Cries in the Night Read Free Page A

box of Snuggle dryer sheets on the shelf next to it.
    “Really?” Rusty asked when he saw her pick it up.
    She didn’t answer, but pulled out the sheets until she reached the bottom of the box. Nestled there, just as Danny had told her was the emergency cell phone she had given Gloria the last time Julie had been called out to this house. It was something she often gave to victims of domestic abuse because their controlling spouse or partner often refused to let them have any contact with the outside world. She was glad to see that Gloria had listened to her recommendation to hide the phone in a safe place where Carlos wouldn’t find it because Gloria clearly hadn’t paid any attention to Julie’s other advice to not let him back in her life. Julie held up the phone so Rusty could see it, then followed him out the back door and to the driveway.
    Once back outside, she took deep, cleansing breathes of the crisp cold air. “I don’t know how you guys do it,” she admitted to Rusty.
    He flashed her a grin, his teeth looking incredibly white against his soot-blackened face. “Are you kidding? I’d do this even if they didn’t pay me. But don’t tell anyone.”
    Julie flipped open the phone, turned it on and watched as it booted up. “Hey thanks,” she told him.
    “No problem.” His expression sobered. “You do good work, you know. They need someone like you to help them after all this.” He motioned around them at the devastation. Yes, they had saved most of the house, but the smoke and the water had ruined much of what the flames hadn’t consumed. These people had lost a lot, if not everything, and they would need all the help they could get.
    “Hey Wilson. We’re ready to roll,” the captain called and gave Julie a wave of acknowledgment.
    They walked back to where Danny and Jackson waited. Rusty reached down and lifted his heavy helmet off of the boy’s head. “Thank you for taking care of my helmet for me. It looks good on you, but I’m going to need it in case I have to go to another fire tonight.”
    “Sure,” Danny said with pride at having accomplished something so apparently important.
    “Maybe you can get your mom to bring you by the fire station sometime when she feels better,” Rusty suggested. “I’ll give you a tour and let you sit in a fire truck.”
    “Really? Wow, okay,” Danny agreed.
    Rusty looked back at Julie. “And I’ll see you around.”
    “Yeah, we seem to hang out at the same places.” She smiled. “Thanks again.” She nodded her head toward Danny, indicating that his kindness toward the little boy hadn’t gone unnoticed.
    Rusty dismissed it with a shrug, but he gave her another grin as he put his helmet back on and headed toward the waiting fire truck.
    “Julie, we’re finished, too,” the police officer who had been standing nearby talking to the captain told her.
    “We can sit in my car and wait for his grandmother,” she suggested, but the officer shook his head.
    “I can’t leave you here. It’s still a hot scene.”
    Julie glanced around, suddenly nervous. “You mean he’s not in custody?” she asked while being careful to keep the conversation as neutral as possible.
    “He was gone when we arrived, but you can bet he’ll come back.”
    She shivered, not just because of the cold that was penetrating her heavy sweater. She had never actually met Carlos, but she had seen his handiwork on at least three occasions. “Let me make a quick call to Danny’s grandmother so she can be on her way.” She went to the Contacts’ list. There were only two numbers in it. Gloria’s mother and Julie’s cell phone. Even though she had encouraged Gloria to call her if Carlos came back, it was now clear that that hadn’t happened. She clicked on the word “Mom” and put the phone to her ear.
    It rang five times before a sleepy voice answered, “Hello.”
    Julie turned away so Danny couldn’t hear the conversation as she gave Gloria’s mother a quick