by Clare Revell
He turned into the corner to find a glow coming from the end of the street. Fear gnawed his stomach and he put his foot down.
Flames shot from the front of the bakery. Bev screeched to a halt, jumping from the car almost before the engine had finished shutting down. A small crowd stood outside.
“Has anyone called 999?” he yelled.
“On the way.”
“What about Jude? I left her in there.” He moved towards the door.
Someone grabbed him. “Let the fire brigade—”
He shook free. “No time.” He kicked the door in, a blast of heat hitting him in the face. Raising an arm over his eyes, he plunged into the flames. “Jude!”
8
Jude tried to get up, only to find she was pinned across the legs by something heavy. Heat and smoke surrounded her, making breathing hard. She tried to suck in a deep breath, but only coughed, breathing in smoke and something that tasted horrible. Was she going to die? She tried to move again as something hot approached her feet. She didn’t want to burn…
“Jude!” Bev’s voice echoed over the roaring of the flames.
“Here!” she screamed. “Office…help me!”
The door burst open, fire leaping higher as fresh oxygen poured into the room. Searing heat stabbed at her feet.
A figure stood outlined against the flames. “Jude!”
“Here…can’t move. There’s something on my legs.”
Bev moved over to her and tugged at the desk.
Pain and fear convulsed through her and she screamed. Then, she was in Bev’s arms, flames around them and something falling to her left. There was no way out. They would die.
“Hold me tightly,” Bev said as he began to run.
Then suddenly a jet of water covered them and two firefighters in full kit appeared at their side. They guided them through the flames and out into the fresh air.
Chaos reigned around them, firefighters tackling the fire, police officers, and ambulance staff, along with a large crowd and TV cameras.
The firefighter guided Bev to an ambulance and he laid Jude on the gurney.
“Let me through.” A familiar voice resonated over the chaos. “DI Jenson.”
“Milly…” Jude coughed as the paramedic fixed a mask over her face. Clean air flooded her lungs.
Bev got up and went to the door of the ambulance. “She’s OK, they want to get her to hospital as fast as they can. I got her out.”
“OK, I’ll follow as soon as I can. I’ll need a statement from both of you.”
Jude struggled to sit up. “I need to…”
The paramedic pushed her back down. “Lie still. I’ll give you something for the pain now.”
“Where’s Bev?”
“Right here.” He sat opposite her. “I’m coming with you.”
“Thank you…” She went to grab his hand, but he hissed in pain and pulled away. She closed her eyes as the pain medication kicked in. She could still hear and smell and taste the smoke and flames.
~*~
Bev sat on the gurney in the ED, bandages on his hands to keep the burns clean. Although it was no worse than a bad sunburn, he would still have to report it and might not be able to go back when he was supposed to. He swung his legs, waiting impatiently for news of Jude and for the doctor to come back to release him.
Gran bustled in. “Bev, are you all right? I was so worried when the police came and told me.”
Bev hugged her. “I’m OK.”
Gran took his hands gently. “What have you done?”
“Mild burns. They’re just being over cautious. I acted on instinct when I knew Jude was still in there. Do they know how the fire started yet?”
Gran shook her head. “There are so many people there, but they did let me pick up my car. They won’t tell me how Jude is because I’m not a relative.” She looked at his hands again.
“It’s nothing more than a really bad sunburn,” he said, trying to reassure her. “The doctor is doing me a report and they’ve promised to fax it to the camp. I’ll probably have to report in tomorrow or the day after to see the CMO and base CO, but it won’t affect my operational status. At least I’m praying it won’t.”
“You hope.”
“I’ve got another two weeks before I report back. It’ll heal. You’ll see.”
The curtain moved again and the tall doctor in the scrubs came back in. “Here you go, Colonel.”
Bev took the outstretched envelope. “Thank you. I know you’re busy tonight, but I need it for work.”
The doctor smiled. “Not a problem.”
“Can you tell me how Jude is? She’s the lady I pulled from the burning shop.”
“She’s got a broken leg, a few burns. We’re keeping her in overnight.”
It could have been worse. He told himself furiously, trying to keep his emotions tight within him. “Can I see her?”
“She’s already gone up to theatre. She’ll go from there to Keller ward. You can see her tomorrow. Visiting is two ‘til seven. You’re free to go. Take paracetamol for the pain, and if you have any problems, come back.”
Bev nodded. “I will. Thanks, Doc.” He got up and headed into reception with Gran.
DI Jenson crossed over to him. “Mr. King, how’s Jude?”
“She’s in surgery, according to the doctor I just spoke with. Do you know how the fire started yet?”
“Not yet.”
“OK, because I could smell lighter fuel when I was in there.”
“Are you sure?”
He nodded. “I’ve done enough barbecues in my time to know what lighter fuel smells like. I said I’d pick her up, but she wasn’t ready the first time I came over. So I said I’d come back later. If anyone was watching they’d have seen me leave alone. Someone tried to kill her. You need to catch him before he tries again, because I won’t always be around to protect her.”
~*~
Jude struggled through the layers of dark and finally opened her eyes. This wasn’t her room, unless seven other people had moved in overnight. Then it all came crashing back to her. The fire. Bev pulling her out. She was in hospital and something heavy was still lying on her leg.
A nurse came over, a sweet smile on her face. “Good morning. How are you?”
“Thirsty, but OK.”
“No pain?”
“Not to speak off. What time is it?”
The nurse helped her sit up. “It’s almost nine in the morning.”
The heavy feeling on her leg persisted and she shifted uncomfortably on the bed. It ached more than hurt. “Why am I here, other than the fire?”
“You have a broken leg, which they operated on to fix. And a few burns, but they’ll heal in a day or two. Would you like some tea and some toast as you missed breakfast?”
“Just tea, please.”
“The police will be in to see you this morning, and depending on what the doctor says, you might be able to go home this afternoon. And a Bev King keeps calling. Is he a relative?”
Jude hesitated. She hadn’t yet put him in the ‘boyfriend’ category and didn’t want to in case he didn’t agree. “He’s a friend, a good friend, he rescued me. How is he?”
“I don’t know. You’re lucky he was there. I’ll get you that tea.”
Jude nodded, her gaze caught by a tall, dark haired man standing by the nurse’s station. Wearing a doctor’s coat, all she could see was his profile as he read the file in his hands. He glanced her way and his eyes narrowed for a moment. Her heart skipped a beat as she recognized the eyes and beard. Her pulse thudded in double time. She wasn’t safe here.
She checked the locker, but there was nothing there. Panic flooded her and she hit the call button. Throwing the covers back, she lifted her plastered leg over the side of the bed, and swung the other one after it. The fact she was only wearing a gown made no difference. She had to leave.
The nurse ran over. “Where are you going?”
“I have to leave. I’m not safe h
ere.”
“You’re perfectly safe.” The nurse put the tea down and got Jude back on the bed.
“No, he’s here. He was at the desk.”
“Who was?”
“The man who’s after me.” She tried to get up again, only to be pushed back down.
“You can’t go anywhere with no clothes, or until the doctor says so, and he won’t be here for another hour or so.”
“I don’t have my bag or phone or anything. I need you to call DI Jenson for me please. It’s urgent.” Jude gave the nurse the number.
“OK. Promise you won’t go anywhere.” She went to close the curtains.
“Don’t!” Jude almost screamed. “If you do that then no one can see me. He could be in here and…”
“OK. I’ll leave the curtains open. Now you just sit tight, and I’ll go and make that call for you.”
Twenty very long minutes passed, before Milly and DS Holmes crossed the ward towards her.
Should have asked them for clothes. Wonder what happened to mine? Although, on reflection, they were probably burned and had to be cut off.
Milly smiled. “Hi, how are you doing?”
“I have to go home,” she blurted out. “He was here. Pretending to be a doctor.”
“Slow down,” Milly said. She nodded to DS Holmes who pulled the curtains around the bed. “Tell us from the beginning.”
Jude sucked in what was meant to be a deep, calming breath, but was anything but. “There was a doctor by the desk, but it was him.”
“The same bloke who’s stalking you?”
Jude nodded, her eyes flickering to where the desk was hidden behind the curtains.
“OK. We’ll check it out. But first, I want to talk about the fire and anything else that happened last night.”
“I was working in the office. Bev had come and gone. He wanted me to go to the DIY store with him, but I refused. So he said he’d come back and pick me up. I was working on the books. There was a smash. A window breaking or something. It made me jump. Then as I got up to go and check it out, there was an explosion. It blew me backwards and something landed on top of me. Bev got me out.”
“A DIY store?” DS Holmes spoke for the first time.
“His gran is my landlady. She wants the house redecorated and modernized. Bev wanted me to have some choice in the colors so he offered to take me. He’s decorating.”
“This is Bev King, I assume? How well do you know him?”
“We’ve been out a few times over the past week. We write to each other. He’s in the army and before you suggest he’s the stalker, unless he can do that from where he’s deployed in the Middle East, it isn’t him.”
“It’s OK.” Milly laid a hand on Jude’s arm as her voice rose in agitation.
“Do you know how he is? The nurse didn’t know. Just said he kept calling.”
“They sent him home. I saw him last night and aside from bandaged hands, he looked all right. When do you go home?”
“Hopefully today, assuming I ever find my clothes.” Jude sighed. “I broke my leg apparently and have a few burns, but I’m OK. It could have been worse.”
Milly nodded. “Once you’re home, I’ll arrange for a patrol car to swing past your place a few times a day. And if you remember anything else, give me or DS Holmes a call.”
Jude nodded. “I will. Leave the curtains open, please.”
The two officers stood. “Take care.”
Jude watched them head over to the desk. She wasn’t safe here or anywhere. Her thoughts returned to Bev. Had she read too much into the concern he showed her last night? Was it just guilt for leaving her there, or was there more to their growing friendship? All she knew was that he made her go weak at the knees and she wanted to spend more time with him.
How crazy was that?
9
Bev rang the hospital for what had to be the hundredth time. Well, at least the fifteenth. But still the nurse wouldn’t tell him how Jude was. More than frustrated now, he slammed the old fashioned receiver down on the phone, three times before it settled onto the cradle properly.
“Praying is a far better option than breaking my phone, you know.” Gran’s voice was mildly displeased as she leaned against the door frame.
“I’ve been doing that for hours,” Bev retorted. He glanced at the window. “There’s some people coming up the path.”
Gran nodded and headed into the hall as the doorbell rang.
Bev looked at his bandaged hands. He had rung the base and he had to go in that afternoon. His boss hadn’t sounded at all happy, but maybe he’d just caught him on an off moment.
Gran spoke from behind him. “Bev, the police want to talk to you about last night.”
Bev turned. Three people stood with her. DI Jenson and DS Holmes he knew, but the third man…he had Jude’s eyes.
Bev cut her off. “You must be Mr. Travis. Jude looks like you, sir.” He shook hands carefully, trying not to wince as pain seared through him. “What time did you leave? Jude said you live some way from here.”
“Five AM. I was hoping to see Jude, but I guess she’s at work.”
“Not exactly.”
Bev glanced at DI Jenson, wondering why Jude's parents hadn't already been told about the fire. It wasn’t his place to tell the man, but… “Jude’s in the hospital. There was a fire in the bakery last night. She had to stay in overnight. They won’t tell me how she is, even though we’re…” He broke off and paused. He changed his mind at the last second and didn’t say ‘we’re going out.’ “I pulled her out.”
The older man paled. “Was she hurt badly?”
“We’ve just come from the hospital,” DI Jenson said. “She broke her leg, a few minor burns, but she’ll be fine. They’re talking about sending her home this afternoon.”
Relief flooded Bev, mirrored in Mr. Travis’s face.
“I should get over to the hospital,” Mr. Travis said.
"I apologize for the fact you weren't told," DI Jenson said. "I'll be chasing up my colleagues and finding out why. I'll take you to see her once I've taken a statement from Bev. Visiting isn't until two, but they'll make an exception for me." DI. Jenson told him. “Visiting isn’t until two, but they’ll make an exception for me.”
“Thank you, Officer. Mrs. Bowen, I’ll do that quote for you in the meantime.”
Gran smiled. “Thank you. I’ll take you over there.”
Bev nodded to the two police officers. “Take a seat.” He sat on the edge of the chair. “What do you need to know?”
“Whatever you can tell us about the fire and wanting to take Miss Travis to the DIY store,” DS Holmes told him.
Bev took a deep breath and told them everything he remembered, emphasizing the stench of lighter fuel when he entered the burning building. “I just wish I’d insisted on her coming with me to the store.” He looked at his bandaged hands. “Not that I can decorate now.”
“Will the burns affect you going back to work?”
He shrugged. “No idea. I report to the camp medics later today. I just have to pray they don’t make me stay there.”
“Could they do that?”
Bev nodded. “Oh, yeah. I could get into a ton of trouble for what I did last night. Especially if it affects my operational status.” He paused. “Is Jude really all right?”
DI Jenson nodded. “She’s eager to get home, so yeah.” She stood as Gran and Mr. Travis came back into the room. “Are you ready to go?”
Mr. Travis nodded. He turned to Bev. “Thank you for getting Jude out.”
“You’re welcome.”
Gran saw them out and Bev sat back down, gazing out of the window. Mr. Travis didn’t have a bag, so he hadn’t picked up any clothes for Jude. She’d need them to come home in.
An idea sparked in Bev’s mind. He’d pick up some clothes for her and take them in on his way to the army camp. Tell the nursing staff he was her boyfriend and sneak in to see her for a few minutes. He’d have to go in uniform anywa
y.
“Bev you have a visitor,” Gran called.
“Coming.” He stood and was half way to the door, when Elliott Wallac came in. Bev grinned. “Hey, long time no see.”
Elliott gave him the bear hug they always shared and grinned back. “I don’t know. Survives half a tour in a war zone and almost dies at home. Nice one, Bev.”
Bev shrugged. “What can I say? I have a talent for it.” He, Elliott, and Elliott’s twin brother Joel, went way back. “How are you?”
“I’m great. What about you and this fire though? Word on the street is that it’s arson.”
“I thought it might be, but nothing has come from official channels yet. I’m fine, this will heal. I’m more worried about Jude and this stalker of hers.” He filled Elliott in quickly. “But what brings you over here? Surely you’re not that worried about me.”
Elliott chuckled. “Don’t flatter yourself. I’ve been meaning to come over all week, but never made it. I’m here for work actually, to give you a quote for some work over the road.”
“Jude’s place. I’ll take you.” Bev grabbed the keys. “Gran, I’m taking Elliott over to see the house. Won’t be long.” He walked over the road with Elliott. “I was going to decorate, obviously I can’t do that now.” He shrugged. “Anyway, Gran reckons I should get the kitchen and bathroom gutted and both rooms, along with the heating system, brought kicking and screaming into this century. Both date back to when the house was built. Jude’s dad is a kitchen fitter, but I’d like you to do the bathroom and heating if that’s possible.”
Once inside, Elliott began to measure and draw a basic plan of the house for the positioning of the radiators.
Bev leaned against the wall. “Gran tells me you’re getting married.”
“Yeah, so’s Joel. We’re having a double wedding on New Year’s Eve. Will you be around then?”
“I’m not sure. But if I am, I’d love to come. Just to see the confirmed bachelor doing something he’d sworn never to do, if nothing else. Who’s the lady?”
“Her name is Grace. She runs Carnation Street Florist now. Joel is marrying her sister, Faith.”
Bev smiled. “Grace and Faith. Sounds like there should be another sister called Hope.”
