Page 53 of Rumors in Bayberry
My home is burning.
She looked around.Where were the fire trucks?Why wasn’t anyone putting out the fire?
As she swerved to the side of the road, her mind struggled to make sense of what she was seeing.Neighbors were already out in the rain, waving to her to keep going.And then she realized they were making room for the emergency equipment.
She put the car into drive and continued farther down the road.After a haphazard parking job, she jumped out and ran back to the building.She had to get to Binx.
As she tried to go inside, strong arms stopped her.“You can’t go in there.”
“But I have to.”She turned her head to find it was Jackson Wright holding her back.
She fought him with all her might.She had to get Binx.Tears clouded her vision.My kitty.Her heart ached.With her energy spent, she gave up trying to get past him,
Jackson lowered his arm but kept a wary look on her.“Wait.If you’re out here, why did Reed go inside?”
“Reed?Impossible.”She shook her head.“He left town.He’s back in Chicago.”
“That’s not what Louise said.She saw him after the fire broke out.She said he broke the door down.She thought he went in to rescue you.”
“I wasn’t home.I… I was having dinner with my parents.”Her mind was having problems keeping up with everything.There was so much information.“Where is Reed now?”
With a worried look, Jackson pointed at the building.The flames were licking the windows.At that moment, there was apop-popas a window shattered.The chunks of glass rained down on the sidewalk.
No.Reed can’t be in there.
She just couldn’t believe it.She turned and looked for Louise Franco.She’d lived across from the newspaper all of Sadie’s life.
Sadie rushed over to the older woman.“Did you see Reed go in my apartment?”
She nodded.“I’m sorry.I called out to him, but he must not have heard me.I did hear him yelling your name a couple of times.He beat on the door.He was so determined to get in there that he finally had to kick the door open.I thought you must have been in there.Thank goodness you’re safe.”
So, he went inside to rescue her, and now it looked like he was the one who needed rescuing.Just then she heard the wail of sirens.They couldn’t get there fast enough.
Sadie was about to walk away when she had one last question.“Did you see Binx come running out?”
A sad look came over the woman’s face.“No, honey.I’m so sorry.”
Sadie attempted to say something, but the lump in the back of her throat stopped her.As though Louise understood the rush of emotions, she reached out and squeezed Sadie’s arm.
As Sadie stared at the building where she’d spent so much of her life, the fire continued to grow as the flames licked at the walls and roof.She didn’t know how that was possible because it was already massive.
Black smoke poured out of the roof.If the fire department didn’t get here soon, there would be nothing left of the place.Her heart ached.She knew that loss would be nothing compared to losing Reed and Binx.The thought was too painful to deal with.She shoved it away.They would be all right.They had to be.
At last, the fire trucks rolled up on the scene.Someone told her they’d been on a call on the other side of town.This storm had been ferocious.People stepped back out of the way.
Sadie didn’t move.She was standing her ground until she knew Reed and Binx were safe.
The fire fighters jumped out of the truck.One young man rushed up to her.“You have to move.”
“There’s a man and a cat trapped in there.”She pointed up at her apartment, which was now fully engulfed in flames.
The young man didn’t say anything more as he rushed off to report the information to the fire chief.There was an explosion in the building.It was followed by a couple more smaller explosions.With each one, her heart leaped into her throat.
Her eyes and throat burned from the smoke, but she didn’t move.Reed had to be all right.She willed him to step out of the building.
And then the door swung open.All she could do was stare.Reed stumbled outside with something in his arms.
She ran to him.He was coughing as he fell to his knees.All the while he clung to… What was that?A blanket?
