Chapter 16
The Fire
It had
been a busy evening and Ruth was tired. Her crew finished up their cleaning
duties as they prepared for the next day’s business, she tidied up the office
after counting the receipts from the day and placed the funds and accounting
reports into the safe. She bent low to spin the combination dial so it would
lock. As she straightened, she arched her back trying to stretch out some of
the stiffness.
“I am
getting too old for this. I’m bushed.”
Her
cook, a tall skinny man with a coarse face, knocked on the door and stuck his
head inside, “All done Ruth. I’ll see you tomorrow night.”
“You
bet Johnny. Thank you. I’ll be locking up in a few minutes.”
Ruth
continued to straighten her desk and collected her coat and umbrella along with
the hickory cane that was so much a part of her life. The room grew dark when
she shut off the light leaving a couple of small lamps glowing Inside the main
dining room, casting a warm glow that floated across the tables and chairs and
bar accenting the nautical artifacts that adorned the walls and ceiling. She
stopped momentarily to look up to the photo of her late husband. With an
affectionate sigh, she reached up to pat his face, then turned to leave.
Stepping
outside a wave of damp air blew through her partially open jacket and she
hesitated for a moment as she tried to close an extra button near the top. She
started to extract the keys to lock up when she heard some noise behind her.
Startled, she awkwardly turned but before she could fully turn a massive hand grabbed
her shoulder and threw her across the parking lot. She fell striking her head
against the pavement. Before she could gather her wits, the same massive hand struck
her across the face knocking her tiny body to the ground sending her cane and
umbrella rolling. Stunned, she rolled to one side trying to rise up enough to
spot her attacker. Three feet way lay her cane and she tried to reach for it,
but a foot stepped on it locking it to the ground. Her vision blurred from the
shock of the first blow and she again tried to see who was there. All she saw
was a massive bulk of a man standing over her. “Hoke…” She struggled to get the
words out. He bent low to pick up the cane and with one powerful swing struck
her across the back of the head shattering her skull and breaking the hickory
cane in two. She fell face first, silent and not moving.
Hoke
stood erect breathing heavily as he stood over Ruth. “Paid back in full.” He
chided, then he turned toward the building and enter it carrying a large
container of gasoline. He poured some of the fuel across the floor and tables,
then ran a trail of liquid toward and out the door before tossing the gas can
deep into room. He looked over his shoulder to see if anyone was watching, then
wiped his hands clean, struck a match and tossed it.
The thick overcast sky, as low as
it hung, reflected much of the harbor light adding a softer, more subtle
radiance that softened the otherwise shadowy outdoor arena. Nicki, covered with
a light blanket, was asleep in the back strapped into a car seat. Her soft face
seemed at peace with the world, her innocence a contrast to the recent turmoil
surrounding both of their lives.
Hand in hand they talked about Sharon’s
life overseas and how maybe someday she would return. She talked about Nicki’s
life on the tropical island growing up in a different world than the one in
which she now lived. She expressed her fear of how Nicki would be able adjust.
She spoke about Doctor Alexander and his wife Alice and how they took care of
her before Nicki was born and after. She held a deep-seated respect and
parental love toward them and missed their kindness and genuine love.
The
evening seemed to float away until it was well past the time both of them
should call it a day. Matt hoped it would never end, but knew it must. He
turned to check on Nicki. She stirred only briefly, pulling the light blanket
around her shoulders allowing a soft light to fall across her cherub face.
“You’ve
done a great job raising her. I can’t imagine how hard that must have been.”
“She is
the one who lifted me, who provided all the joy to life. I never imagined how special someone like her
could become. She also reminded me of you.”
“Me, how so?”
“She can be gentle and loving, but
also retains a rebellious heart, in a good way, full of adventure and
curiosity.”
“We
should not have kept her out so late. Poor thing she must be exhausted.” Matt
interjected as he continued to watch her rhythmic soft breathing, Sharon
chuckled, “She’s probably
tougher than we are. She had to be, growing up with the village children. They
were a rough and tumble bunch of kids.”
Matt
cast a simple smile. “Your friend Sandy seems nice.”
“I
really don’t know what I would have done without her. She’s the best. She loves
Nicki and Nicki loves her. I’m going to miss her. She’s on her way back
overseas.”
“You
were right about Nicki. I can’t imagine how much I’ve missed over the last few
years. I am so sorry you had to face it all by yourself. I don’t know how to be
a dad, but I promise I’ll do the…”
His
words were interrupted by a loud explosion and tremendous red flash that erupted
behind them. They turned toward the sound and saw flames leaping across the sky
illuminating the area around it.
“That’s
over by The Shipwreck.” Matt shouted.
Spinning the wheels of his Jeep as
he rammed the gear shifter forward and punched the accelerator. He whipped
through the parking area and screamed around the corner heading toward the
burning building. When they arrived, the building was completely engulfed in
flames, with orange appendages screaming out of several windows. Black smoke
wafted into the night sky. To their right, near the edge of the parking area,
some movement caught their attention. On the ground laying on her side was
Ruth, badly beaten and bleeding. Matt Jumped from the Jeep and ran over, kneeling
to the ground next to her.
“Ruth…Ruth!”
She
just moaned and tried to open her eyes, moaned again and mumbled ”Hoooke no,”
but Matt could barely hear her over the roar of the fire.
He
shouted at Sharon to find a phone and call 911, but lights were beginning to
flicker inside other buildings and homes nearby with people starting to step
outside. Another man wearing an overcoat ran over to where they were. “I’ve
called 911. The fire department should be here any minute.”
“Did
you see anything?” Matt asked him.
“No…no,
I was in bed. The explosion woke me.”
Matt
nodded and held Ruth’s head off the cold and hard pavement. Her face was
bruised with blood flowing from her nose and mouth. The back of her head felt
wet, his hands covered in blood.
“Stay
with me Ruth. Help is on the way.”
Sharon
removed the scarf from around her neck and pressed it against the wound across the
back of her head. She cast an anxious look into Matts eyes.
“Looks
bad…where is that ambulance?” Matt grumbled.
Seconds
later they heard a siren some distance off, then about thirty seconds later a
fire truck turned the corner. A few seconds after that the Coast Guard
station’s 4x4 truck pulled up and a crew of five piled out carrying fire
extinguishers. Together with the firemen, they connected and extended water
lines and began spraying down the building. Two more firetrucks arrived soon
after, but it was too late. The Shipwreck was fated, turned into a blazing
inferno no amount of water was going to extinguish in time. All they could do
was prevent the flames from spreading to other buildings.
One of the firemen knelt low to check on Ruth.
“Keep pressure on that wound. Don’t move
her to much until the paramedics arrive. They should be here any minute.” Just
after those words another set of flashing lights turned the corner and the
paramedics pulled up next to the fire trucks.
“Over
here.” Sharon frantically shouted and waved to get their attention.
Seconds later, the paramedics knelt
to the ground and began to examine Ruth. Her face was ashen and there was no
life in her expression. They checked her breathing and pulse and found none and
so began CPR using a hand squeezed respirator to insure she was getting air.
Another
station vehicle arrived and Chief Adams stepped out then ran over to where Matt
and Sharon were.
“What
happened here Matt?”
“I
don’t know Chief. We heard an explosion and saw the fire. Found Ruth laying
here when we arrived. She’s hurt bad.”
“Alright
then, we’ll help the firefighters put out this fire. You stay with Ruth.”
Matt
nodded.
The
paramedics lifted her onto the wheeled stretcher and started to roll her toward
the ambulance.
“How can
I help.” Matt asked as they lifted her through the back.
“Crawl
in with Mike, he can use your help while we transport her.”
He
turned to Sharon. “I have to go. Take Nicki home. I’ll call you when I know
anything.”
A few
minutes later they pulled into the emergency entrance at the regional hospital
where doctors and nurses were waiting for their arrival. Matt tried to help,
but got in the way more than anything until one of the paramedics pulled him
aside, “They’ve got her now. You can wait inside if you want to.”
The
hospital staff and the other paramedic rushed her through the opened entrance
while Doctor Allan listened to the paramedic’s report, “No pulse, no
respiration, been on the ventilator for about seven minutes. CPR applied from
the scene until arrival here.”
Doctor
Allan shouted directions to his staff who, in an often, rehearsed choreography,
slid Ruth into the first ER room with the door automatically closing behind
them. Matt stood outside not knowing what to do. He tried to look inside, but
could see nothing except chaotic movements. He walked toward the ER entrance
where the flashing lights of the ambulance were still rotating, casting an
erratic movement of painted, ghostly images back and forth through the opening.
At the main desk one of the paramedics was talking to the receptionist, or
nurse, he wasn’t sure, signing off on their delivery.
In the distance, lightning flash
across the sky, a few moments later the muffled rumble of thunder reverberated
into the building as a gust of wind found the tops of the trees lining the
parking area provoking them to sway in time with the gusting air. The storm
arrived with the change of tide.
