Page 90 of Love Again

Chapter Twenty-Three

Devon

It takes me a full five minutes to realize Luke has left the scene. I’ve been treating Nico for a burn on his hand and glance at the tail of the engine. It’s empty. No Luke. Maybe he went around to the ambulance to see how Jim was doing before they transported, but the paramedics have already left.

For a fleeting second, I think maybe the paramedics transported him too. He looked terrible when I left to treat Nico, so pale, and he was holding himself stiffly. Then I stop myself—they only have room for one, and they would never transport two people in distress.

He’s gone.

I’m standing, unable to process when Keller walks by, and I grab his arm “Where is your brother?”

He stops and looks around. With the ease of a Boy Scout, he points to the trailhead leading back toward town and The Inn. “Isn’t that his bunker gear?”

On the post at the opening of the trail leading down to town is Luke’s B2 Turnout coat.

I turn around, but Keller’s already left again, overseeing the last stages of both fires. Plus, he’s radioing Toby down at The Inn, I’m sure. His hands are more than full.

Starting toward the trailhead, there’s indentations where heavy boots have made an impression in the soft earth.

I raise my chin and my voice. “Luke!”

Nothing.

“Luke Walker!”

There’s a sound of leaves scattering.

I hurry down the winding trail. It zigzags once, twice, three times, with switchbacks. I’m past the pine forest and heading into the deciduous trees with their little yellow-and-red buds. The morning is gray and cold, and light breaks occasionally.

There’s the sound of pain, a blow, and I hurry ahead, trying not to run as I trip over roots and rocks.

Then I see Kevin Barr. He’s panting, crouched over, ready to attack. He rushes into the forest. I move around the trunk of a tree in time to see him crash into Luke. They fall to the ground, and as Luke rolls to get his legs under him, Kevin kicks him in the back.

Luke’s face is a mask—he’s determined. He staggers up, and Kevin comes at him again. But this time, Luke sidesteps him.

I hardly have time to react. I can deal with fires and floods and people bleeding out. But this? Violence? It’s like I’ve been struck dumb.

As Kevin rushes by, off balance, Luke grabs one arm while tripping him with a heavy boot. As Kevin falls, Luke crashes a knee into his back, twisting Kevin’s arm behind him.

Luke’s head swings my direction. He’s pale, his face gleaming with sweat, but he’s not letting go.

“Get help,” he says, both words ripping from his chest in gasps.

There’s a sudden crashing through the woods, and then Carlson appears with two guys in uniform.

“Jesus,” he says immediately, bringing out handcuffs. He tells one of the officers “Cover me,” and the guy removes a taser.

Carlson has to tell Luke to let go a few times. It’s as if Luke is in some trance and all he knows is that he has to hold Kevin down. Carlson gently nudges Luke off him while cuffing Kevin with both hands behind his back.

“Get up,” says Carlson. “Get to your feet.”

I can finally move. Without looking at me, Luke raises an arm, and I slip next to him. His body vibrates.

He, too, is not used to violence. The violence of a fire, the chaos of it, the brutality of it, is nothing in the face of something like this: what one human being will do to another.

“I saw the smoke, man. I wanted to see,” says Kevin. His lip is bleeding. “You guys don’t have me on anything, and if you don’t take these cuffs off me right now, I’m gonna sue the department.”

Carlson starts in with his Miranda rights, which sets off another rant.