Free Fire Angel by Susanne Matthews Page A

moved to a steady glow.
    â€œThanks.”
    Jake smiled weakly at her. She was pleased to see that his color was coming back.
    â€œThank you,” he said squeezing the fingers he had not released. “I owe you one.”
    She laughed. “Don’t worry; I’ll probably collect.”
    The Hummer rolled to a stop just outside the barrier that had been erected to hold back the crowds. Alexis counted four fire engines: two pump and ladder trucks, a turntable ladder apparatus, and an older model hook and ladder truck. Although thick black smoke seemed to pour out from everywhere, only one half of the building was afire. A sudden thought came to mind — had something gone wrong at Duffy’s? Fire was unpredictable and in an environment such as a garage, the chances for error were huge.
    Alexis recognized that the fire was clearly in its second stage and it would be a miracle if anyone were found alive in the structure now. The fire would continue to consume any oxygen it could find until there was none left, and then it would smolder until it either reignited or died completely.
    The aerial ladder was deployed against one of the second floor windows while the firefighters waited for the go-ahead from the guys on the roof before breaking it to enter the second floor of the building. Until the roof was opened, any sudden and improper ventilation could result in either a flashover or a backdraft, both of which were deadly.
    Once Alexis had time to get a good look at the building, she easily recognized it for what it was — a renovated elementary school, the one she herself had attended. If memory served, there were two floors of what had been classrooms — six on each level plus four student washrooms, two per floor. At the east end of the building an addition had housed the school offices, the teachers’ lounge, and the gymnasium.
    She turned to Jake as Pierre radioed their location to the dispatcher.
    â€œHow long has it been a shelter? I went to school here.”
    â€œAbout a dozen years ago, they built a combined high school-elementary school on the other side of town and turned this into a boot camp for juveniles. Look at the windows — some of them are still barred. That probably didn’t help those who are trapped inside, although those should be communal areas, not bedrooms or dorms. When the government shut down the program, the building sat vacant. About three years ago, the local Christian Council took over. Now, it’s a shelter for runaways and victims of domestic abuse. It doesn’t fit his profile, so it may not be our guy.”
    Alexis got out of the Hummer. She followed Jake, watching him navigate the hoses and other paraphernalia that littered the street. He stopped next to a police car parked beside the fire marshal’s yellow Ford. Farther down the street were more vehicles belonging to the officers who tried to control the crowd of onlookers. Over on the left, inside the police perimeter were three ambulances and an EMT truck. Paramedics were working on a half dozen people wrapped in blankets and loading them into the ambulances.
    Alexis looked around at the crowd of spectators. She lifted her camera and took half a dozen photos. She sensed eyes on her; could it be her stalker? She closed her eyes and let her mind reach out in an effort to find the person staring at her. If it were the arsonist, the fire would connect them. Even if the Fire Angel had not set this fire, he would definitely be watching; a blaze this size would be too hard for him to resist. Whoever had set it would be close enough to feel the heat, smell it, and watch its flames. She sensed the connection coming at her from above.
    Alexis turned towards the nearby buildings, those with the best view of the spectacle. There was a church with a steeple on the left that might fit the bill, as could any of the duplexes and three-floor apartment buildings across the street. Those roofs would