Page 114 of Vanish From Sight
Off in the distance, Noah saw a tongue of flames flickering in the darkness, and the sky was lit up by an orange glow. As they got closer, he could see the source of the fire. It was the Academy.
“McKenzie. I need you to ring a number for me. She’s not picking up. Try to get hold of Isabella Perez. If you get no answer after a few tries, contact Plattsburgh Police and have them head over to her workplace to detain her.” He reeled off the cell and address. “Also send deputies our way.”
“Why?”
“The school is ablaze.”
He hung up as he swerved around a sharp bend, the tiresscreeching as the Bronco struggled to maintain its grip on the road. Noah felt his heart skip a beat, but he regained control of the vehicle. The wind was picking up, he could feel it shaking the vehicle harder as they sped up the long driveway that cut through the trees. Muddied leaves slapped against the windshield as rain began to fall, slashing the night.
The urgency of the situation was not lost on him; as he got closer, he could see the fire was bad. Fortunately, someone had called the fire department as fire trucks were already on scene, their lights flashing widely. But it was clear from the outset that they were struggling to contain the inferno that was chewing through the main building.
The sense of impending doom was almost overwhelming. Noah’s mind raced as they got closer to three fire trucks parked haphazardly around the building, their flashing lights illuminating the area. Thick black smoke billowed out of the windows and doorways and the sound of crackling flames could be heard even as they made their approach. It was utter chaos.
The acrid smell of burning paper, plastic and wood filled the air, making it difficult to breathe as they stopped and got out. Noah coughed hard and covered his nose with his sleeve, his eyes stinging from the smoke. The heat from the flames was intense; Noah could feel sweat beading on his forehead.
As he approached the fire chief, he could see firefighters in full gear moving around the building, carrying hoses and other equipment. They were shouting orders back and forth, trying to coordinate their efforts to bring the blaze under control.
The sound of water spraying onto the flames was intense, accompanied by the hiss of steam as it evaporated under the immense heat. Glass exploded from on high and firefighters backed off as shards rained down on them. Others moved in, breaking glass to create ventilation and gain access to the building.
Despite the chaos, the crew moved with a sense of purpose and determination. They were focused on the task, using all their training and expertise to try and save the building and the life of anyone trapped inside.
Under the glow of orange, he scanned faces.
“Callie. Go that way. See if you can find Adam and his pals or someone who knows where they are.”
She gave a thumbs-up.
As Noah moved around the perimeter of the building, threading his way through students looking on in horror, he could see flames licking out of the windows, hungrily consuming decades of history and everything in their path. The sound grew louder, punctured by the occasional explosion as electrical equipment or gas lines ignited.
Eyeing the crowd of students gathered outside, he caught sight of a familiar face. It was Mrs. Perkins. She looked just as worried as the rest of the onlookers, holding on to a few students like a mother hen. Noah worked his way through, his heart racing. “Mrs. Perkins,” he said, trying to keep his voice steady. “Have you seen Rector Hawthorne or Charlie Delaney?”
She shook her head. “I’m sorry, I haven’t.”
He nodded, his mind racing with possibilities. He needed to find them, and fast. “Thank you,” he replied before quickly turning and moving through the crowd. Heading toward one of the ambulances that had arrived was the vice administrator. “Ms. Garcia,” he said, his voice urgent. He raised a hand so she could identify him among the slew of people. She glanced back as he edged his way out. “I’m looking for Hawthorne and Charlie Delaney. Have you seen them?”
Her face was etched with worry. “Earlier. They were together in his office,” she said. “They were talking before the fire broke out. I had to step out to help with a couple of students that were fighting in the hall.”
Almost immediately, he began to conclude what might have happened. Had Adam and his cohorts decided to set the school ablaze, possibly to destroy whatever files were in the building or worse — kill Hawthorne and Delaney?
“I need your help,” he said. “I’m looking for a few students, I think they might have been involved in something serious.”
Garcia nodded, offering back an expression of concern. “Of course. Who?”
Noah rattled off the names, keeping his voice low. “I just need to speak with them,” he said, not wanting to reveal too much. The truth was despite being sure that he was heading in the right direction, there was a slim chance that he could be jumping the gun. “As soon as you see them, let me know right away.”
She nodded again. Her eyes scanned the crowd as she began speaking with the teachers. He turned to go, his thoughts shifting to Hawthorne and Charlie. He spotted Callie across the crowd; they exchanged a glance and she lifted her hands to indicate no luck. Noah continued the search. He spent close to ten minutes before his heart sank when he saw them being taken out of the burning building on stretchers. Both had oxygen masks over their face and were wrapped in crumpled space blankets.
Noah rushed over, working his way through the crowd.
“Hold up!” He took out his badge to show the EMTs. It was clear Hawthorne was unconscious, while Charlie was still alert. Without thinking he stopped them. “Charlie, what happened?” he asked urgently.
Charlie lifted his oxygen mask, his face blackened by smoke, a picture of pain and fear. “Joshua Whelan trapped us in the office, poured gasoline under the door and started the fire,” he said, his voice wavering and hoarse. He coughed hard.
Noah’s mind reeled at the news. He remembered on his firstvisit to the Academy, the two older teens passed him as he came out of Hawthorne’s office after being warned that they might be expelled. “How do you know it was him?” he asked, trying to keep his voice calm.
Charlie met his gaze, his face filled with a mixture of pain and guilt. “I… I heard him through the door,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “As we were trying to get out, he said I shouldn’t have said anything.”
Noah’s mind tried to piece together what had happened. If Joshua had started the fire, and was trying to cover their tracks so there would be no proof, where was he now?
