All I Need Read online

  “Maybe we can talk sometime about the methods I use. I got them all from Delaney Shaw.”

  “I’ve heard of her. The miracle worker with firefighters' kids.” She shrugged. “Maybe.” She lifted her chin. “You said two things. What else?”

  Chase jammed his hands in the trousers of his fire department uniform. “I apologize for the firefighters in there who were rude to you.”

  “You don’t have to protect me from them, Chief. I can hold my own.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Correcting Warren’s language. Standing when I come in. Holding out my chair.”

  “I’m showing respect.”

  “It makes me seem weak.”

  “Are you serious?”

  “Yes.”

  “You know, Vanessa, if you were a little more real with them, like you’ve shown me you could be, you might make more headway.”

  With that, he turned and strode away from her. Kassie wasn’t the only one making three steps forward and two backward.

  * * *

  Thinking of Chase’s advice about telling Holly what she wanted from her, Vanessa showed up at the condo at four p.m. She still had work to do today, but she came as soon as she thought her daughter would be out of school.

  Holly greeted her in the doorway, still wearing her pink canvas jacket. “Mom, this a surprise. I just got home.”

  “I hope I’m not rushing you. I wanted to get this to you before you started dinner.” She held up two shopping bags from Casa Italiano, a favorite restaurant in Rockford.

  Holly sniffed. “Smells delicious.”

  “I thought I’d bring dinner.”

  Holly’s eyes widened. She didn’t want Vanessa here.

  “Oh, I won’t stay. This is for you and my parents. They used to love Italian food. It should be enough for a couple of nights’ worth of meals.”

  Holly’s face softened and she looked at Vanessa like she used to. “I’d love to have you share the dinner with us Mom, but Grandpa...”

  “I know he doesn’t want to spend time with me.”

  “But I do. Come in for a visit at least.”

  “I’d love that.”

  As Holly took off and hung up her coat, Vanessa entered the condo. Her heart sank at the notion this was the first time she’d been here. “This is very nice,” she said, gesturing to the foyer which flowed into a large living room. All had high ceilings. “I like the light wood.”

  The pieces she’d chosen for the living room—two padded mission chairs, a large screen TV and exquisite tapestry couch and loveseat—were similar to the contents of the house she’d grown up in.

  “And the space flows so well.”

  “Yeah, that was a selling point. The dining room is part of the kitchen and overlooks the living room so there’s no wasted area.” She nodded to the bags. “Let me take one.”

  The cooking area was a small galley kitchen, perfect for a single woman. They unpacked the food together. Suddenly, Vanessa was hit by a memory...

  Mommy, can I go grocery shopping with you tonight... Mom, I can unpack bags, too... Teach me to cook, please.

  But the good memories were ambushed by the fact that once Vanessa started climbing the political ladder in Rockford, she’d sometimes said no to those things. She could do them faster by herself.

  “Shall we leave out a dish or two for tonight?” her daughter asked, pulling Vanessa from the thoughts. “Grandma and Grandpa like to eat early.”

  “Yes, of course.”

  After choosing gnocchi with vodka sauce and sides of meatballs, they placed the rest in the fridge and Holly turned to her. “Would you like some coffee? I usually have a cup when I get home.”

  Oh, God. They hadn’t done anything like this in five years. Vanessa knew it was a small thing, but it mattered so much to her. “O-of course.”

  They sat with the kind of peanut butter/chocolate kiss cookies Vanessa used to make with Holly when she was little, chit-chatting about the house like a normal mother and daughter. But after a while, they heard from the doorway, “What are you doing here?”

  Her father’s booming voice interrupted, ended, maybe ruined all that.

  * * *

  The next day, Dylan O’Roarke opened the door to his cabin in the woods more harried than Chase had ever seen him. Even in the midst of a rolling fire, he was calmer than this.

  “Everything okay? Chase asked.

  “Are you kidding? Only thirty-six hours alone with the Holy Terror and I’m about to collapse.”

  Chase tried to hide a smile. “Beth’s away, you said on the phone.”

  “Yeah, and he knows it. He’s bein’ bad on purpose.”

  Chase sighed. “My son did that when I had to be away.” Of course, Chase has been his primary caregiver.

  “Hell, I’m keeping you outside. Come on in. He’s asleep now but that never lasts long.”

  Chase entered the cabin. He’d thought overnight about questioning one of his men, and decided Dylan could take it. He sat on the comfortable light brown couch across from a recliner where O’Roarke dropped down. This place, with its log walls and rustic furnishings, had always been beautiful, but now the rooms had Beth’s stamp on them. Except of course for the toys strewn all over and what might be a dirty diaper on an end table. “I won’t keep you.”

  “Please, keep me.”

  “I have something to ask you. I want you to know I’m not accusing you of anything.” Best to get right to the point. “Do you remember the fire that happened on April 15th?”

  His dark brows furrowed. “Yeah, sure. The mayor’s parents were hurt. How are they?”

  “They’re out of the hospital. Staying with their granddaughter.”

  “Does this involve me, Chief?”

  “The last time the fire alarms in that house were checked, you were subbing as the officer for Truck 8.”

  “Oh, yeah. Pat Green had an emergency. The truck went on Elder Patrol.”

  “Elder Patrol?”

  “That’s what the guys call these check-ins.” His eyes widened. “We went to check the alarm at the Jordans and another home. But just as we arrived at the Jordans’, the truck got a flat tire.”

  “Did you go in with the man who checked the alarm?”

  “No. We needed three of us to change the tire. And it had to be done right away, because our appointment for the next house was in a half hour.”

  “You’re aware two people are supposed to go in.”

  He raked a hand through his unruly hair. It seemed like it hadn’t been washed in a while. “I am, Chief. I screwed up.”

  “But Warren went inside.”

  “Of course. I asked about the alarms once the tire was fixed. He said he checked all three. But I should’ve sent someone with him. It wouldn’t have taken that long.”

  “As your chief, I’m telling you yes, you should have. As a firefighter, I understand the circumstances. I probably would have done the same thing.”

  “You can put a reprimand in my folder. I won’t hold it against you.”

  O’Roarke was one of the good guys. He had a checkered past in firefighting, but that was years ago. “You haven’t had any reprimands since you got together with Beth, have you?”

  A grin the size of Texas spread across his face. “Nope. She’s the best thing that ever happened to me.”

  “I’m happy for you, Dylan.”

  A screech came from down the hall. “Dad-dy.”

  Dylan leaned back into the cushion and briefly closed his eyes. “My master calls.” He started to get up.

  Chase felt sorry for the guy and stood, too. “Now I’ll talk to you as a father. Why don’t you take a few hours off? I’m done for the day, and could take Timmy to my house. The girls would love it.”

  “Are you serious?”

  He sounded so desperate, Chase laughed. “Yeah, Dad, I’m serious.”

  “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”

  Pretending offense, Chase stepped a
nd held up his palm. “No hugs, O’Roarke. Now get out of sight before I get the kid up. If he doesn’t see you, it’ll be better.”

  “There’s a diaper bag on his changing table. I keep it stocked.”

  “All right. Now go.”

  “Okay. I’m gone. To my bedroom. To nap.”

  * * *

  Maybe it was because Vanessa was tired. Or that she’d called to see her parents at lunchtime, and her father, who answered the phone, snapped out that her mother was sound asleep and not to come. But for whatever reason, Dawson Billings was getting on her nerves tonight.

  “You seem disturbed. Isn’t the fish done to your taste?” he asked from across his dining room table. He lived in a modern glass and chrome house in the most upscale part of Rockford, Brighton.

  “It’s done perfectly.” She sipped the expensive merlot. “I’m still catching up from the fire.”

  “Ah. Any news on the cause?”

  “Some. The fire alarms were all destroyed, so we can’t inspect them here. They’re being sent to a special lab in Syracuse, but they’re pretty well incinerated. We should know if they find anything in a couple of days. It’s a mystery why they didn’t work, since the firefighters swear they checked the alarms not long before.”

  “It’s possible your parents didn’t hear them go off.”

  “I suppose. But older people don’t tend to sleep that soundly.”

  “Maybe they took a sleeping pill.”

  Now that was possible. Vanessa wasn’t privy to the more private things in her parents’ lives. Holly probably knew. She’d ask her.

  “And their house?”

  “Uninhabitable. They’re staying with Holly now.” She shook off the notion. “Let’s table this topic.”

  He chuckled. “Any blowback from Parks and Recreation? People are still laughing about how you busted Cook’s balls at the council meeting last week.”

  Chase would never have used the vernacular like that, though she wasn’t offended by it. So why did she even have the thought?

  “I was doing what I was brought on for, Dawson. Keeping a tight rein on the budget. I wasn’t out to get Larry or his department.”

  “I’ll bet he didn’t think so.”

  “Actually, he did. He called me after the meeting and said he’d like to go over those grants I suggested.”

  “Huh. Somebody must have set him straight.”

  Chase? He’d been with Lawrence when she approached them.

  To change the subject again, she asked, “How are your kids? Grandkids? I love hearing about them.”

  “My daughter called on her regular night. Her husband might be transferred to Syracuse, which would mean I’d get to see her more.”

  “What about her job?”

  “It’s ancillary to his. Not all women want careers, Vanessa.”

  Was that a knock against her life style? No, she was being overly sensitive.

  When they finished, she stood and reached for the plate. “I’ll clean up.”

  “Nonsense. We’ll put our dishes in the sink, and when Maria comes in the morning, she can do it.”

  Maria was his housekeeper. She came every day, which seemed overkill, but Dawson was a perfectionist. She also took care of his clothing, did errands. She’d cooked this meal and left it for them. To his credit, he paid her phenomenally, especially since she could leave whenever she finished and didn’t have restricted hours.

  When the dishes were cleared, he grasped her elbow. “Come into the living room for a drink.”

  She glanced at the grandfather clock in the corner of dining room. “It’s late, and I need to catch up on some sleep.”

  “You’re leaving?”

  “I am.” Sometimes she stayed overnight. They had a satisfying sexual relationship with no strings attached, which was the way she wanted it.

  Dawson gave her a disapproving look. She ignored his displeasure and left soon after. Once in the car, she took out her phone and checked her messages. There were six emails, which she’d take care of later. Eight texts. And two phone calls. She’d deal with them later, too, she thought, until she saw one at the bottom from Chase Talbot. Sitting in the car, she pressed voice mail.

  “Hello, Vanessa. I’d like an update on your parents’ health, and I’d also want to meet soon to discuss where we go from here on the investigation. Bob Zeleny said he’d have something for us by Sunday night. Are you free for dinner then?”

  Dinner, hmm. But she needed to consult the fire marshal and had planned to call him after he’d had time to determine the facts.

  Vanessa put away her phone. As she backed out of Dawson’s long, winding driveway, she thought about Chase.

  He was a genuinely nice guy.

  She respected his taking on two girls at his age.

  At his age? He looked great at fifty. She noticed how well he’d aged.

  He seemed to be a competent fire chief, though she thought he was too lax with his men and women. But he made it a point to hire a lot of female firefighters for the department.

  She was halfway home before she realized she was enumerating his good points. Hell. She had to keep her guard up against all the men in power in Rockford or they’d eat her alive. With that in mind, she drove the rest of the way thinking about other things.

  Chapter 5

  * * *

  Joe exited his condo through the garage just as Holly came out of her side. She was dressed for work, except she had her slippers on. “Hey, Joe,” she called out as she headed toward him. “You’re probably on your way to work, but I wanted to mention that my grandparents would like to thank you at some point for all you did in the fire.”

  He gestured down at her slippers. “Pretty casual work shoes.”

  “Oh, I don’t have to leave for a half hour.”

  He checked his watch. “I’m early, too.” He liked to get to the firehouse before the shift started, to read his emails and check in with the night officer. “Are your grandparents up?”

  “Of course. At the crack of dawn for both of them.”

  “I could come in now. I have time for a cup of coffee that you make with the real beans.”

  “Great.” She preceded him inside, and as soon as he entered, he sniffed. “What smells so good?”

  “Grandma’s cinnamon buns. You can have one with your coffee if you have time.”

  “I always have time for pastries.”

  They entered the kitchen and found her grandparents sitting at the table. The woman was white-haired, with a small build.

  Holly said, “Joe was free now,” and to him, “They knew I was trying to catch you.”

  Her grandpa was seventy, she’d told him, but his eyes were sunken with dark circles beneath and he still had red burns on his face, making him look a decade older. He held out his hand, his expression grave. “Hello, young man. We wanted to thank you for rescuing us during the fire.”

  “And for helping out Holly.” Her grandma stood, too. Up close, he could see that Holly resembled her with her blue eyes and thick hair. “She said you were a godsend.”

  “My team got you out, Mr. and Mrs. Jordan. A rescue is never one person. But yeah, I stayed with Holly.”

  “Sit down, Joe,” Holly told him.

  She poured him coffee and put plenty of cream and sugar in front of him. The scent of a cinnamon bun wafted up to him when she set that down, too.

  The elder Jordans took their places again. Her grandmother repeated, “We can never thank you enough.”

  “Sure you can. Anytime you make these...or other pastries, save me one, Mrs. Jordan.”

  “That we can do. And call us Edward and Ella.”

  He noticed her grandfather staring out the window, silent and solemn. Well, the guy had had a rough few days.

  “Joe has grandparents here, too. They live in Dutch Towers. His grandma cooks like you do.”

  “Oh. How nice for you.” Ella again.

  In a casual tone, Joe offered, “Maybe you’ll get
to meet them some day.”

  Edward stood abruptly. “If you’ll excuse me, Joe, I seem to be tiring again. Good to meet you.”

  “Are you okay, Grandpa?” Joe hated hearing the familiar-from-the-hospital concern in Holly’s voice. “You could need another hyperbaric session.”

  “No need. I’m feeling my age.” The older man trudged out.

  Ella said, “I’m sorry. He’s not himself.”

  “He’s entitled, Ella. You both went through a trauma. You’ll have some effects of that for a while, both physically and emotionally.”

  “Now that he’s gone, I’d like to ask you about Dutch Towers.” She lowered her voice. “Edward shies away from elder communities, but I’m beginning to think that’s the answer for us.”

  “I could take you over some time. You could meet my grandparents and see the complex.”

  “How sweet. But we don’t want to ask more of you.”

  “No bother. Holly could come along.”

  They made chitchat for a while, then Joe rose and took his dishes to the sink. When he came back to the table, he didn’t sit again. “I have to get to work.”

  Ella stood and gave him a hug. “Thank you again, Joe.” She had tears in her eyes. “I don’t know what would have happened without the fire department.”

  “Anytime you need anything, call us. We’re only minutes away.”

  Holly walked him out. They stopped in front of her garage. “You are such a nice guy,” she said at the doorway.

  “Shh. Don’t tell my team. I try to keep that side of myself out of the firehouse.”

  Holly’s laugher rang through the early morning. Then, she hugged him. A warm, body-against-body hug. He carried the sensation all the way to work.

  * * *

  “God, I like this place.” Trevor Tully grinned hugely as he scanned Pumpers. The rookie loved everything about firefighting.

  Long and narrow, Pumpers was a true smoke-eater’s hangout. Job-related memorabilia, commendations and laminated news articles lined the walls. The owner, Jimmy McKenna, mopped up the long mahogany bar. He kept the place as spotless as the firehouse he’d once worked in. Right now, the room smelled like beer and popcorn, a welcome scent.