22
The world stopped turning. There were no blue lights and smoke. There was no towering inferno.
Just a limping old man and a cat with no owner.
No. A scream built in Mickey’s throat.I have to find him. He started forward. Stopped again as his legs wobbled, threatening to give out. The pain in his chest ramped up, eroding every scrap of muscle and bone in his body, and for a devastating moment, he thought he might puke.
Then more movement caught his tear-blurred eyes. The policeman turned, handing the cat to someone else. To someone tall, with dark hair, strong shoulders, and once-spotless white trainers that were now covered in soot and grime.
Benito.
Relief swayed Mickey on his feet. His hand flew to his chest, as if he could push theterrorof thinking Benito was dead back where it had come from and keep it locked up forever.
He stared at Benito, and Benito stared right back.
Then reality set in. Emergency workers rushed Benito, taking the cat and leading him away, and Mickey went back to work.
Isha arrived. “Tell me what you need.”
Distracted, Mickey watched a paramedic hold an oxygen mask over Benito’s face and check his blood pressure. “What?”
“Where are we at?” Isha barked. “Everyone’s out, right? No serious injuries?”
“I don’t know.” Mickey pointed to where Benito and Mr Morris were being checked over. “They were the last out, with an old girl from one of the council properties. She’s in the ambulance.”
“How did she look?”
“I—fuck, I don’t know. I didn’t take it in.”
Isha clapped Mickey’s shoulder. “You’re here. That’s what matters. Right, we need to get our residents housed for the night, then work on helping the council tenants if no one shows up for them until the morning.”
Mickey nodded, still eyeing Benito. Bar the filth staining his skin, he looked all right, but he’d been inside a long time.So much smoke.What about his lungs? What about—
“Mickey. Are you with me?”
Mickey reeled himself in and focused on Isha. “I’m here.”
“Good. Let’s get to work and get these people somewhere warm.”
They split the list in half. Rosetta was on Isha’s list, and Mickey didn’t argue. He glued his phone to his ear and moved mountains to get his residents housed overnight in nearby hotels while he worked on alternative accommodation moving forward.
He checked back on Benito approximately every six seconds but somehow still missed the paramedic packing up and walking away, leaving Benito alone in the chaos of the night.
Benito rubbed his chest and glanced at the sky, handsome face twisted in an expression Mickey didn’t recognise. Heachedto comfort him, but Gianna was there before Mickey could take another breath, gripping a cat box and hugging her brother so fiercely Mickey almost smiled. Then his gaze fell on Rosetta. Isha was with her, his face patient as she waved her arms in distress.
Fuck.Mickey wrapped up his phone call and hurried to her side. “What’s the matter?”
“I don’t want to go to a hotel,” she said. “I just—I can’t. All those people, and—”
“You don’t have to, Mum.” Benito appeared in Mickey’s peripheral, a shadow at first, then real flesh and bone. “Come home with me—”
“Shouldn’t you be on oxygen or something?” Mickey broke in.
“He refused.” Gianna slipped her small hand into Benito’s. “Can we really stay with you, Beni?”
Benito ignored Mickey and gave Gianna a smile so sweet Mickey wanted to weep. “Of course.”
“Are you sure that’s feasible?” Isha scanned his list. “We’ll work around the clock to secure new accommodation for you, but it could be a few days. A week, maybe.”