Firestarter (9 page)

'Was it just you who fed him?'

'Mostly. I was on rest days when he needed the most care so it was easiest for me to do it. You can't blame me for the name though. My far better suggestion was laughed at.'

'What was it?'

'I can't say. You'll laugh and I'll get a complex about it.'

'Oh go on.'

'No.'

'Please. I promise not to laugh,' Alice said.

'Sausage.'

She, of course, did laugh. It would just have been a slight giggle had she not been trying so hard to keep a straight face. The more she tried to contain her amusement and the more he pretended to sulk the harder she laughed.

Eventually she got herself under control. 'What happened to him, do you know?'

'He's still around. I know they all look much alike, but I'm sure it's him. If he sees me about, especially if I've got food he comes right up to me. He's much braver than you'd expect, even for a bird which hangs around a wildlife sanctuary. Then the other day I had a sausage sandwich...'

At the word sausage Alice started laughing again.

'Well, if you don't want to hear it.

'No, I do.'

'And you'll listen properly?'

'Yes.' She tried to look serious.

'As I was saying, I had a sandwich. A sausage sandwich.'

It was no good, she was off again.

Hamish did a much more thorough job of kissing her goodnight that evening. Afterwards he pulled her close and held her as though he had no intention of letting her go anytime soon. She could feel his heart beating as hard and fast as her own and that wasn't the only evidence that he wanted her just as much as she wanted him. Even so he refused her invitation to come in for coffee, '…or something.'

'I'm tempted. Very tempted, but I can see you don't want to be rushing into anything after what you went through with Tony, so I'd better not this time.' He stroked her cheek. 'And you have to get up for work, in what...' he glanced at his watch. 'About seven hours, don't you?'

'True.' She hadn't realised it was so late.

Her fondness for Miles and Tony took a further nosedive as she climbed into her cold bed. She banished them both from her mind by thinking about Hamish. Before Tony interrupted him, he'd been saying he really liked her and she was sure he really had been tempted to come in. Tony! She'd forgotten her concerns about him lurking outside the pub or her flat waiting to cause more trouble. Hopefully he'd realise he'd made a fool of himself and leave her alone from now on.

Her phone buzzed indicating a text. She didn't really want to look, but knew she'd just lie awake wondering if it was from Tony of she didn't.

The message was from Hamish and read, 'Goodnight, Sausage x.'

She grinned and texted back 'Goodnight and thanks x,' then snuggled under her quilt to imagine giving and collecting those x's.

Alice awoke to a thudding in her head. She felt exhausted and her eyes didn't want to open. She'd not drunk that much the night before, maybe she was ill. Gradually she realised the banging was outside her flat. A glance at her clock showed it was three in the morning. The thumping was joined by the barking of a dog.

'This is the fire brigade. Sorry, but the building must be evacuated.'

Alice pulled on her dressing gown and peeped out through the small gap allowed by her security chain. The man in the hallway certainly looked like a fireman.

Chapter 9

'Sorry, but you have to leave right now. Just fetch any medicines or anything else you might need, put on something warm and make your way to the front of the building as quickly as you can, leaving all doors unlocked please.'

That certainly sounded like something a fireman might say. The flashing blue lights shining up through the stairwell were pretty convincing too. Alice looked back at the fireman. He might well be a nice person and she was sure he'd be physically fit and strong enough to do the job, but not even his best friends would have described him as a hunk. She didn't recognise him from her calendar or as one of Hamish's watch, but his unexciting looks and the fact Red Watch weren't on duty meant neither point was surprising. OK, so she was awake and this was real.

'Is it a fire?' she asked. There was no smoke or heat; perhaps it was a gas leak or something.

'We've had a report of one, so we're checking.'

It must be quite small then, that was reassuring. Alice pulled jogging bottoms and her orange jumper over her pyjamas, grabbed her new laptop and stuffed her purse, phone, chocolate and other essentials into the case. She collected her coat, gloves, hat and scarf on her way out. Ahead of her on the stairs was Doris and her dog.

Once outside they joined a group of people assembled on the grassed area opposite the flats. She and Doris were asked for their names and flat numbers and to confirm they hadn't left anyone inside.

'If you've any information about people being away, or can't see any neighbours you'd expect to be at home, please let us know so we can be sure everyone is out,' a fireman said.

Alice looked around at the others. She didn't know everyone in the flats that well, but she'd probably at least spoken to them all either as she put out her rubbish or collected the mail. Just as she realised the young Asian family weren't there she saw them coming out of the building, carrying the children. She couldn't think of anyone else who was missing and was surprised to see more people behind the family. As they drew closer and gave their names she realised she had seen them before. What a terrible witness she'd make and it didn't say a lot for her neighbourliness either, did it? She tried to make up for that by offering round the chocolate she'd stashed in her laptop case.

'Thank you, dear,' Doris said as she took a piece. 'They do say something sweet is good for shock, don't they?' She did look a little shaky.

'You must be cold,' Alice said and wound her long scarf round her neighbour's head and neck.

Doris smiled. 'That's better, thank you. Luckily it's a still night, but it's awfully cold just stood about, isn't it?'

Alice noticed that Rufus the dog was wearing the little rug Doris put on him when it rained or was especially cold. Other than her pet, Doris had brought out one carrier bag. It seemed to contain nothing but a dog bowl and box of dog biscuits.

A fireman asked again if anyone seemed to be missing from those they'd have expected to see in the building.

'Are Mr and Mrs Thomas from 12b here? I can't see them,' someone called.

'They're in the Canaries.'

'Oh, lucky them.'

Once it seemed everybody had been accounted for, they were told that a 999 call had been made reporting a fire. 'Does anyone have any information on that?'

People shook their heads and pointed out there were no obvious signs of a fire.

'OK, well the building is being thoroughly checked now. Make yourselves as comfortable as you can and we'll let you back in as soon as we can.'

'Can we go to our daughter's for the night?' one couple asked.

'Yes. Anyone who wants to is free to leave, but please let us know. And if anyone thinks of anything, or wishes to speak to any of us confidentially, just yell, OK?'

The couple who'd made the request gave their names, as did a few others. Alice thought about phoning her parents, but she didn't want to disturb them and it seemed quite possible that if she did they'd still be fussing over her long after her neighbours had returned to bed.

Those who'd thought to grab blankets and quilts offered them to children, Doris and an elderly gentleman. Rufus was having a great time, running round in excited circles as he decided who should be allowed to fuss over him next. A few people tried to sleep, leaning against each other on benches. Most just stood and watched, though there wasn't really much to see.

The firemen used heat detecting cameras and other equipment, conducted a search and questioned the residents. It wasn't exciting. Reality was definitely not living up to her fantasy. Probably just as well as, instead of a silky nightie, she was wearing baggy pyjamas and tatty slippers which had once looked like pink mice. The slippers were a mistake; she could feel them soaking up the damp and cold. They'd be going in the bin tomorrow, assuming she was allowed back in by then. The orange jumper wouldn't be joining them. Without that she'd be unbearably cold.

She sat on a low wall, it wasn't comfortable or warm, but allowed her to keep her feet off the wet grass. After that she must have drifted off to sleep as she imagined explaining to Kate that she wanted to buy a big orange onesie and instead of laughing at such a horrible idea, Kate offered to knit it for her.

'OK, you can go back in,' they were eventually told. 'Seems it was a false alarm or a hoax.'

'People who do that should be prosecuted,' Doris said.

'Sometimes they are.' The fireman who'd given the all clear walked with them. 'Telephone numbers are automatically sent through to control, and addresses for landlines or co-ordination points for mobiles, so tracing them isn't usually too difficult. Calls are recorded and used as evidence, if need be.'

When she reached her landing, one of Alice's neighbours offered hot chocolate to anyone who wanted it. 'Don't know about you, but I don't think I could go back to sleep just yet.'

'Thanks, but I'm already asleep,' Alice said.

She heard Doris say she'd like some, if she could bring Rufus.

'Oh please do. He's such a dear little thing.'

Alice thought it a good thing the fire alarms were above paw height; that dog was having so much fun he'd probably set them off every night if he could.

At work the next day Alice tried to look alert so as not to give Miles a reason to moan. Her friend Kath noticed her baggy eyes and asked if she was OK.

'Just tired.'

'That fireman of yours been keeping you awake?'

'Actually it wasn't all his fault, most of Green Watch were responsible.' Or maybe it had been White or Yellow Watch?

'Details. Now!' Kath demanded, scooting her chair over to Alice's desk.

All three women crowded around as she told them about the night's adventure.

They didn't notice Miles approach until he said, 'Something more exciting than processing orders is clearly going on here, ladies.'

Emma and Lucy slid back to their stations.

'Alice is lucky to be here!' Kath said. 'Her flats could have been burned down.'

'Is that right?' Miles asked.

'Not exactly,' Alice admitted. 'It was a false alarm and the fire brigade came out for nothing. We had to evacuate though and I didn't get much sleep.'

'You do look tired,' he said. 'Maybe you should go home.'

'I'm fine.' She wasn't about to give him a reason to accuse her of being inefficient. He'd sacked several warehouse staff for that already. It wasn't exactly fair; business was so slow that making themselves look busy was everyone's main challenge.

'I don't think you are, Alice. You need to sleep or you'll make yourself ill.'

He was probably concerned she'd have an accident and sue. The stairs from the storerooms to the offices were in bad shape. Anyone not paying attention as they negotiated them was likely to fall.

'I could take a day's leave. It's not your fault this happened.' It wasn't her fault either and she'd already worked two hours, but was too tired to worry about such details.

'Let's call it half a day and I'll take you home.'

'Oh. Thank you.' Maybe she'd already gone back to sleep. Miles never offered so much as a lift to the bus stop when it was raining, even though they usually left at the same time and he drove right by.

As they left the car park he said, 'Is there someone who can collect your car, or will you need a lift in tomorrow?'

'I get the bus to work, Miles.'

'Having trouble with the Audi?'

'Audi? Oh that was my ex-boyfriend's car.' Tony lent it to her for a couple of weeks when he'd been suffering from vertigo and couldn't drive. Miles had taken an interest because he'd been thinking of getting one himself. She didn't know what Tony's had cost but from the fuss he made if anyone parked close enough for a carelessly opened door to make contact with his paintwork, she guessed it was a lot. If Miles had thought it was hers no wonder he didn't think she needed a pay rise or lift to the bus stop. Perhaps they'd misjudged each other.

'Having to evacuate your home must have been alarming,' he said.

'Not really. Just a waste of time.'

'Don't suppose the fire brigade were happy.'

'Probably not.' She told him as much as she could remember of what the fireman had said about tracing hoax calls.

After a few hours' sleep and some time thinking about what she could do to make one particular fireman happy, Alice rang Hamish and explained about her unpleasant night and how, as a result, she had the afternoon off.

'That can't have been any fun. Hope it hasn't put you off firemen?'

'No, of course not.'

'So we're still on for tomorrow?'

'Absolutely.' How could he doubt it? She'd been hoping he'd come round to cheer her up, not trying to delay seeing him again. 'I can't wait.'

He didn't take the hint.

Kate was, she knew, going out with Pete that evening. When Alice had told her about the fire hoax she'd offered to cancel and spend time with Alice, but she'd refused. She wasn't upset or scared or anything, she just didn't fancy sitting in the flat on her own watching TV. Doing that, plus eating home-made cake at her parents' would be a bit better and they'd be pleased to see her. At least she assumed so, they always acted that way and she was most certainly not going to ask her parents if they had a romantic night in planned.

Before visiting her parents, Alice made sure the whole flat was clean and tidy. Hamish hadn't mentioned any particular plans for the following evening, so might be open to suggestion. She already had a couple of films Kath had leant her and nipped down the shop for crisps, dips, beer and popcorn. Then she bullied herself down the sports' centre. If she arrived at her parents' earlier than she would have on a work day, they were likely to ask why and then worry.

Alice gave a rather pathetic performance in the aerobics class but it was probably better than not bothering at all. She still felt sluggish afterwards and thought her eyes looked puffy so had a short nap. Well, what was intended to be a short nap. She actually slept for three hours. Good thing she hadn't told her parents when she was coming. She called them to say she was on her way over, 'If that's OK?'

'Of course it is, love,' her dad said. 'Your mum's watching some dancing thing, but I'll come and get you.'

'I can get the bus.'

'No, it's dark out. I'll come and get you, love.'

It was dark when she walked down the lane from work and got the bus home in winter but she didn't point that out; maybe this was more a case of avoiding an overdose of sequins than an urge to over protect his little girl.

Alice managed to tell her parents about being woken in the night by the fire brigade without alarming them. Actually they seemed a lot more concerned about butternut squash. Alice's mum had bought one to make soup and used what she didn't need in the very delicious Dundee cake Alice was helping to dispose of. Her dad had been horrified at the price.

'Two quid for a glorified courgette when I grow hundreds of them?'

'They're quite different, Peter. Besides, there aren't any courgettes left.'

'They don't keep through the winter.'

Apparently the squashes would, but took up so much garden space Alice's dad would have to drastically cut back on everything else he grew to accommodate them. Which Alice realised, as she finally caught on to the importance of the issue, meant there would never again be a big enough surplus for wine production.

'You'll just have to buy them then, Mum, as this cake is really scrummy. What was the soup like?'

'I rather liked it. Did you, Peter?'

'Well, yes but then I like anything with that much butter and cream... actually I was surprised at you making it for me.'

So was Alice; his blood pressure was on the high side and her mum was trying to get him to lose weight.

'No butter, no cream, no fat at all,' her mum said just a bit smugly.

'Really? Can I have the recipe?' Alice asked.

'You don't want to go losing weight, love,' her dad told her.

Alice wasn't so sure. Without Tony nagging her about the tightness of her clothes and keeping them to a strict exercise regime she'd put on a few pounds. She wasn't overly worried about what the scales said, but she'd rather not have to buy new clothes in a bigger size.