Page 47 of Cross Checks

For some reason, I couldn’t bring myself to leave the fire station immediately. It was my home away from home.

“Take all the time you need.”

I walked out of the lounge and entered the garage portion of the firehouse. I looked at the trucks and thought about the countless calls I’d participated in through the years. I did need to talk to someone before seeing Chase again.

Poking my head back into the lounge, I spotted Lyle finishing up some dishes at the sink. I walked up to him.

“Hey, I think I’m ready to talk. Can we have a little chat? Alone?”

“Sure thing, Hank. Why don’t we go for a walk outside? If it’s not too cold.”

I liked the idea. The fresh air would do me good. We threw on our coats and walked around to the back side of the station. The air was brisk, and we could see our breath, but the sunshine made it bearable.

“So, what’s on your mind?” Lyle asked.

“I guess I’ll get right to the point, and you have to promise you won’t share this with anyone.”

Lyle grinned. “I lock all the secrets in a metal box and swallow the key.”

I chuckled. “I guess that’s the best I can expect. So, Chief Newton told me he plans to retire later this year. Not only that, he will recommend to the town council that they appoint me as the new fire chief.”

Lyle’s eyebrows shot up. “Wow,” he breathed. “That’s…wow. Congratulations. Your life is rolling along. Let me know the recipe for your secret sauce.”

I sighed. “Well, it’s not quite as easy as that.”

“Oh?”

“Chase got big news, too. An NHL team wants to offer him a contract.”

Lyle scratched the side of his head. “The two of you are on a tear. Great news for both of you, but…oh, I might see. Where is the team that wants him?”

“Florida.”

“Oh, damn. Suddenly, I can see why this is a problem.”

I let out a shaky breath and rubbed my hands on my thighs. “Being chief has been my dream since I joined the crew. But now…I don’t know whether I can say yes.”

“Yeah, it’s a tough one. I guess I can only give you one piece of advice.”

“What’s that?

“This is your decision to make. It’s nobody else’s. I don’t think you have a wrong choice here, but you have to look at the challenges and rewards of both.”

“I know.” I rubbed my temples to try and release the pressure building up inside my brain. “It’s hard to imagine not being here, but I think it’s even harder to consider leaving Chase. He means too much to be.”

“Sometimes life throws us curveballs, and we’re left at home plate, trying to decide how to swing at it. Can I tell you a story.”

“Sure,” I replied. “I’m all ears for anything that could be at all helpful.”

“Years ago, my dad had an opportunity to get promoted in the police department.” Lyle leaned against the brick wall and tapped his gloved fingers against it. “It was a great offer, but he knew it would require more responsibility and longer hours.”

“Did he take it?” I asked.

“No. He turned it down.” Lyle looked at me. “He let it go to someone else because he didn’t want to disrupt the balance at home. Mom was working, and they had three kids. He chose the family over his work dreams.”

“That would be a hard decision. Do you think he ever regretted not taking the promotion?”

Lyle hesitated. “I don’t know. Maybe? I never asked him, and he’s gone now. If he did regret it, he didn’t let the rest of us know. He made his decision, and he stuck by it.”

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