Page 60 of The Lighthouse at the Cove
No, that heshould’veskipped. If he had, Brynn would be alive today. She’d be here to celebrate her birthday tomorrow.
Bile burned his throat. He wanted to turn and run, but his feet were cemented in place. He was stuck there—forced to face the deadly mistake he’d made that had changed his and Piper’s life forever.
Cash and the rest of his team were already checking on the occupants in the vehicles. Reid pushed his hands down his face. A hot sweat broke out on the back of his neck, and as memories of that day scrolled through his mind, he feared he was going to be sick. He could smell the gasoline. He could see the smashed metal.
And he could see... Brynn.
She could’ve been sleeping. Her expression seemed so serene, so at peace.
Stop it! Stop it!
Sirens wailed in the distance and moved closer, slicing through his painful thoughts as he struggled to breathe. A couple of police cruisers pulled up to the scene, and the officers jumped out and quickly began to direct traffic.
“Lieutenant Turner!”
Reid spun to where Cash waved at him. “We need you over here.”
Reid forced himself to swallow the bile in his throat and take a deep breath. “Yes, Chief.”
He managed to propel himself forward, and stuffing down his agonizing memories, he focused on the passengers in the sedan, who were banged up but alert. He spent the next two hours tending to the victims, removing them from the vehicles and loading them into the ambulances.
Once the patients were gone, the team focused on cleaning up the scene.
Every muscle in Reid’s body was sore by the time they returned to the firehouse. After a debrief session with his captain and his chief, Reid started toward the showers. He wanted just to standunder the hot water and wash the painful memories and exhaustion down the drain.
“Lieutenant Turner,” Cash called after him.
Reid froze. He knew what was coming. Cash had witnessed his breakdown, and a lecture was certain to follow. He took a cleansing breath and then returned to face his brother-in-law, who was also his boss’s boss. “Yes, Chief?”
“Could you give us a minute please, Chris?” Cash asked Captain Ward.
Captain Ward stood. “Of course.” He nodded at Reid on his way out the door.
“Come into my office and close the door,” Cash told Reid.
Reid did as he was instructed and sat across from Cash at his desk. “You want to discuss how I froze at the accident site earlier.”
Cash steepled his hands. “You were remembering Brynn’s accident.”
Reid let out a heavy sigh. “I know I messed up today.” He could hear the strain in his voice. “I can assure you it won’t happen again.”
“Reid, I didn’t call you in here to reprimand you. I wanted to offer to listen.”
The younger man shook his head and tried to ignore how his throat thickened. “I’m fine, Chief. Really. I just had a moment.”
Cash seemed to study him.
“I’m telling the truth, man. I’m fine. I just had to regroup. I mean it when I say it won’t happen again.”
“All right.” Cash paused and studied him. “If you needed to talk, would you tell me?”
Reid brushed his hand over his throat. “Yes. I would.” He swallowed. “I haven’t had a... a moment in a long time. I saw that sedan knocked over with a truck sitting beside it, and I think it all hit me at once. The memory of the accident. And that tomorrow is Brynn’s birthday.” He held up his hands. “But I promise this was an isolatedincident. I won’t let my emotions interfere with my performance again, Chief. You have my word.”
“Reid, I’m talking to you as your brother-in-law and friend, not as your chief.” Cash rested his hand on the wooden desk. “Sometimes you’re going to have a moment. You’re human. It happens. If you need to talk, I’m here. Becca is always available too.”
Reid nodded as his eyes started to sting. He’d learned as a rookie to compartmentalize his emotions.
But the accident. And Brynn’s birthday. It all just felt so overwhelming.
