Free One Fiery Night by Em Petrova Page B

work.”
    “My husband’s in there!” she shrieked. She had no idea why those words passed her lips, but it was too late to retrieve them. The police officer looked at her hard. Then he took her arm and led her through to where the fire trucks were parked end-to-end with nary a space between.
    “Stay here!” The police officer’s order sounded close to her ear. He ran up to a group of firefighters. One held a laptop and was issuing orders to another, who barked them to someone unseen.
    Maybe Luke.
    “Luke!”
    Her cry caused two men to jerk around. The one holding the laptop motioned her over. She stumbled across the pavement, which was soaked with water from the hoses. She never removed her gaze from the blackened building with fire shooting from the now exposed rafters.
    Through his mask, the fireman holding the laptop spoke to her in a muffled voice. “You’re his woman.”
    She nodded, her heart surging into her mouth and rendering her speechless. She wanted to plead for this man to communicate with Luke so she knew he was safe. Then again, Luke must be all right, or else the atmosphere wouldn’t be one of urgency, but of gloom.
    “Lucifer, do you have a visual on the victim?” The firefighter wearing a white hat spoke in a voice that carried above the flames and the rush of water.
    Josie locked her fingers together and fought to keep from crying or screaming or shaking someone. The man with the laptop pivoted to her again. “Lucifer, you might want to hurry your ass.”
    Her heart throbbed in anticipation.
    The man threw back his head and laughed. “Why, he asks? Tell him, Caps!”
    The firefighter who must be the captain focused on Josie. “We have a woman down here who claims to be your wife.” His dark eyes danced behind his mask.
    She didn’t know whether to shriek with glee or sob. Luke was far from being safe, and they had so much to discuss. But as long as he was alive, they’d have a chance to make things right.
    A deafening crack sounded.
    “Get out of there, Puckett!” the captain yelled. The other firefighter followed. The two exchanged a glance that turned Josie’s bowels to water.
    Hysteria rose in her sharply. She started forward and was snagged back, ripped off her feet. “Dammit, lady, you stay here or I’ll have you placed behind the police barricade!” the captain screamed.
    Water sloshed over her feet as she was set down in a puddle. She clutched her head and gave in to her terrified weeping. Tears spurted from her and pain was a hot coal in her chest. Where was Luke? Had the house really collapsed, leaving him trapped?
    She stared between her fingers at the inferno. Black smoke roiled from the brilliant flames, imprinting the sight on her eyes as if it were a negative. Colors flashed in her vision and dizziness swept her. Suddenly she felt as if she were riding the carousel with Maggie again, swooping around and around, trying to pick out Luke’s blue jacket with each rotation.
    The captain and the other crew members continued to yell for their team member. Apparently he wasn’t answering, or worse, wasn’t able to. A funereal pall settled over the scene. Paramedics shifted from foot to foot, obviously thinking there would be no victims to transport to the hospital.
    What kind of insanity was this? Why would Luke be sent into a situation like this alone? She thought firefighters always teamed up. She opened her mouth to scream this at the men around her who were doing absolutely nothing to help their fellow firefighter.
    Just then, a collective cry rang out. She snapped around and stared at the house fixedly, seeing nothing but violent tongues of fire licking out of the charred shell.
    “Where?” she cried frantically.
    A man pointed over her shoulder. “There!” Then he rushed past her and met the big figure who was burdened with a man on his shoulders. A sob broke from Josie and she released it, along with a cry of relief as she ran forward.
    “Luke!”
    He jerked as