Chief Casey Season 1: Chicago's Newest Chief (Dawsey)

Chapter 22

Back with Matt as he works in his office:
Matt's POV: As I read the reports I got, I smiled when I saw that nobody died on my first day and that the fire we responded to was handled quite well. That's when I started to feel someone tug on my pant leg. I looked down and saw it was Matteo. "Hey buddy. What you got there?" Matteo then smiled. "Mama said to bring to water." I smiled and nodded as I went to grab it from him. "Thanks. How about you come up here and you can watch daddy do his job for a bit?" Matteo nodded and agreed as I picked him up. That's when I realized I had OFI pictures on the screen.

Matteo then looked at the pictures and was confused. "Daddy, why is that guy burned? I thought the whole point of being a firefighter was to save people, not to let them die in a fire." I sighed and nodded. "Yeah, it is buddy. But, sometimes you can't save them all. This guy wasn't lucky. He died unfortunately and went to heaven. You know, like your great-grandmother." Matteo nodded and understood. I then went to kiss his head as I moved closer to my desk. I then went to look at the report Hermann sent me and saw the miles we drove. "God, it was a busy day."

Grabbing my fire log, I went to note the number of miles we drove on the truck. That was a lot of miles and I wanted to make sure we get that down. I don't want to have to go to the commissioner for new trucks for at least a few years. I mean, unless they offer me some then I am not going to request them. That was one thing I was not ready to do when I was such a new chief. I then went to read Severide's report and noticed that some of the things seemed a bit fishy. I read the report more and saw this was the case he wanted me to send to OFI.

Going to grab the pages I printed off that related to this case, I went to read it in finer detail. Grabbing a highlighter, I went to read it when Matteo got squirmy. "Daddy, can I go?" I nodded and agreed. "Of course. Go ahead buddy. Can you ask your mom to come here for a second though?" I then went to look at the OFI codes and saw Severide marked it was Arson using bomb residue. The bomb didn't go off but, it seemed to be something that could've possibly gone off. I wasn't at the scene considering it was solely a Squad call but, I decided to text him.

'Hey, about Fire 8 yesterday. Was bomb squad involved?' Setting my phone down I saw Gabby come in. "Hey, you need me." I nodded and sighed. "This case here. I wanted your opinion. Should this go to OFI?" Gabby then walked up to me and went to look at it. "What type of fire?" I went to read the report. "Bomb residue found on scene. Was an old ammunition plant from WW2 but has been repurposed into a factory they use for clothes manufacturing." Gabby then sighed and looked at me. "Babe, I am not going to tell you what to do. This is chief work."

I sighed and understood what she meant. "What is your gut telling you to do?" I looked up at her. "I just don't want to be this pest of a new chief that sends his first case he thinks is really weird to OFI and just waste their time. I mean, it might be nothing and just might've been a gas leak or something." Gabby looked at me. "Matt, look at me. You are not going to be a nuisance for doing your job. My answer as your wife? I would just do whatever you think is best. As a former OFI Arson investigator, I would send it because it might be big. They need to stop the guy."

Gabby just went to wrap her arms around me from behind and then kissed my head. "Listen, you have this okay? You are a great chief and make great decisions. I texted with the guys yesterday and they were all proud of you. So Matt, you have this. Do what your gut is telling you to do. Now, I have to go put Wally down for a nap. My mom has Ella. If Matteo comes back, just keep him for a while." I nodded and agreed. "I am just finishing this. Then, I am going to take him outside. I have to go shovel the driveway. Your mom was going to but, I stopped her. I got it."

Gabby smiled and agreed with my call. "Then can you come upstairs and get the garbage from our room? The stinky one." I nodded and understood before turning to look at her. "Oh the joys of having 2 babies. The stinky diapers have to be my favorite." I then decided to get up and when to kiss her softly. "I'll go get it now okay? Then I can do this after. You going to rest upstairs?" Gabby nodded and agreed. "That okay?" I nodded and smiled as we went to walk upstairs together. "Sure. But I might also go shovel while I am out there. And take Matteo to the park."

Gabby smiled when I said that. "Of course. Finish the reports later then when he's taking a nap okay?" I nodded and agreed before looking at Matteo. "Hey Matteo, how about we go out to the park after I shovel the driveway?" Matteo nodded and agreed as he went to run upstairs. My mom then looked at me. "Mind if I join you guys?" I nodded and smiled. "I would love that mom." I then went to walk upstairs. "Just make sure you bundle up." My mom nodded and agreed as she went to go downstairs and get dressed. Meanwhile, I went upstairs to do the same.