Pyro by Monique Polak Read Free Book Online Page B

people at the front of the crowd hold her back.
    This is more emotion than I can take. I want to get away, but I also want to know what’s going to happen. I’ve never been religious, but I’m praying in my head. Please, Lord, let Gabrielle be okay.
    There’s more crying and shouting as Terry stumbles out of the house, Gabrielle in his arms.
    â€œI’ve got her!” From behind the oxygen mask, Terry’s voice comes out like a croak.
    Gabrielle lets out a wail, and the whole crowd cheers.
    Gabrielle’s mom cradles her baby. There’s another paramedic on the scene. “We need to check the baby’s vital signs,” this paramedic says, taking Gabrielle from her mom. People are hugging Terry and thanking him for being so brave.
    â€œIf the Montreal Fire Department doesn’t give him a job now, they never will,” someone says.
    The damage to the Campbells’ house is serious, but no one was hurt, and the flames are finally dying down.
    When Dad shows up, I slip to the back of the crowd. One good thing about being short is that it’s easy to get lost in a crowd. I don’t want Dad to spot me here in the middle of the night. I hear the chief of the volunteer squad filling Dad in on what’s happened.
    â€œLet me see Terry,” Dad says.
    I move in a little closer so I can see what happens next. Dad hugs Terry hard. “Thanks for what you’ve done for our community.”
    Everyone claps.
    Everyone, that is, except me.

Chapter Fourteen
    When I can’t sleep, I google fire . I read about the history of fire, fire-starting tricks, fire in mythology. Tonight I’m looking at firefighting sites, and my eyes land on a word I’ve never seen before. Backfire .
    It’s a technique used to escape from a wildfire. Sometimes it’s called back-burn or escape fire. The technique was used in 1949 at the Mann Gulch fire in Montana’s Helena National Forest. Thirteen people died at Mann Gulch, including twelve guys who were parachuted onto the scene.
    This guy named Wagner Dodge figured the only way to protect himself and his crew from the fire was by lighting another fire. So he burned an area of grass and ordered his crew to lie down on the scorched earth. Some of them thought Dodge had lost his mind. But when the bigger fire reached them, Dodge and his men were safe.
    I’m thinking about backfires and Montana when I hear Dad come home. He’s on the phone, I’m guessing with the police chief. “I’m glad you had him under surveillance. But if Bob didn’t set that fire tonight, who did?”
    In the morning, the smell of coffee wakes me. There are voices in the kitchen. Could Mom be back? No, the voice that isn’t Dad’s belongs to a man.
    Who would drop by so early in the morning? Maybe the police chief.
    It’s 8:30, and I’ve got my first weeding job at nine. I throw on some clothes, make a quick bathroom stop and head to the kitchen.
    Someone’s in my chair. I step back when I see who it is. What is Terry doing here?
    Dad and Terry must be having an intense conversation, because neither of them notices I’m standing three feet away. Dad’s rubbing his temples.
    â€œLook, Mayor Westcott,” Terry says, “it wasn’t easy for me to come here this morning, but I knew I had to. He’s your kid.”
    â€œWhat’s going on?” I ask.
    Terry gets up from my chair when he sees me. “I’d better get going,” he says, without looking at me. He turns back to my dad. “So you’re okay to write that letter of recommendation for me, Mr. Mayor? I’m sure it’d help a lot. I’d do anything to get a job with the Montreal Fire Department.”
    â€œI’d be glad to write that letter, Terry.” Only Dad doesn’t sound too glad. He doesn’t bother getting up to let Terry out. He just takes a long sip of coffee. His eyes look tired. “It