The station was silent again, that kind of heavy silence that only came just before dawn. The overhead lights were dimmed, the trucks gleaming softly in their bays, hoses coiled neatly on their racks, boots lined like soldiers against the walls. The world outside was still asleep, but inside the chief’s office, the air was thick and sharp with tension.
She stood stiffly in front of the desk, her damp shirt clinging to her back, the hem of her jacket still streaked with soot. The alarm had gone off barely an hour ago, pulling everyone out to a small warehouse blaze. It wasn’t a complicated call, but it had been messy. She’d taken a risk—an unnecessary one—and the chief had seen it.
He sat behind the desk, broad shoulders framed by the soft pool of yellow light from the lamp. His jacket hu
