After the Fire (8 page)

He grabbed his ice cream and licked the chocolate before offering it to her. “Fine, here you go.”

“Ewww,” she groaned. “And there I was hoping you’d improved with age. Where’d you learn that one?”

“My nephew. Davy’s coming up on three, now.”

“Wow. Uncle Jason, huh?” Freddie’s smile lit her eyes.

“Yeah. Spoil him rotten, much to my brother’s disgust. Mike’s a great dad, dotes on him.”

“Sounds like his uncle does, too.”

“Yeah. I like kids. And Debs is a mum, too. The baby’s a couple of weeks old. Often wish...” Jason broke off. This wasn’t fair for her or him. He was content being an uncle. He turned his attention to the view, desperate to contain the surge of emotion. “I’d forgotten how pretty it is here.”

“Have you been here before?”

“I’ve been in this general area a few times for work. I also came here on holiday once or twice. What about you?”

“Never been here.” Freddie turned back to her ice cream, and they ate in silence for a while, something else Jason was grateful for. She finished the cone and wiped her hands on a tissue. “That was lovely. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” He finished his ice cream and pulled the camera from the rucksack. He snapped the view and on the spur of the moment took several of Freddie as the breeze blew her hair in all directions. She pushed a hand through it, realizing what he was doing.

“Give it here.” She laughed, snatching the camera from him.

“No, you’ll break it if you take pictures of me,” he protested, trying to get the camera back.

“So, you can buy a new one. On your salary you can afford it.” Freddie took a couple pictures of him and held the camera up in the air.

“Give.” He reached for it.

“No.” She climbed on the wall, holding it out of his reach.

“Brat.” Jason took a step towards her.

“I beg your pardon?”

“Brat.”

Freddie waved the camera at him. “Come here and say that.”

Jason shook his head, laughing hard.

“Then catch.” She tossed the camera at him.

He caught it. Then he watched in horror as Freddie lost her footing and started to fall. Reacting quickly, he dropped the camera and taking two rapid steps, he grabbed her waist, pulling her forwards to safety. “I got you.” He cradled her soft body in his arms as she found her feet again. His heart pounded in his chest as he looked at her. “You all right?”

She looked at him, cheeks flushed, breathing hard and fast.

“Freddie? Are you all right?”

“Yes, thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Just don’t do that to me again, I don’t think my heart could stand it.” He let go.

“I promise.”

She leaned in and for a moment he wondered if she was going to kiss him. Instead her soft hand touched his cheek in a gesture of thanks. A quiver of almost seismic proportions shot though him.

“Thank you. So where next?”

Freddie looked at him, not dropping her gaze. “Well, I think I ought to tell you who the mine—”

“Well, hello. Fancy running into the two of you here.”

Jason groaned and shivered inwardly as Nick Steele’s voice broke into the conversation. He managed a smile as he turned to look at Nick. “Hello.”

“How are you?” The beaming smile widened, if that were possible.

“We’re good, enjoying the view.” Jason had the image of a crocodile about to swallow him whole. His hackles rose.
Lord, keep me calm here
.

Nick ran his gaze over Freddie. “That’s a lovely pendant you have there.”

“Thank you.” Freddie took a step closer to Jason. “It’s new, I bought it this morning. The stone is mined locally, apparently.”

“May I?” Nick reached for it.

She looked at Jason then nodded, not moving as Nick examined the pendant.

Jealousy and a sudden desire to deck Nick flooded Jason.
Please, Lord, I can’t keep my cool here unless You help me
.

“What sort of stone is it?”

“Firestone. One of the rarest.”

Nick let go. “It is lovely.”

“Thank you.”

The immediate danger over, Jason bent down and picked up the camera from where he’d let it fall. He turned it on. It worked.

“Why don’t I take one of the both of you?” Nick held out his hand.

Jason looked at Freddie. He wasn’t sure if he was glad or not when she nodded. He gave Nick the camera and put his arm around Freddie, pulling her close, wanting in some way to protect her.

The sounds dulled around him as they posed. Aware of her perfume, nothing else mattered.
Oh, man, this is a mistake
. His whole body resonated in a way he’d long since put aside. She fitted so perfectly against him, as soft and warm as he remembered.
I was a fool ever to have left her, Lord. Not that I regret working on the mission field, but I should have given her a chance to explain her actions before I left. I see that now.

Slowly the sounds returned. Seagulls swooped and called above him, boat sirens filled the air, crates of fish clattered as they were unloaded and he heard Freddie thanking Nick as she took the camera back.

“You’re welcome. Did you want to join us for lunch? We’ve got a table at the pub across the way. They specialize in locally caught fish.”

“No, thank you, we have plans. Maybe another day.” Jason shook his head. Eating with Nick was the last thing he wanted to do.

“Sure. See you later.”

Jason watched as Nick and Hannah headed down the quay hand in hand. He turned to Freddie to find her, hands on hips, giving him the raised eyebrow look. “What?”

“We have
plans
?”

“You’d rather go eat with them?” He winked at her. “I can call them back.” He got up and made as if he were going to, laughing when she grabbed his arm and shook her head at him.

“No, thanks. What “plans” have we made, then?”

“How does a picnic grab you?”

“Very tightly around the throat.” She looked at him straight-faced.

He rolled his eyes and laughed. Freddie laughed with him, the tension the Steeles had caused dissipating.

“I’ll go and get the sandwiches while you go to the optician over there and get your glasses fixed.”

“Sounds like a good plan.” Freddie pushed them back up her nose.

“Ham or tuna?”

“Cheese.”

“Trust you to go for the third option,” he teased. “All right, cheese it is.”

“If we find some place quiet to sit, then I can finish telling you what I found out. It’s stuff you need to know.”

“Sure.” Jason shouldered the rucksack. “Meet you outside there in a few.”

“Sounds good to me.” Freddie headed across the road.

Jason sat on the wall for a minute watching her. Being with her, it was so effortless to fall back into the easy routine of flirting. She gave a little back, but then the shutters came down and she closed off again. The old feelings assailed him full force. He didn’t want them, any of them. She betrayed him once, how could he be sure she wouldn’t do it again?

7

The sound of children playing in the park filled the air as Freddie sat across the bench from Jason. He’d bought cheese salad subs and lemonade. For a moment she’d gone back in time, fifteen years to the day they sat in a similar park, talking weddings and bridesmaid’s dresses.

“Penny for them.” Jason smiled over at her.

“I was just thinking that you’re right. This is a hundred times better than sitting in some dingy pub eating fish with someone who gives me the creeps.”

“At last I’m right about something.”

Of course the company’s better, but I’m not telling him that
. She eased her shoulders in the sunshine. The day was turning into another scorcher.

She sipped lemonade and brought the conversation back to work. She’d promised she’d share whatever information she found. Perhaps two minds really were better than one. She balanced the cup on its edge, rolling it from side to side.

“So, originally Baldhu was just a tin mine. Fairly ordinary, been owned by the Tirrel family for generations. Until five years ago, when an outlander bought it.”

“Outlander?” Jason paused, his mouth full of food.

“An outlander is someone who hasn’t lived here for about two hundred and fifty years and ten generations. Anyway, as soon as this outlander started working the mine, it wasn’t just tin they were bringing to the surface. Precious stones as well, agate, topaz, firestone...”

His hand fell to the table and he sat straight. “All right, you got my attention. You’re sure all of these stones are coming from the same mine? The guy couldn’t have got his facts muddled or you misunderstood what he said? The accent can be pretty hard to follow at times.”

“I understood him just fine. And yes, it’s all coming from a
tin
mine.” She reached into her shirt pocket for the card she’d picked up. “And guess who owns it.”

“No idea.”

“I’ll give you a clue. The owner hasn’t been seen in five months.”

“Just stop a minute. This is getting silly, now.”

“Huh?” Freddie did a double take. “You lost me.”

“He took over the mine
five
years ago. It’s
five
miles away and he hasn’t been seen for
five
months. You have a major overkill on the word
five
there.”

“You know, if you can’t focus on work for
five
minutes, sir, then maybe I—”

She broke off, her attention caught by a small boy on the other side of the picnic area. Something wasn’t right. He was coughing and coughing, his hand on his chest. She looked around for his mother or father, but there was no one in sight. Snapping back to the child, shock flooded her as she realized his pallor was grey and getting greyer. He collapsed to the grass, his eyes closing.

“I’m teasing...Freddie?”

Dropping her sub, she leapt to her feet and ran to the child. He lay prone, wheezing and gasping for breath. She knew instantly what was wrong—asthma. She reached the child and knelt beside him.

“Where’s your inhaler, sweetheart?”

“Muh-mee.” The child looked at her, terrified, tears in his eyes as he gasped for breath.

“We’ll find her.” Footsteps ran over to her and she looked up into Jason’s concerned face.

“Freddie, what’s happening? What can I do?”

“Call an ambulance. Tell them it’s a small child with an acute asthma attack.”

He nodded, pulling out his phone and dialing, as she turned back to the child.

“It’s all right, help’s coming. Can you sit up for me?” She undid his shirt and sat him up, leaning him against her. “What’s your name?”

“Pee—ter.”

She glanced around for his inhaler. Seeing it on the grass, she reached over and grabbed it. She pulled off the lid. “Peter, I need you to take three puffs for me. Can you do that?”

Peter grabbed her hand tightly. A panic-filled gaze stared up at her, his face grey and his lips blue. His mouth opened wide and his cheeks hollowed in a futile effort to draw in air.

“Good boy. First one.” She stroked his hair, talking quietly as he struggled to expand his lungs enough to inhale the meds. A hysterical woman ran to them, screaming Peter’s name. Freddie was grateful when Jason intercepted her, taking hold of her arms and talking to her calmly.

She turned back to Peter and offered the inhaler again. Her heart pounded and her breath caught as Peter’s eyes rolled up into his head and he fell limp in her arms.

No!

“Jason, hurry that ambulance.” She laid him flat on the ground, feeling for a pulse. There wasn’t one. She started CPR.
One, two, three, four, five, breathe. One, two, three, four, five, breathe
.

“Come on, Peter.”

One, two, three, four, five, breathe. One, two, three, four, five, breathe.

The small figure coughed and gasped. Relief flooded her. “Well done, sweetheart.” She turned him onto his side and offered the inhaler again. “Try to take a deep breath for me.” She could dimly hear someone screaming and figured it was Peter’s mother again.

Jason’s hand dropped on her shoulder. “It’s coming, should be here any minute.”

“All right, good.” She offered the inhaler again. “And again, Peter.”

Blue lights and sirens filled the air. Two paramedics leapt out of the ambulance.

“He crashed, but I got him back with CPR. He’s had three puffs of the inhaler.” She sat back on her heels, as they gave Peter a nebulizer and put him on a stretcher.

Peter’s mother had tears pouring down her face. “Thank you so much.”

“You’re welcome.” Freddie watched the ambulance leave, only then realizing a small crowd had gathered to watch. They gradually dissipated.

“Are you all right?” Jason’s voice was gentle, his gaze full of concern as he hunkered down next to her. His hand was warm against her cold one.

“I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not fine. Come here.” Jason wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tightly.

Freddie clung to him, taking the comfort he offered. She was only too aware of how close a call that had been.

After a moment, Jason pulled back and looked at her. “Come sit back down, and I’ll buy you a coffee.”

“All right.”

He helped her to her feet and gently took hold of her arm, leading her back to the bench. “Sit there and don’t move.”

Freddie sat down, her body numb and cold. As Jason moved away, her hands began to shake. She shoved them into her pockets and closed her eyes. It could have been her lying there. Would anyone else have known what to do?

“Here.” Jason sat beside her. A cup rested against her lips and she took a few sips before taking it in her shaking hands. A few drops of the hot liquid spilled onto her skin. His hands covered hers, steadying the cup.

“Take it easy. You were amazing.”

“I don’t know about that.”

“You saved that kid’s life. I’d say that’s pretty amazing.”

“I was just in the right place at the right time.” She took a long drink.

“It’s more than that, Freddie. You knew what it was, how to treat it. Even knew CPR, which is more than I do. To my shame, CPR is never something I learnt.” He looked at her. “I keep meaning to, just never got around to it.”