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Mike darted a glance to the doorway, making sure Ryan’s wife wasn’t within earshot. The guys spoke more freely without the family listening. “I believe so, too. When that house exploded, you flew through the air like a cannonball.”
“Still feels as though a giant beat me with a sledge hammer. Some training exercise. Did someone forget to tell me the plan?”
“At least you can joke about it.”
Ryan gave a shrug. “I’ve done that same maneuver a hundred times. Never had a house knock me on my ass like that before.” Ryan had been with the fire department for fifteen years. Excellent at his job, he had instructed several training exercises.
“Damn, I’m sorry man.”
“Weren’t your fault.”
Jared filled in the lapse of silence. “We visited you at the hospital, but you were pretty out of it.”
“Sorry, guys. I didn’t know. The drugs made me sleepy, and the doctors said sleep was the best thing I could do.”
“How bad was it?” Maybe he shouldn’t ask, but Ryan didn’t seem to mind talking about his injuries. As a firefighter, Mike knew the team would want to know.
“My injuries were worse from the power of the blast than the burns. The suit protected my body, but the burst went under my mask.” Ryan lifted his hand toward his face. “You can see for yourself I’m not as pretty as I used to be.”
Ryan hadn’t lost his sense of humor.
“They had to dig a piece of metal out of my thigh. I’ve got staples from my knee to my groin. Broken arm, a few broken ribs.”
“Christ, man.” Jared blew out in a huff.
Ryan looked Mike in the eye. “They told me no one else was hurt. Is that true?”
“Not seriously. A few bruises, a few scrapes. The new recruits tackled the scene like true firefighters doing their job. Good thing, since we needed every man.”
“What the hell happened?”
Mike and Jared looked at each other.
“Come on guys. Don’t hold out on me. Anybody with half a brain would know that was a fucked-up disaster.”
“Hooley is on the case,” Mike replied.
Ryan gave a nod and Jared continued where Mike left off.
“We’ve knocked this scenario between our heads over and over again. Every guy on our team has studied and dissected the events of that day. We came up with shit. Someone had to tamper with the training site. We just can’t figure out how.”
“The place is taped off. No one is allowed back on site. If you ask me, the way things happened, the explosion was deliberate.” Mike shook his head. “I can’t believe any of our firefighters had anything to do with it.”
“Me neither,” Jared added.
Ryan rubbed a spot behind his ear. “I hate to think someone deliberately set out to kill one of us. But I’ve had plenty of time to go over it. Every guy on site was in full gear.” He zeroed in on Mike, then moved his gaze to Jared. “I don’t want to believe it either.”
Mike couldn’t finish that disturbing train of thought. Until he had proof, he refused to acknowledge a firefighter may have intentionally devised that explosion.
Before long, Jared and Mike left. As soon as Jared cranked the engine, he spoke.
“You know, Mike. I have a few questions of my own.”
“You thinking the same thing I am?”
Jared pushed the call button on his steering wheel.”
“Hola.”
