The paramedic replaced the oxygen mask over her face. “Someone will be here soon,” he reassured her.
She didn’t want someone. She wanted Finn. She needed to know he was okay and that someone had gone after him to provide backup.
A loud popping noise had her jerking the mask off her face again. “Was that a gunshot?”
Instant chaos ensued, confirming her suspicion. Dozens of officers and firefighters swarmed the area, apparently searching for the source of the gunshot. Through it all, firefighters continued spraying their hoses at Alecia’s house in an effort to douse the flames. Two more hoses were aimed at the houses on each side to protect them from damage. She was horrified about Alecia’s house and was thankful her friend’s parents had insisted on them paying for good insurance.
The paramedic replaced her oxygen mask, staying close to her side. She appreciated his gesture of support and was secretly glad Pete was home with Mikey instead of being out here, fighting the fire. While she was no expert, the fire appeared to be under control. Maybe because the source of the blaze had been focused in the living room.
Remembering those terrifying moments when she’d feared she was trapped inside the house made her shudder. Cocoa had wiggled out of her arms and had let out several barks while headed toward the doorway leading to the kitchen. She’d followed the puppy, shying away from the heat on her left and keeping far to the right. When the heat was behind them and the floor changed from hardwood to tile, she knew they’d made it. The front door wasn’t far. She had scooped Cocoa close and continued crawling toward the door leading outside.
She’d been grateful Finn had literally stumbled upon her in the doorway and that he was all right. His familiar musky scent had calmed her racing heart, but then he’d left her to go after the stinky guy.
Lord, please keep Finn and Abernathy safe in Your care!
Praying was second nature now, and she knew she had Finn to thank for bringing her back to her faith. He was the one who’d shown her the power of prayer. He was the only man who’d kissed her while knowing her diagnosis.
It was impossible to imagine life without him.
She secretly acknowledged that her feelings for Finn went beyond friendship. But knowing that didn’t change her future blindness. With her eyes still burning and tearing up from the smoke, she couldn’t see clearly. Being faced with the reality of her future was sobering. Looking back on what had transpired with Malina, she understood that her surgery, along with facing blindness, was the catalyst for her sister’s desperate foray into crime.
Nothing else made sense.
“Eva?” It wasn’t Finn’s voice, yet it was familiar. She squinted through the group of people still milling about to find her boss, Wade Yost, making his way toward her. “You found Cocoa!”
She hadn’t exactly found the puppy—the stinky guy had tossed him at her—but nodded anyway. “Yes, thankfully. What are you doing here?”
“I heard about the fire on the news and rushed over.” Her boss elbowed the paramedic out of the way, dropping to one knee beside her. The paramedic took a few steps away as if to provide them some privacy. Wade reached out to lightly stroke Cocoa. “I’m so glad you’re both okay.”
It was odd that he’d come here in the middle of the night. And how had he known this was where she lived in the first place? Her address was on file at the training center, but it was a little creepy that he’d recognized the house from the news. Yet she told herself to get over it. He hadn’t revealed the truth about Malina because he hadn’t wanted to lose Eva as a trainer. She appreciated his support. “Me, too. Cocoa helped me get out through the fire. He’s going to make an awesome guide dog.”
“I believe you.” Wade smiled, and then she felt something blunt and hard poke into her side. “Now, listen to me. We’re going to walk away from here, understand? You make one false move and I’ll shoot you right here. With all the chaos, they’ll never catch me, and you’ll be dead from the blood loss before anyone can help.”
A gun? She froze, her mind scrambling to understand what was happening. Wade was her boss. He ran the guide dog training center. Why was he doing this?