Caught In Flames Read online

  “Just what’s necessary for the report .”

  “What about that young punk,” Billie inquired, “what’s going to happen to him ?”

  Officer Coleman could only shrug with a slow, callow blink. “Doesn’t look like he’ll make bail, but the fingerprints on the knife handle were spoiled, so physical evidence is next to nil .”

  “You’ve got two eyewitnesses, plus that fireman,” Billie said, old voice scratchy and cracking. “And we’ll testify .”

  “We’ve got one credible eyewitness,” Officer Coleman corrected her, “plus the fireman. But I don’t think testimony will be necessary. The judge is bound to hold him for some kind of bail, and a guy like that won’t have any. So he’ll be on ice for a while .”

  Sarina asked, “And after that ?”

  Officer Coleman sighed. “To be honest, there may not be much after that. Keep a guy like that in county jail long enough, things just sort of have a way of working themselves out.” A chill ran up Sarina’s spine as she and her grandmother traded glances. There was little more to say .

  About ten minutes later, Sarina and Billie were stepping down the front stairs of the police station and into the parking lot. “I’ve never been in a police station before,” Sarina said to Billie. “I hope I don’t ever have to go back .”

  “Excuse me.” Sarina and Billie stopped and turned to see SFD firefighter, Ty King—familiar, tall and handsome and broadly built—as he extended his hand. Sarina shook it, feeling small in his presence, her hand seeming to disappear in his. “Ty King — ”

  “Seattle Fire Department,” Sarina said with a little smile, “yes, I recall. Sarina Dunne, and this is my grandmother, Willamena .”

  Her grandmother extended her hand; the big firefighter took it eagerly. “Thank you so much for your help today, young man. I don’t know what we would have done if you hadn’t come along .”

  “Glad to be of service.” His eyes sparkling like a polished diamond, he turned to face Sarina. “Do you need a ride home? Our boys in blue do their best, but their manners aren’t always what they should be .”

  “We followed the officers here from the restaurant in our own car,” Sarina said. “But that’s very kind of you .”

  He smiled warmly and handed her a business card. “If there’s anything more I can do, please don’t hesitate .”

  “Oh, well, thank you,” Sarina said, fishing through her purse for one of her own. She pulled it out and handed it to Ty, who glanced at it .

  Ty said, “Children’s books ?”

  “A few of my own,” she said with a sheepish roll of her eyes, “but mostly works for hire .”

  “Maybe my daughter would enjoy one or two.” Ty’s face lit up with interest .

  “Well, I might be kind of biased,” Sarina said, “but I’ll bet she would. How old is she ?”

  “Eight. She’s a very vivacious kind of kid—real outgoing. Still, I’m trying to instill in her a love…” The two looked into each other’s eyes—caught in a moment, Billie’s eyes shifting from one to the other. “A love of reading, I meant to say .”

  Sarina cleared her throat, snapping her back to reality. “That is important, especially these days—so much internet and everything .”

  Billie smiled and said to Ty, “Why don’t you come over to our place for dinner? Our way of saying thank you .”

  Sarina clenched her teeth and whispered, “Gram !”

  Ty looked from one Dunne to the other, a slow smile creeping over his lips. “That does sound charming. I’m starting a four-day shift at the station tomorrow, but I’ll be free by Saturday night .”

  “Five thirty-two Cherry Street,” Billie said. “We’ll expect you around seven .”

  Ty gave them a little nod. “Thank you, I’ll be there .”

  O nce they were in the Hyundai and heading home, Billie could finally pierce the growing bubble of Sarina’s frustration. “I’m sorry, honey,” Billie said, “but you were never going to ask him yourself. I had to say something !”

  “Why, Gram ?”

  “Call it a grandmother’s duty. You couldn’t have missed the chemistry between you. Sparks were flying—talk about causing a fire !”

  “Gram, honestly!” Sarina retorted, trying to keep the smile, that was spreading on her face, at bay .

  “Sarina, you’re twenty-three years old. I don’t want you to spend the rest of your life being my nursemaid .”

  “I’m not anything of the kind, Gram. I love you and I like the way things are.” Billie waved her off and Sarina shook her head .

  “It’s been five years now, Sarina. It’s time you started a family of your own,” Billie said empathetically .

  “You’re my family,” Sarina said, “and you always will be .”

  Billie glanced out the window, the modern world gliding past on the other side of the shatter-proof glass. “Things change, Sarina .”

  “Nothing is ever going to change that,” Sarina said, emotions starting to bubble to the surface .

  “Anyway”—Billie smiled, trying to change the topic and lighten the mood—“Saturday night .”

  Sure, okay, Sarina thought, Saturday night. But there’s also tomorrow morning to talk about, and that’s a whole other conversation .

  Chapter Three

  Sarina

  S arina sat in the waiting room while Billie underwent a series of tests in a white, sterile room somewhere on the floor. Not knowing where her grandmother was worried Sarina a little bit, but she knew that the oldest living Dunne was in good hands .

  And there were other things to think about .

  Sarina couldn’t help but think about that terrible weekend not five years before: the news as it flooded over the radio, knowing before any names had been released who it was and what had happened; the sad faces hovering over black suits and hiding behind black lace veils; the solemn words of a pastor Sarina had never met and hadn’t seen since. Her stomach turned with a queasiness that only came with these memories: a weekend like no other in her life, if her luck held out .

  Sarina couldn’t shake the image of her poor grandmother, left alone but for her only granddaughter. As badly as Sarina felt that weekend, numb with the sudden shock of losing her parents in a single, swift second, Sarina felt even worse for Billie: old and frail, it would have been the beginning of the end for her if Sarina didn’t stay close by, stick with her every step of the way .

  But facing those ugly, drab yellow walls of the medical center waiting room, Sarina knew she’d been unable to save her grandmother. The doctors had their theories, and Sarina knew she was about to hear even more of them. But there couldn’t be much doubt about it as far as Sarina was concerned. Billie had lost her son, the light of her life, and the sorrow of that loss was inescapable, increasing, and terminal. Her grandmother was slowly dying of a broken heart and shattered soul, and despite dedicating every minute of her life to Billie’s happiness, she was helpless to stem the tide of her grandmother’s sad destiny .

  But what about my own destiny? Sarina had to ask herself as the hour crept along, the medicinal smell of bleach wafting in the heavily processed air. Is Gram right? I mean, I know she’s just being brave for my sake, but I also know she couldn’t get along without me. I’m not even interested in finding out through trial and error. And I know that’s a turnoff to a lot of guys. Sure, they’re interested in me at first, and I know why. I’m cute enough, even more than enough. I can see how they look me up and down: my tight hips, long and firm legs, breasts still so high and round, drawing every guy’s eyes like a pair of double-C magnets. But they hear about me living with Gram and suddenly we’re living in Grey Gardens or something—two crazy old cat ladies in the spooky old house the kids throw rocks at on Halloween .

  Well fine, Sarina told herself, not nearly for the first time, if that’s the kind of men they are, who needs ‘‘em? Let them go find whatever they’re looking for, because they’re certainly not what I’m looking for .

&nb
sp; Sarina paced around the waiting room, tired of glancing at the stale magazine covers on the corner table. What about that incredible firefighter? He doesn’t seem to mind. Not that he had any choice but to accept Gram’s invitation. He’s gotta have a woman somewhere. Should have glanced at his right hand !

  Sarina tried to shake the thought out of her mind. One thing at a time, Sarina! Odds are he cancels with some crappy line and then just disappears. Don’t get your hopes up !

  “Sarina?” Sarina turned to see slender Dr. Kim Li standing in a white coat, with a melancholy smile. “Come on back to my office .”

  They said nothing on the long, grim walk down the hall, but once in the doctor’s small office, each took a seat on either side of the desk, Dr. Li leaning forward from behind the desk. “How have you been, Sarina ?”

  Sarina was a little taken aback by her circuitous courtesy. “Me? I’m…I’m fine, Dr. Li. But I’m not the one we’re here to talk about. How’s my grandmother ?”

  Doctor Li sighed, tilting her head, her long, straight, graying-black hair spilling way past her shoulders. “How is your grandmother doing around the house? Can she still get around on her own ?”

  “For the most part,” Sarina said. “You can see she’s walking and talking just like anybody .”

  “But…at night? Bathing and things like that ?”

  “Sometimes she needs a little help, yeah. But she’s getting older .”

  Doctor Li tried to smile. “Aren’t we all? But that’s not your grandmother’s only problem. What about her meds; is she taking them regularly ?”

  Sarina had to force out a begrudging response, “Yes. And look what’s happened! She goes wandering off, thinks she’s seeing my father on the street .”

  “She could have seen somebody who looked like him.” A stilted silence passed between them. “But we’ve been through this, Sarina. Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease. It’s only going to get worse .”

  “Alzheimer’s, delirium, I’m telling you it’s not that. She’s depressed !”

  “Sarina, she was depressed five years ago after that plane crashed. But things have gotten more complicated than that, I’m afraid. It’s time to start looking at…other remedies,” Dr. Li said calmly .

  “More drugs ?”

  “Just a recalculation in the cocktail,” Dr. Li said, scribbling something down on a prescription pad. “Take this downstairs; they’ll set you up .”

  Sarina stared at the pad with scepticism. “And what if this doesn’t do it ?”

  There was a long, unfortunate pause that lingered between them as Dr. Li glanced around the little office, her eyes finally finding Sarina. “There are a number of good local institutions — ”

  “No,” Sarina said sternly .

  “Sarina—”

  “No, Dr. Li, no! I know what those places are like: lockdowns, like jails, asylums. People die screaming, facing the walls in pools of their own filth. If I put my grandmother in a place like that, she won’t last a year and I wouldn’t blame her!” The words poured from Sarina’s heart, unable to contain herself. Tears welled up in the corners of her eyes .

  “And I’m not saying we’re there yet,” Dr. Li said with a deliberately calm tone. “Your grandmother is very coherent, and her motor skills still seem good. She has some balance issues, but mostly its her cognitive function that worries me, the hallucinations — ”

  “You just said she could have seen somebody who looked like him !”

  The doctor answered, “But she would have to know it wasn’t him, wouldn’t she?” Sarina could offer no rebuttal, no contradiction. There was nothing she could do .

  Again.

  “Considering how well Billie’s still doing,” Dr. Li went on, “I think we’re okay, for now. Fill out that prescription, take your grandmother home, keep an eye on her, and keep in close, close touch .”

  Sarina sighed and nodded, regaining her composure. “Okay, Doc, sure .”

  “I mean that, Sarina. If there are any changes, anything I need to know, I need to know it as soon as possible…before it’s too late .”

  Chapter Four

  Sarina

  T hat night Sarina made Billie her favorite meal: a hearty venison stew made from a family recipe handed down to Billie by her own grandmother. The meat was tender and flavorful in that rich brown gravy soaking into the soft, warm rolls, potatoes tasty and tan, carrots retaining most of their snap and color. The salty stew was delicious with a glass of ice-cold milk, the kitchen light soft around them .

  They sat alone in the brownstone townhouse meant for an entire family—three narrow stories, of which Billie rarely left the lower floor. Increasingly, the stairs were a challenge, a threat, a reminder of healthier years bounding up and down with strong legs, children romping, a strong father the steady captain of their unmoving ship of family—the U.S.S. Dunne .

  But for years, it had felt like a ghost ship, drifting in an increasingly thick fog which threatened to consume it entirely .

  “So, Grandma,” Sarina said, trying to sound as matter-of-fact as possible, “about today — ”

  “You’re not going to cancel on Saturday night,” Billie said, an authoritative tone in her weak, old voice .

  “It’s not about that,” Sarina said, poking her fork into her stew, pushing the meat and vegetables around. “When you left the sandwich shop, you said you saw somebody who looked like Daddy.” No answer came back from the elder Dunne, even after a long, awkward wait. So Sarina knew she had to ask point-blank: “But grandma, you know that couldn’t have been Daddy, right? Right ?”

  Billie looked at her with an uncharacteristic smile, suddenly agitated. “What are you talking about ?”

  Mood swing, Sarina reminded herself, instability in her behavior: symptoms .

  No, Sarina told herself, don’t dumb it down, don’t patronize her. Treat her as normal, make her keep working for it for as long as she can. Don’t make it too easy to slide down the slope .

  “I think you do know, Gram; it’s when we met that handsome fireman. You remember this Saturday night, don’t you ?”

  “It’s you who better not forget !”

  “All right then. You know you didn’t see my father on the street today, don’t you?” Billie sat there, but Sarina had to repeat, “Don’t you ?”

  “Yes, yes,” Billie said, eyes falling to the plate of stew in front of her, “I know it .”

  Sarina wasn’t sure how to ask, “But…did you know it at the time, or did you really think Daddy was on the street ?”

  “I-I…” Billie looked around the table, as if the answer were written somewhere among the bowl of stew and the basket of rolls. “I don’t remember…” Billie looked back up at Sarina, her graying brows arching up into her wrinkled forehead, lips trembling. “I…want to remember! I’m trying to, I really am, I…just…” Sarina slipped off her chair and to her knees by Billie’s side. She wrapped her arms around her grandmother, the two embracing in the golden loom of their kitchen. “It just gets harder and harder,” Billie went on, Sarina unable to keep those few lingering tears from rolling down her cheek, too much for her eyes to hold .

  “It’s okay, Gram,” Sarina said, calm and soothing, arms pulling the older woman even closer to her, rocking her very gently. “It’s gonna be okay .”

  But neither one of them believed it .

  * * *

  S arina was back at work, her drawing board empty while she clacked out a few ideas on her laptop computer. This would be her fifth book in the genre under her own name, and she’d long since grown tired of the adventures of her brave little sheep and his woodland friends and foes. She wondered if there wasn’t some new approach, something nobody’d done yet. The Rainbow Bridge, Sarina wondered, where they say pets go when they die? A quick check on Amazon revealed that, like a lot of Sarina’s most brilliant ideas, it had already been done .

  The phone rang, and Sarina’s body was shot with that bolt of instant, uncontrolled fear.
Ever since that phone call five years before, the sound of a ringing phone filled her with instantaneous dread—a soft score from a smartphone or the funky preset, it didn’t matter. But the Dunne home still had a landline, and that metallic jangling bell sent waves of nausea through Sarina’s body just as it had on that fateful afternoon after they’d already heard the news broadcast and the condolence calls started coming in .

  The phone didn’t stop ringing for two days—that constant jangle ringing in her ears, her heart, her soul .

  Finally, just to stop herself from thinking about it, Sarina picked up the phone. “Hello ?”

  “Hi,” the deep, familiar voice said, “is this Sarina, Sarina Dunne ?”

  “It is.” Sarina’s heart thumped in her chest .

  “Ty King, from the SFD,” he said in his low voice, raw masculinity seeping through the phone line .

  “Yes, hello.” But this brought Sarina little comfort. Her nervousness was replaced with encroaching dread. He’s cancelling, she thought, I knew it. Just like the others .

  “I was calling to confirm about Saturday night .”

  “Oh, um, okay, well, yes, we’re still on for Saturday night, yes. Dinner at my place—our place, that is, our home .”

  “Right,” Ty said, his voice metallic and harsh in that little speaker. “Is there anything I can bring? Red wine, or white ?”

  But this only reminded Sarina that she hadn’t even thought to put together a menu and deep in her heart really wasn’t expecting to. “Oh, you know what they say, any good wine goes well with anything.” She tried to chuckle, and so did he. “We’ll be fine, really. I do hope you’ll bring your daughter though .”

  “Really? I-I thought I might find a babysitter,” Ty suggested .

  Sarina knew just what he meant by that. He expected an adult evening, with perhaps some adult interaction afterward, once the old lady was out of the way. And Sarina wasn’t opposed to it, not at all. She would even have suggested it, but for a few important things she couldn’t overlook, as much as she truly wanted to .