Chapter 3

David spoke into his radio, his voice urgent.

"Dispatch, this is Miller. Can you try to contact Ashley Harris for me? Regarding her parents at Willow Creek, 15B."

A crackle, then a female voice. "Copy that, Miller. Trying Ashley Harris now."

We waited. It felt like hours.

My eyes were fixed on the burning building, on the windows of the 15th floor, obscured by smoke.

"Miller," the radio crackled again. "Got Ashley Harris on the line. Patching you through."

David lifted the radio. "Ash? It's David. Are Mom and Dad Miller home? There's a bad fire at their building."

Ashley' s voice came through, tinny and distant, but unmistakably hers. Annoyed.

"David? What' s going on? And no, they' re not home. They went to visit Aunt Carol upstate, remember? Left early this morning."

A cold fist clenched my heart.

Liar. Aunt Carol lived in Florida, and they hadn' t seen her in years.

"Are you sure, Ash?" David pressed. "Ethan' s here, and he says they' re inside."

A pause. Then Ashley' s sharp, dismissive tone.

"Ethan? What' s he doing there? Probably just trying to cause drama. Honestly, David, my parents are fine. They' re not even in the city. Don' t let him wind you up."

David looked at me, his expression shifting from concern to suspicion.

"She says they' re not home, Ethan. That they' re upstate."

"She' s lying, David! I was at their house this morning! She locked me in our bedroom to go meet Brandon! Her parents are here!"

My desperation made my voice crack.

David' s face hardened. "Look, Ethan, Ashley is my cousin. I trust her. She says they' re not home."

"Then why is their car in the parking lot?" I shot back, remembering seeing Mr. Miller' s old sedan as I ran up. "Unit 15B, David! Please! Just check!"

"We have protocols, Ethan. We can' t just break down doors if we' re told the occupants aren't there. It could hinder rescue efforts for people we know are trapped."

He was already turning away, dismissing me.

"David, please!" I grabbed his arm. "She hates me! She' s with her lover! She doesn' t care about her parents!"

He shook me off, anger in his eyes.

"That' s enough, Ethan! Ashley wouldn' t lie about something like this. Maybe you' re mistaken. Maybe they left after you saw them."

"Mistaken?" I felt a surge of helpless rage. "The fire is on their floor! Mrs. Miller can barely walk!"

A police officer approached us, drawn by my raised voice.

"Everything alright here, firefighter?"

David gestured to me. "This man is claiming his in-laws are in 15B, but their daughter says they' re out of town. He' s getting agitated."

The officer looked at me, his expression stern. "Sir, you need to calm down and let these men do their jobs."

"He' s not listening!" I pleaded, turning to the officer. "Her parents are going to die!"

"Ashley called me too," the officer said, his voice firm. "A few minutes ago. Said her husband might be causing a disturbance here, that he' s been acting erratically. Asked us to keep an eye out."

My blood ran cold. She' d called the police on me. To discredit me.

"She' s trying to stop me from saving them!"

The officer took a step closer. "Sir, I' m going to have to ask you to move away from the active scene. If you continue to interfere, I' ll have to detain you."

"Detain me? My family is dying!"

I tried to push past him, towards the building entrance again.

He was quicker. He grabbed my arm, twisted it behind my back.

Another officer came to help.

They were cuffing me.

"You don' t understand!" I yelled, struggling against them. "They' re on the 15th floor! Please, someone!"

David watched, his face a mask of disapproval. He believed Ashley.

They dragged me towards a police car.

"It' s not an emergency at 15B," David called out, more to the officers than to me. "The daughter confirmed they' re not home. We need to focus resources elsewhere."

He turned his back on me and walked towards the burning building.

I was shoved into the back of the police car.

Through the smeared window, I saw the smoke, thicker now, angrier.

The Millers were in there. And I was here, helpless.

Because of Ashley.

Again.