Fiery Passions

Chapter 13 - Teasing Chinese Takeout?

2013@ Aerynsun All Rights Reserved

 Chapter 13

       He kept the fisted paper in his hands.  The shadows of the Drill Tower in the back of the station started to grow on the field, with the setting sun.  Likewise, did his worry and frustration about the letter.  If this was a joke, whoever wrote it had a sick sense of humor.  He felt tempted to throw it away, his anger creeping into him, but his gut stated otherwise.  He started dialing quickly in his cell phone.

"It's Quinn.  We need to meet as soon as possible.  Something has come up that you need to take a look at?

-"NO, I need to speak to you in person"

-"Ok that sounds fine, I will meet you there.

- " And don't talk to anyone about it.  I don't want more people involved for now".

Quinn  hung up the phone, and strode quickly to his file cabinet; placing the now flattened letter in it.  He retrieved the keys and locked the drawer.  He hoped his meeting would help to ease his mind and diffuse whatever the situation was before it got worse.

-"Hey, Chief!!"

Quinn turned to face Dan standing in the entryway of his office.  A towel draped around his neck, sweat covering his shirt. 

-"Yes, Dan"

-"I already finished the training drills and need to leave on personal business today, if that's ok with you?"

-"Anything I should know?"

-"NO worries chief, everything's fine, just some stuff I need to do".

-"Ok, just make sure to be back at your shift tomorrow. got it?"

"Yes sir, thanks."

Dan, a walking mystery! thought Quinn.  He couldn't figure him for the life of him.  The young fireman had remained within the crew as a constant part of them.  He was usually on time, performed his drills to an acceptable level, and passed his qualifying firemen tests within acceptable limits.  Yes, he could also joke around and raise hell to the other men in the crew when left to his own devices in his spare time. 

Still, Quinn had caught glimpses of Dan on several occasions when he remained on the sidelines of trainings or briefings.  His eyes seemed distant, cold and calculating, as if analyzing and taking toll for a future time. 

His behavior sometimes seemed rehearsed even to the tiniest movement, like his heart wasn't into whatever he was doing.  It intrigued Quinn what really made Dan tick.

 ~~~~~~~~

Small swirls of dying smoke lifted in the air of what remained of the building.  Early in the wee hours of Friday morning an anonymous tip was sent to the station.  A fire consumed what once was an old packaging warehouse, in the outskirts of Miami Beach area.  It had taken forever to put out the fire, and a few of Scott's crew members had needed medical assistance due to smoke inhalation.  

He walked cautiously through the pile of wet rubble on his path, still wearing his firemen suit.  Civil engineering experts had already evaluated that the building was still safe to enter since the main structural columns withheld.  

Scott scanned the place, his trained blue eyes searching for evidence in the scene before him.  Damn!! He still got goose bumps when he entered again a torched scene after he had helped put it out.  But this time, his services were required not as a fireman but as a fire forensic investigator.  He had already thanked Quinn on pestering him to get his qualifications as an investigator.  It had been extremely challenging, but it had opened a new world to him.  A world he had never had thought to step into.