by J. R. Tate
Gregg looked Michael right in the eye, his pained expression switching to remorse and seriousness. "I'm so sorry, McGinnis. I'm sorry I tried to frame you. Thanks for getting me out."
Before Michael could respond, the medics pulled him away, rushing Gregg to one of the ambulances. Two other medics went to work on him, assessing the injury on his leg and immediately supplying him with oxygen. Michael wanted to push it away and refuse, but it felt so good to breathe it in. His lungs welcomed it. He let out a deep groan when the medic pulled his pants leg up and applied pressure to his calf muscle.
"Looks like it was just skimmed. You still need to go to the hospital and get it cleaned up."
Michael didn't say anything. He watched the ambulance with Gregg speed off, the sirens so loud and haunting. He couldn't understand why he was so concerned about whether Gregg lived or died. As he had said, maybe Michael was stupid.
"Let's get you on this gurney."
Michael snapped back to reality, declining it. "No. I'll walk."
"I wouldn't advise it. Your leg needs to be stitched up."
He stood, ignoring the medic's advice. He felt light headed and had to grab on to one of them to brace himself. The small amount of pressure he put down was horrible, but he wasn't going to admit that he needed to be wheeled back. Limping slowly, he was grateful to finally sit in the back of the ambulance. Before they shut the doors, he got one last look at the burning warehouse he almost fell victim to. It was now raging out of control with multiple engines and fire companies on scene. What he'd give to help them fight it, but right now he had to get to the hospital, not so much for himself, but to find out about Gregg.
Chapter Twenty One
Michael was taken to the ER where they put him in a semi private room. They still had him on oxygen and a nurse had cleaned up the wound on his leg. He had asked about Gregg several times, only to get the usual answer that they give in a hospital - they didn't have a current status on him, but would notify him when they did.
He leaned his head back on the pillow and stared up at the ceiling. All hospitals had the same smell. Bleach or whatever strong cleaner they used, and other stuff he couldn't pinpoint. He had seen enough of hospital walls. He wanted to just sign out against medical advice, but that wouldn't be the wisest thing he could do. He checked his phone. He had three missed calls from Casey and a text message that read, "Are you okay? What is happening?" He needed to call everyone. What worried him the most was that the cops hadn't been in to see him. If he was still a wanted man he assumed they'd be at his side.
As if the NYPD could read his mind, Detectives Reynolds and Vasquez walked in. Detective Reynolds tried to force a smile. "How are you feeling, McGinnis?"
"Can the small talk. Why are you here? To arrest me? Restrain me while they observe me?"
She shook her head no. "I'm here to let you know that you're a free man. The two uniforms that were on scene at the fire heard Gregg Walsh's apology to you. They immediately radioed it in and we sent another unit to his apartment where we found plenty of evidence to get the heat off of you, no pun intended."
"Did he confess to you?"
She looked over at Vasquez and shook her head. "He died on the way to the hospital. As I'm sure you're aware of, he had extensive internal damage to his abdomen. Past that, I don't have much more information."
Michael looked away. Damn it, why did he care so much that Gregg had died? "As long as you can leave me alone now. I don't want anything else to do with this investigation."
Vasquez moved closer to the bed, his once tough exterior let down by a more sympathetic stance. "Witnesses at the scene tell us that you pulled Walsh out. He was still alive when you did it. Can I ask why? Why save him when he was trying to kill you?"
Michael shrugged. "I've been trying to figure that out myself."
"On behalf of everyone involved in this case, we want to apologize for how it was handled. We should've taken more time before assuming it was all on you."
Michael wanted to yell out that the apology wasn't accepted. Instead, he replied, "I know that you guys were just doing your jobs, but I do need to get this off of my chest."
"You're entitled to say whatever you want, McGinnis," Reynolds replied.
"You put not only me through hell, but my family through hell. I've got a pregnant fiancé at home worried sick. You've tarnished my reputation. I'm sure you'll let the media and everyone know Gregg Walsh is the man behind it all, but there will still be that doubt behind my name. People will recognize me as the firefighter who was blamed for arsons. People remember who was blamed. They never remember the part where those people are exonerated. They like scandals."
"We are truly sorry for it all. We will personally make sure that all of this will not follow you."
Michael had more to say, but the best thing to do was shake their hands and move on. It was done. "I understand."
Eva and Casey came in, interrupting his heated conversation with the detectives. He let out a sigh of relief. It had grown awkward and he needed a change in subject.
"Mikey, oh my God, I'm so glad you're okay." Eva pulled him in for a tight hug and he took in every second, breathing in her scent, feeling her soft hair, nuzzling her neck.
"We'll see you around, McGinnis. You're a free man."
Michael nodded at both detectives and turned his attention back on his brother and Eva. "How did you guys know I was here?"
"I went to the warehouse. Saw the madhouse and freaked out. Thankfully a cop told me they had taken you here. I stopped by and grabbed Eva and we rushed over. We didn't know what to think. What the hell happened?"
Michael grabbed Eva's hand and kissed it. "Gregg asked me to meet him there. I was suspicious but knew something had to be done. I went, he tried to corner me and kill me and things didn't go as planned. I had to pull him out. Not sure why I did, so don't ask."
"Jeez, Mikey. So where is Gregg?" Casey asked as he paced at the foot of the bed.
"He didn't make it. I don't know many details, just that there was an explosion and he got hurt pretty bad. The cops just told me he died on the way to the hospital."
Eva kissed him on the forehead. "And you're not under arrest?"
"No. I'm a free man."
"How bad are you hurt?"
"They are saying I'll probably stay tonight for observation but I'll be discharged tomorrow."
A doctor finally made his way in, studying a clipboard before he finally looked up and introduced himself.
"I'm Dr. Brassfield. Sorry you've had to wait. I was just looking over your chart notes. I see they got your leg stitched up. The bullet just skimmed you, so that's good news. Your oxygen level is still a little low on room air, so we're gonna keep you on the oxygen at least for tonight to get you over the smoke inhalation. I don't see you having to stay past tomorrow, we just want to make sure."
"Thanks, Doc."
"We'll get you transported to a regular room here within the next thirty minutes. Thanks for your service with the department."
"Finally something good," Casey said. "I'm gonna run down to the vending machine. I'll be back."
Michael reached out and rubbed Eva's stomach, surprised at how much more she was showing within the past few days. "You okay?"
She wiped a tear away with a tissue and sat on the side of the bed. "I am now."
"Good. All of this with Gregg is over. Viper can be tied to all of it, so the cops are gonna work on him as well."
She ran her hand down the side of his face and he leaned in to her embrace. Her thumb skimmed his lips and she smiled so beautifully amidst the tears. "Your face is all bruised up again. Gosh, Mikey. Never a dull moment with you, is there?"
He cupped her chin and pulled her down for a long, deep kiss. A kiss he had been dreaming of since they had been separated. Her mouth opened, inviting it to deepen. He ran one hand down the nape of her neck, the other on her hip.
Ending the kiss, Michael refused to let her go.
"Nope, never a dull moment. And in a few months, things will get even more interesting when this little one makes its way into the world." Michael stared up at the woman who would soon be his wife and mother to his child. "And I gotta be honest."
"Yeah?" Eva arched her eyebrow, leaning in.
"Being a dad is a lot more terrifying than all of this other stuff we've gone through. Bring on Viper. Bring on Gregg. Bring on the wildfires in Texas. I have no idea what to expect with a baby."
Eva pecked him on the lips. "You're gonna make a great dad, Mikey."
"I can't wait."
A Note from J.R. -
First and foremost, I want to thank all of the readers out there. Without continued support, I would have never imagined that I could have turned the idea of my first book, Through Smoke, into a trilogy. To all of you who have kept reading, I can't thank you enough.
I want to thank my writing buddy, M.P. McDonald, who does writing sessions with me in the evening and on weekends. Participating in those sessions provides the constant encouragement I need to get my books finished. Her continued support is helpful in times when I feel discouraged.
Lastly, I have to admit that Fire Escape has been the hardest book for me to complete. In the middle of writing it, my father passed away. He was a firefighter and paramedic, and a huge help when it came to asking about technical things pertaining to these stories. Not only did he offer his expertise, but he also helped motivate me and inspire me to keep going. This book is especially for him and for all of the first responders out there who do this job daily. Your bravery is amazing.
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Here are the links to other books by J.R. –
Fight for Absolution -
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009QRQ50C/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_4Qf5sb092ZCBC
Ryan Shay wants to forget his past. Memories of an abusive childhood, betrayal from his family, and failure to trust anyone have held him captive his whole life. Afraid to confront his demons, it's a miracle he hasn't wound up a statistic in the war on drugs. Having no real purpose or reason to get better, he has failed several rehab stints and has always gone back to the one thing he finds comfort in - drugs and alcohol. After being accused of stealing from a local dealer, suffering from an overdose, and learning he might have a son, Ryan finds a strong reason to break the chains of his addictive past and end the cycle of his shameful ways. He is determined to become clean, despite the constant negativity sent his way from his friends and society. His success is not only for himself, but for someone who desperately needs him. What could be viewed as a careless mistake to many is possibly the one thing that might save Ryan Shay's life.
Dance With the Devil -
http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Devil-Troubled-Thriller-ebook/dp/B006AZLT7M/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1321884988&sr=1-2
Lane O'Reily, a Baltimore Homicide Detective, takes on the case of a lifetime when he is handed a murder investigation involving a string of young women. Desperate to solve the case before another victim turns up, he must rely heavily on his only witness, a survivor to the crimes. She begins harassing and stalking him and with his marriage, career, and life on the line, he must decide if the obsessive witness is leading him down a path to the murderer, or down a trail littered with lies, betrayal and ultimately, a dead end.
Through Smoke –
http://www.amazon.com/Through-Smoke-Troubled-Firefighting-ebook/dp/B004OL26JO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1321841018&sr=8-1
Firefighter Michael McGinnis is no stranger to intense situations. Veteran of New York’s Ladder Twenty-One Company as a search and rescue man, he has seen his share of burning infernos, high-rise saves, and intense emergency situations. Despite McGinnis’ years on the job, nothing can prepare him for getting tangled in his brother’s mistakes as a drug addict and gambler, especially when a blood thirsty bookie gets involved. A romance sparks between him and fellow paramedic, Eva Crisante, catching him even more off guard. Morals are tested, lies are told, and relationships are built and then torn to ruins. The problems ahead are more challenging than any fire McGinnis has experienced. He learns that bravery is not only needed in his job with the department, but also in dire situations away from work. His tough love for his brother is tested, proving that there truly are things more dangerous than a five-alarm fire.
Backfire - Book Two: Troubled Heroes Series -
http://www.amazon.com/Backfire-Sequel-Through-Troubled-ebook/dp/B007J7JDNM/ref=sr_1_17?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1331473777&sr=1-17
Michael McGinnis returns in this sequel to Through Smoke.
While visiting his brother in Texas, he is struck by the devastation wrought by the drought and wildfires. Learning the fire departments are staffed mostly by volunteers, he feels compelled to stay and help. Having little experience with this type of firefighting, Michael is forced to learn the basics quickly, making him vulnerable to the deteriorating situations in the largest and most destructive wildfire in Texas history. Eva is forced to go back home to New York with the constant worry of his safety on her mind.
With danger closing in on him, Michael comes to terms with what is important and must make a crucial decision that can change the lives of everyone he knows.
