Page 16 of Fire and Bones

“That’s a serious crew.”

“Look, lady. You gotta understand.” Slow, a teacher to a dull student. “It’s Foggy Bottom. The building’s old and full of all kinds of flammable shit. The fire’s been burning since two in the morning. The motherfucker’s still got fuel and she don’t wanna give it up.”

“I understand that people may have died in that building. That there may be bodies in the rubble. I’d like to understand when I can recover those victims.”

“You go in when we say you go in.”

“Will that be tonight?” Thacker asked affably.

“Not a chance.” Sharp and officious.

On the desktop, beside the blotter, a miniature red rubber corpse lay with a single pen rising from its chest. I knew the medical supply company that had gifted that little gem to Thacker. Had one of my own.

Eyes on the macabre swag, I silently counted to three.

Drew a breath.

“Have you obtained an architectural plan of the building?” I asked.

“People are looking.”

I raised my brows in question. Pointless. Burgos still refused to make eye contact.

“Sir?” I prodded.

“Hickey can explain the layout.”

“You can’t?” Chilly. This guy was an arrogant prick.

“The structure dates to the turn of the century. The last century. No codes back then. The place was a disaster waiting to happen.”

“It was currently being used as an Airbnb?”

“So I’m told.”

I looked at my watch. The fire had been burning for more than eighteen hours. Since no one could have survived such an inferno, there was no urgency to my task. Still, the guy’s callousness was grating.

“How many stories?” I asked.

“Three. And a basement. A portion of the sonofabitch has pancaked down to that level.”

“Should I expect to go in tonight?”

“No way in hell.”

“When?”

“When every friggin’ hotspot is cool and Hickey gives the go-ahead.”

“I’ll be ready at dawn.”

“Suit yourself.”

Burgos pushed to his feet and strode from the office.

“That was pleasant,” I said to Thacker.

“Always is.”

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