Page 92 of Shelter for Morgan

Abe leaned in. “West said she’s not in your apartment.”

“Maybe she’s sleeping?” Rhett had to ask.

Abe shook his head. “A couple of the SWAT team were close by. One of them picked the lock on your apartment. She’s not there.”

Kylie looked up. “I called all the ladies, she’s not with any of them.”

Rhett and Benjamin looked at each other.

“The school.”

Cowboy looked over with a furrow in his brow. “I thought the school grounds were closed when it got dark.”

Benjamin looked over. “That’s because we were in the chemistry room cooking up meth. Officer Munder said it was just his luck that the teacher came onto campus that night.

“He didn’t think that she saw anything, but he shot her anyway. He said it allowed him to close the campus off and no one would question it after a teacher almost died on school grounds.”

“Then why would Morgan go back to school after dark?”

Rhett didn’t recognize the voice that asked the question. His mind was already coming to the realization that he might not be able to help Morgan. She would need law enforcement to step in.

It was the only time in his life when he’d ever regretted becoming a firefighter and EMT. If he was a police officer, he could have gone to help her himself. What could he do against an officer with a gun?

He looked up at the assembled group. “We have to get someone over to the school.”

The klaxon alarm turned everyone's head in the firehouse. Rhett’s heart clenched in his chest. His first thought in his head was Morgan.

Beside him, Benji looked like he was having trouble breathing. “What’s that?”

The speakers blared. "Hit and run accident. Gable Street. Single car on scene. Victim enclosed in the vehicle."

Rhett looked at Cowboy. "Let's go." He put a hand on Benjamin’s shoulder. “You can stay here if you like.”

Peace looked at him and turned toward Kylie. “Can you stay with Benjamin?”

“Of course,” she moved closer to the young man. “We’ll wait here until you have news. I’ll make sure he’s safe.”

Cowboy was already moving around the table. "Everyone on the truck!"

Rhett was the first one to reach his gear, stepping into his pants and boots, yanking them up over his clothes. He picked up his turnout coat and hat and jumped into the truck. Everyone else was inside in seconds and the truck pealed out onto the street.

Rhett wasn't one who talked while they were in transit. Even when they were on scene he rarely offered up a comment unless he noticed something the crew should know.

This time was different.

He was quiet because he didn't have a thing to say out loud.

He was busy trying to make deals with his maker.

Praying. Begging.

Shit. He'd lay down his life for hers.

No, he had no reason to believe that the accident involved Morgan, but that didn’t stop his heart from believing it was her. He didn’t want her hurt, but there was just something… something in his soul that told him they were being called to the scene because of Morgan.

He lowered his head and prayed. Please, just let me save her first.

Fish called back from the driver's seat. "Up ahead. There's a car wrapped around a pole."

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