.’

  ‘Yeah.’ Tim returned the smile but it faded quickly. ‘This business with Megan isn’t great for you, is it?’

  ‘You could say that.’

  ‘It’s funny, but I never thought Jason would be so cut up. He gave the impression that the sooner the mum came back to collect, the better.’

  ‘Things changed,’ Laura sighed. ‘He fell in love with his baby.’

  ‘And with you?’ Tim suggested softly.

  ‘With the whole package,’ Laura corrected. ‘He doesn’t want to lose the family he was given.’

  ‘I can understand that,’ Tim said. ‘And I can under-’

  Whatever else Tim understood was never made clear. The radio crackled into life abruptly.

  ‘Inglewood 950. Priority-one callout. Standby for house fire. Code 61 in attendance.’

  Code 61 was the fire service. Maybe Laura would get to see Jason after all. She pushed the button on the side of her microphone.

  ‘Roger. What address?’

  Tim had the beacons going. He caught Laura’s eye, waiting for the street name. There was no point in picking up speed until they knew they were heading in the right direction.

  ‘Crighton Terrace.’ The dispatch officer’s tone was perfectly calm. ‘No number given.’

  Tim’s gaze was still on Laura and his eyes widened to reflect her own alarm. He hit the siren and pushed his foot down hard on the accelerator.

  Crighton Terrace.

  Jason’s street. Had Shelley decided to make even more of a point than simply breaking into Jason’s house? Was it burning to the ground right now?

  And where in God’s name was Megan?

  CHAPTER TEN

  J ASON’S house was not on fire.

  Laura let out a sigh of relief as they turned into Crighton Terrace. The two fire appliances, beacons lighting up the overcast grey of the dawn sky, were parked at the end of the street beside the old deserted house.

  ‘Probably arson,’ she decided aloud. ‘No one’s lived in that place for months, which would make it a tempting target.’

  ‘Can’t see any flames.’ Tim sounded vaguely disappointed as he parked well clear of the activity surrounding the fire trucks. ‘Bit of smoke, though.’

  They skirted a pair of firemen from another station who were unrolling and coupling long lengths of hose. Bruce was standing beside the control panel of the Inglewood appliance. Laura couldn’t see Jason anywhere and assumed he must be on the other end of the hose leading through the open front door of the house.

  ‘Anyone injured?’ Tim queried.

  ‘Not yet.’ Bruce waved towards where their ambulance was parked, its back doors open and the empty stretchers visible. ‘Take a pew and put your feet up for a while.’

  ‘Anyone inside the house?’

  ‘Not that we know of. Jase tells us it’s been empty for a while. Early morning jogger saw the smoke coming out from under the eaves as he ran past.’

  ‘Can we get a bit closer?’ Tim enjoyed watching a different service at work.

  ‘Sure. Just watch you don’t trip over any hoses. Or firemen.’

  Laura was staring at the house that had become a familiar landmark during her walks with Jason and Megan. She could see fingers of flame reaching out through the smoke billowing out from under the eaves. Only one corner of the house seemed to be involved at present, on both storeys. Her gaze tracked along the side of the house as she wondered where Jason might be.

  ‘Who’s upstairs?’

  ‘What?’ Bruce had to shout over the sounds of the pump and other fire officers being deployed nearby from the second appliance.

  ‘I saw someone.’ Laura pointed. ‘At that window.’

  ‘What?’ Bruce jerked his gaze away from the panel of instruments. ‘Are you sure?’

  ‘Yes. Look!’ The shape appeared again, a shadowy outline due to the drifts of smoke.

  ‘We haven’t got anyone upstairs. The staircase is dodgy.’ Bruce was reaching for his radio. ‘Jase? Can you hear me?’

  A crackling sound came back. ‘Affirmative.’

  ‘Looks like there’s someone upstairs.’

  A swear word came back this time. ‘Roger. Send in a ladder. We’ll get in at-’

  But Laura didn’t wait to hear what was planned for the ladder. She had been focussing on another window at the far corner of the house from the flames. She had seen the person again and this time a puff of wind had cleared the drift of smoke for a fraction of a second. Just long enough to r