Page 48 of Tempting Fire

“Is there cornbread?” Drake finally asked.

“Well what would be the point of chili without cornbread?” Gus groused.

“Sold.” Drake tried to maneuver Chloe away from the TV, but she refused to budge.

“For God’s sake, you just ate,” Evie said exasperatedly.

“I’m a growing boy,” Drake said.

Chloe knew he was trying to divert attention from the screen, but there was nothing that was nothing that was going to move her, or anyone else, away from the screen.

***

“The fire has been contained.” Was Gus’s final update. He was hoarse after four hours of shouting. He looked like he’d been through a war. “I’m still getting some updates, but the main thing is that the fire has been contained.”

A weak cheer went up from the people in the room.

“Not everyone came out of the building, Drake. Did you see that Evie?” she asked turning to her sister.

“I couldn’t keep track,” Evie said honestly.

Every one of Chloe’s instincts was to pepper Gus with questions about Zarek, but he was surrounded by all of the other loved ones doing the same thing. She took out her phone and looked to see if she had any messages. Nothing.

She called Zarek. It went to voicemail. She texted him to call her. Then she waited to talk to Gus.

Mr. and Mrs. Leonard broke away from the throng, all smiles. They came up to Chloe. “Ian is fine. He’ll be back here in the next forty-five minutes.”

“Will Zarek be with him?” Chloe asked. She didn’t care that her voice sounded desperate, she was desperate. She needed to see him. To touch him.

“I’m sorry, Gus didn’t say. Go ask him. He knows who’s coming back, when.”

Chloe saw that the crowd was dispersing. With Drake and Evie at her side, she went up to Gus. The older man took one look at her and pointed towards the office.

“No,” she said calmly. “Just tell me.”

“He’s been taken to Parkland Hospital. Lexi Fletcher worked on him at the scene and rode with him there.”

“Who’s Lexi?” Evie asked.

“She’s a damned fine paramedic. She said he’s holding his own.”

Her knees turned to water. Drake kept her from falling.

“Damn it, that came out wrong. She thinks he’s going to be fine. Three of our people were caught when roof collapsed. They all made it out. Zarek was one of them. They thought he was okay, but then he passed out.”

Before she could open her mouth, Drake was answering her question.

“We’ll get you there, Honey. How far away is it from here Gus?”

“This time of the morning? It should take you less than thirty minutes to get there.” Chloe appreciated the comforting feel of Evie’s hand on her back.