The fire chief’s office was big, bright and filled with a warmth that most official surroundings lacked. Its plush leather couches, wide expanse of windows, oak desk and conference table were part of the reason. But mostly, Jack attributed the atmosphere to the fact that Noah was such a happy guy now that peace and contentment exuded out of him and into the space he occupied.
Jack stared over at the chief. “What do you think?”
Noah looked up from the outline he’d been reading. “It’s great. I told you before I was on board. But I still have concerns about the teachers’ reactions to the program.”
“Olive Hennessey is supportive of the new class.” A battalion chief, Olive ran the recruit classes. “I wouldn’t have brought it to you without consulting her.”
Leaning back, Noah seemed thoughtful. The chief’s hair was grayer now but his face remarkably unlined. “You know some of the fire house guys are going to balk. They’ll say running a support group for recruits babies them, when the program should toughen them up.”
Those would be Tess’s objections. He could still see her face reddening as she shouted at him in her office in Rockland, saying trainers shouldn’t coddle recruits. But Jack knew he was capable of walking the fine line between coddling and helping where needed. “If I worried about what the staff says about me, I wouldn’t get anything done.”
They both laughed. Then Noah asked, “Now, for the big question, should it be mandatory, or just an option?”
Jack frowned. “Olive and I went back and forth on that. But ultimately, we decided if we think the class is valuable enough to offer in the first place, it should be mandatory.”
“And what about privacy? For the recruits and the teachers.”
“In order for the class to be successful, the recruits will have to share their feelings. If they’re shy or fearful, there are ways make their comments anonymous. But I was hoping for a more freewheeling discussion.”
“Will you inform the teachers what they say?”
This was a hard one. He’d struggled with whether he should let the teachers know when the recruits thought they were too harsh or demanding, mostly for the teachers’ to monitor their own behavior. “After much forethought, I decided not to tell the staff anything, even anonymously, at least for this first time around. Like for everyone else I treat, what’s said in my office is confidential, unless I think they’re going to hurt somebody or themselves.”
“I trust you on this, Jack.” He leaned forward. “Anything else?”
“Nope.”
“Then, I’m off for lunch with Will Rossettie.” The former police chief who’d retired.
“You thinking anymore about joining his ranks?”
“I am. I’d like more time with Eve and Iana.” Noah’s child had been named after her brother, and Ian’s daughter was Evie.
“How’s Ian doing?”
“Super. I can’t believe he’s turned our terrorist training into a nationally known program. Fire departments from all over the country want him to come and train their people.”
“His experience in 9/11 made him understand the concept of preparedness better than anybody. But his real talent is his ability to reach seasoned firefighters.”
“Because they respect him so much.”
They left the room together and strolled down the hall to where Jack worked. They passed Ian’s office on the way. Outside in his waiting room sat Tess Righetti.
Jack halted. “I’m going to step in here a minute. Tell Will I said hi.”
Tess didn’t see him until he reached her. At first, when she glanced up, there was pleasure in those dark eyes. Then she doused it like foam on fire. She stood and he noticed right away how the stretchy beige slacks and a navy blue blouse fit her…nicely.
“Good morning, Tess.” He hadn’t seen her since the dinner at the Malvasos. The kids had a blast but Jack and Tess had tiptoed around each other and there’d been no moments of privacy.
“Hello, Jack.” Her nearness affected him. He’d been thinking about making love to her ever since he’d seen her again.
“Let’s sit.” When they did, he asked, “What’s happening with your ankle and your plans?”
“I’m bummed. More after this morning.”
“What happened this morning?”
“I met with the HCFD physical-fitness trainer. He agrees with the diagnosis that my ankle will never be strong enough to go back on the line. One false move could endanger my crew.”
“Which you wouldn’t want.”
She stared at him, and again, a deep sadness claimed her face. “You know, you always did talk like a shrink.”
“Let’s talk about you.” He hesitated. “Are you still thinking the rope-climbing incident caused the final result?”
“No. Both the RFD doc and Cory say it was the original break, received in the line of duty.”
“Cory?”
“The new trainer here. He’s a sweet guy.” She lifted her chin a bit, and something feminine flitted across her face. “I like him.”
Jack remembered now. Cory Cameron was about Tess’s age, and Jack had heard the females at the Academy call him yummy. He’d also heard some of the male officers say the guy was a womanizer.
“Keep your head on straight about Cameron, Tess.” The words came out more clipped than he intended.
“My head on straight?”
Even as he gave her the scuttlebutt, he felt like a jerk. He never participated in gossip.
Her eyes flared. “That is none of your business.”
“Isn’t it?” he blurted out, his tone rife with meaning. Damn it to hell, this woman was still in his blood.
“Why would it be? We had a hot one-night stand—your phrase. That’s all.”
Before he could tell her that wasn’t what he thought, the door to Ian’s office opened and he wheeled out. “Sorry to keep you waiting, Tess.”
“No problem. I’m early anyway.”
Ian gave him a bright smile. “Jack, hello.”
“Hi, Ian. Doing well?” He certainly looked it with his relaxed posture and calm demeanor. It had been a long road to get there. He wondered if Tess would be able to accept the loss of her physical ability to do the job. If anyone could help her do that, it was the man before him.
“Couldn’t be better.” He motioned to Tess. “Come on in.”
She walked away from Jack without saying good-bye. Ian’s interruption was good fortune, though. Jack had been about to broach dangerous territory. For days, he’d been thinking about this whole thing with her—the lovemaking, the separation and her ending up in Hidden Cove, maybe permanently. He’d finally admitted he had strong feelings for her. He just didn’t know what the hell to do about them.
o0o
“I was emotionally immobilized for a long time. I couldn’t get my bearings.” Ian Woodward stared ahead, and Tess regretted causing the pain in his eyes. “I’d lay in that bed at the rehab center and think about the life ahead of me. About never being a firefighter again. I believed I couldn’t live without the job, the use of my legs. I didn’t want to.”
“What happened?”
Ian gave a small smile. “A volunteer in the center straightened me out with some tough love, and also real understanding. When I couldn’t sleep, he’d stay up with me and talk. He made me get out of bed during the day, and before I knew it, I was racing with other wheelers down the corridors.”
“I admire you so much, Ian.” Tess meant that. “And I feel like a jerk that I’m bitching about something so small in comparison.”
His blond brows knitted. “Don’t say that. You have to give up line firefighting. I know how hard that is.”
“Yet you surround yourself with what you can’t have.”
“That was my exact sentiment to my brother-in-law. In some ways, it’s still hard. But I’ll tell you one thing, I’ve found such profound meaning and satisfaction in working here”—his hand encompassed the room, the Academy—“that my life would be incomplete without it.” He took a bead on her. “You can have that, too.”
She felt her eyes sting. “It would be so hard to teach others to do what I want to do so bad.”
“At first. But I got over it rather fast. Teaching them to survive out there has its rewards, Tess.”
“I did like teaching.” She thought of Jack. “But I was tough on the recruits.”
“We need to be tough on them. Within reason.”
She drew in a breath. “Thank you for sharing your experiences with me.”
“One more thing. Firefighting used to be my life. It isn’t anymore. I have a wife and baby girl, and I’m happier than when I could still walk. Remember that, too.”
“Thanks.”
“I hope I see you again.”
Giving him a grateful smile, she left the office. She had some thinking to do about the first part of their talk. Maybe she could teach recruits and be fulfilled, but she’d go back to Rockland to do that. She didn’t think she could work with Jack.
It was too dangerous. Since Joey died and she’d lost the most important relationship in her life, she never let anybody in but the Malvasos, and even that was hard for her to do. But seeing Jack again made her realize he threatened those barriers, and she was afraid to have them knocked down. If he hadn’t loved and left her, so to speak, she might have trusted him, might have taken a chance. But no, not now.
She was glad Ian had a spouse and a child, but she never would. And so her choices about her career had to be made carefully.
o0o
Right after lunch, the instructors for the next recruit class met with Noah in his office. “Olive, you’re on.”
Olive Hennessey, the only female battalion chief in the department, was a force to be reckoned with. Smiling, she addressed the group. “We’re here to discuss an addition to the upcoming recruit class which starts in nine days. You all have your assignments, and this won’t add to your load.” She turned to Jack. “Do you know everyone here, Captain?”
The group included Captain Ian Woodward, Lieutenant Quinn Frazier, Captain Haywood Jenkins, all officers permanently stationed at the Academy. Line firefighters, a necessary part of training, were Lieutenant Jane Phillips, Firefighter Tom Senate and Lieutenant Tony Ramirez. Mark Lucas, who ran EMS, was the medical representative.
“I know you all.” His expression was quizzical. “I’m surprised to see you back, Tony.”
Tony’s laugh was deep and from his belly. “Yeah, I volunteered. Grady O’Connor made captain, and so I’m letting him take over my officer spot at Quint 7 for a while. Besides, I wanted to teach again.”
Tony’s story was vastly different from the last time he’d come to the Academy. His wife had become unable to deal with the dangerous job he performed. The couple was doing fine now; Jack knew, because he’d had lunch with Sophia last week. Though her therapy was over, they still kept in touch. And he’d also cooked for Tony’s crew in the recent past. Jack made a point of visiting firehouses periodically to stay in touch with firefighters. That he also cooked them a meal went over big with the crews.
Olive continued, “Jack is here because he’ll be running a workshop entitled Recruit Concerns.”
Tom Senate, a tall guy with a buzz cut was a firefighter at Engine 5. He moved to the edge of his seat, a sign that he was troubled by the announcement. Word on the street was that he was a good guy, but strictly by the book. “There’s been rumors about this class.”
“Jack?” Olive gave him the floor.
“The workshop was my idea, Tom, but approved by Olive and the chief. The class is intended for the recruits to work off some psychological stress, much like they work off physical stress in fitness training.”
“So they’ll talk about what’s stressful for them in the training they get from us?”
“Yes.”
He shrugged. “That’s good, I guess. As long as we’re told of their concerns.”
Jack was prepared for it. “No, you won’t be notified, unless I suspect they’ll harm themselves or others.”
The man’s dark brows knitted. “Any stress they experience can harm others who’re fighting fires next to them.”
“That’s true on the line. But while they’re training, the issues won’t affect what you and the other instructors do with them.”
“Will you talk about us?” Tom asked.
“Probably.” He thought of Tess and how the young recruits in Rockland complained about her toughness. He was grateful she wasn’t part of this group; he didn’t want to deal with negative things said about her.
Tom shook his head vehemently. “This isn’t okay with me. Not unless the instructors are included in the loop.”
Leaning over his desk, Noah braced his arms on the surface. “We want to give these kids the best opportunities they can get. Admitting their dissatisfaction, discomfort and fears will give us insight into what we might want to improve for future classes, as well as helping the recruits deal with their concerns.”
Tom was still scowling. “I don’t like the idea of this goin’ on behind my back. It’ll create paranoia.” He turned to Jack. “No offense, Doc, but who’s to say if we’re tough on them that they won’t go cryin’ to you and we’ll…I don’t know, get in trouble somehow?”
“You’re looking at everything negative that can happen, Tom. I’m sure I can handle whatever I hear from them in a constructive way.”
Tom faced Noah. “Sorry, Chief. I volunteered to help teach recruits because I thought we should all do our part. But I didn’t sign up for fifteen kids takin’ potshots at me. I’d like to be returned to the line.”
Noah’s brow furrowed. “I can’t guarantee you’d get your spot at Engine 5.”
“I’ll do my four months somewhere else, then, and go back to my station house after my time’s up.”
“You feel this strongly about Jack’s workshop?”
“I’m afraid I do. Sorry to upset the balance of things, but I don’t wanna teach under these circumstances.”
“And we don’t want you here if you feel that way.” Olive’s voice was stern but not hostile.
“Go ahead, Senate.” Noah’s tone was also grave. “I’ll have Battalion Chief Malvaso take care of reassigning you.”
Once Tom left, all eyes focused on Noah. “So,” he said to them. “What do we do now? I hope it’s not too late to get someone else.”
Mitch leaned forward. “I might have the answer to that. My cousin Tess is visiting Hidden Cove.” He explained her injury. “But she got glowing reviews from the RFD where she was training recruits. She’s here for an indefinite period of time. Maybe she’ll take the job. You’d have to interview her, of course, but it would solve our vacancy problem.”
Olive gave a sly smile. “That’d even this up, three women, three men. What does everybody think?”
Everybody agreed to at least interview her.
Except one person. “I object, Mitch.” Jack’s voice was firm. “I’m sorry. I know you care about her.” I do too, he thought. “But she isn’t a good match for us.”
o0o
Tess asked Ian to let her into the Academy gym to work off some of the tension that coiled inside her like a knot. Ian had told it to her straight, and she’d listened—with a heavy heart—but she’d heard what he said: she had to accept what had happened to her and do something else with her life.
She’d brought a workout bag, changed into bike pants and a tank top and started to walk the track, which formed a perimeter around the gym. The place would be the home of the recruit class in nine days. They’d treat the space like a firehouse: they’d train in here and outside all day. Ropes would hang from the ceiling, and the maze on the left side of the stage was ready for them. One corner near the kitchen would be set up for lunches and dinners. She remembered one time in the RFD class, the kids had cooked a big dinner of fried chicken, fancy potatoes and salad. They’d just sat down, when the chief in charge sounded the alarm for a call over at the smokehouse. Except for two teachers who went with them, the staff had stayed behind, laughing at the traditional initiation every recruit class experienced. Now, when she smelled chicken cooking, she remembered that night.
As she sped up her walking, she remembered other things: the joy at seeing every single recruit graduate, the pride she took in herself for being part of their instruction. One small eighteen-year-old, whom she thought maybe wouldn’t make it, had come up to her after graduation and hugged her.
Thanks for being tough on me, Captain Righetti. Nobody is, because I’m so small, but keeping on me helped me make it through. I won’t disappoint you.
“Take that, Dr. Harrison!”
Tess had been trying to keep thoughts of him at bay, but it was hard, because he was tight with her family and seeing him made her remember their time together. No matter, she’d go back to Rockland soon. Maybe teaching up there, and being away from him, would make her forget what it felt like to have his hands all over her.
Buck up, Tess, she told herself now. Stop the pity party.
She’d just increased her speed again when Cory Cameron came into the gym. “Lookin’ good there.”
So was he. His blond hair was longish; he had muscles to die for and killer blue eyes. Right now, wearing a damp shirt and shorts that showed the sinew of his legs, he was very attractive.
Keep your head on straight about Cory Cameron, Jack had said.
Damn him for invading her thoughts.
“Want some company? I got some free time.”
“Sure.”
Falling in step beside her, he kept his stride in time with hers. “Walking will strengthen those muscles around the ankle.”
“You think I’ll ever be able to run or at least jog, Cory?”
“Uh-huh. Six weeks isn’t that long to recover from the latest injury. So you’ll probably be able to jog soon.”
When she started to chide herself that she should have been more careful, she stopped. No sense in making the situation worse by blaming herself because she knew all along she might never be ready to go back on the line.
“I know you talked to Ian.” Cory’s voice was a low baritone. “He’s a great guy, isn’t he? God, I admire him. Everybody here does.”
“There’s a lot to admire.”
Glancing over at her, he gave her a male smile. “Ever seen his wife?”
“No. Why?”
“She’s a looker. A former Broadway star.”
“Wow.”
“She’s the light of his life now.”
Again, she thought of how that didn’t seem to be in the cards for her.
After an hour, Tess was perspiring and welcomed the simultaneous tired muscles and enervation of her body.
“That’s good enough, don’t you think?” Cory asked.
“Yeah, I do.”
“Come on. There’s a spot to get water and juice outside the gym.”
Her hair damp, her clothes, too, she said, “I’m a mess.”
“Nah, you look beautiful.”
They headed to the door, and he pulled it open for her. “Sure wish you were stayin’ in town, Righetti.”
“Yeah?”
He slid his arm around her shoulders for a friendly hug. “Yeah.”
o0o
Jack stared over at a man he admired more than anyone else in the department. A man who’d become a close friend. “I’m sorry, Mitch, but I’ve had recent experience with Tess’s teaching that makes me object to bringing her on board.”
“You said that before, but honestly, Jack, I’m flabbergasted that you’d blackball her here because of a brief encounter.”
“Blackball?” What an ugly concept, one with strong negative connotations. “I’m not doing that.”
Noah got up, circled his desk and leaned against the edge so he was part of the group. “I have to say, Jack, I agree with Mitch about the blackballing—that’s what you’re doing. But Mitch, if Jack has cause for concern, we need to know why.”
“All right. I can’t object without reason.” Jack chose his words carefully. “You all know I train in firefighting every once in a while to give me insight into firefighters who come to see me as a psychologist. I went upstate to the RFD recruit class, and Tess was an instructor at their academy. I went incognito, I might add, for two weeks. Her attitude toward the kids was…unpleasant. She rarely complimented the good things they did and got on them about their faults.”
“On them?” Mitch asked. “How?”
“She was sarcastic if one couldn’t complete a task. She often said there was a good chance that some of them weren’t going to become firefighters. She criticized them for every little infraction.” He scanned the group. “The kids need encouragement when they fail, not blame, so they can improve. I stand by that.”
Olive sighed. “We criticize them, too, Jack, and are stern.” She caught Tony Ramirez’s eye. “Well, except for Mr. Nice Guy over there.”
Tony grinned. “Remember what you told me when we talked about that?”
“Uh-huh. That the class needed the good guys and the bad guys to instruct them. I was pleased you weren’t hard ass but could appreciate the staff who demanded more.” She looked at Haywood Jenkins. “You’re tough, right?”
“More than I like to be. But it’s necessary.”
Jane Phillips sat forward. She glowed these days, her brown eyes and hair reminding him of Tess’s looks. “Can I say something?”
Olive gave her a generous smile. “Of course.”
“I volunteered now because I’m closer in age to the recruits than you all are. I appreciated guys like Tony when I trained, but I also needed the toughness. One guy was super hard on me because I was eighteen and female. I’ll tell you, I hated him, but he made me a better firefighter because I was gonna make it just to piss him off.”
“Was he pissed off?” Mitch asked.
“No, he was pleased. He even told me that at graduation.”
Noah turned to Jack. “What do you think?”
God, this was hard. He did believe Tess was too tough, but as the people in this room, the people he admired, spoke, he knew he agreed with much of what they said, too. That caused him to wonder if his personal relationship with Tess was interfering with his professional judgment. He didn’t want her at his workplace because he couldn’t think straight when she was around.
“Jack?”
“After hearing all this, I’m torn. I agree in part with what you said. But I think you can be too tough on recruits.”
“Won’t your class help with that?” the chief asked.
Oh, man, he’d have to deal with the kids’ complaints about Tess directly. “I suppose.”
“I say we interview her.” Olive looked at Mitch.
“There’s another issue,” Jack pointed out. “What if this group decides she isn’t what we want after talking to her? Can you deal with her on that, Mitch?”
Mitch laughed. “She was fourteen when her parents died and she came to live with us. I was more than a decade older, and I had to deal with a lot of hard stuff with her. We have a bond because of that. I don’t think it’ll break over this. Besides, you’ll love her.”
That’s what I’m afraid of, Jack thought.
“Jack, are you okay with this compromise?” Noah wanted to know. “Since you’re torn anyway?”
“Yeah, I am.”
“Thanks, Doc.” Mitch’s tone had softened. “For giving her a chance.”
He just nodded. He felt out of his depth here, which was something that almost never happened to him these days. It was best to tread lightly.
o0o
The little juice bar sported four tables, and a counter. The lights were bright, despite the gray day outdoors and the mistiness of the air. She smiled over at Cory. “Thanks for the support during my evaluation. I appreciated it.”
“So, what do you think you’ll do now?”
Shrugging a shoulder, she sighed. “Go back to Rockland. Try to piece my career back together somehow, in the RFD.”
“I meant what I said before. I wish you were staying here. You got the whole Malvaso clan to look after you.”
“Yeah, that’s appealing. But my life’s back there.”
“Hey, honey.”
Tess looked up at Mitch standing over her at the table. Her mood perked up at the sight of him. The fact that she got to see him casually like this was a gift. Once, she’d taken their daily encounters for granted, when she was young, but then she’d left the Malvaso home and was…lonely, she realized now.
“Speak of the devil,” Cory laughed.
“What?”
Tess smiled at Mitch. “We were just talking about you.”
“Anything good?”
“Actually, for us it would be.” Cory’s eyes twinkled. “I’m trying to talk her into staying in Hidden Cove.”
Mitch nodded. “Can I borrow her for a minute, Cory?”
“Sure, sit here. I have an appointment soon.” He looked at Tess. “Think about what I said.”
When Cory left them alone, Tess drained what was left of her water.
“Want more?” Mitch asked.
Always the caretaker. She wished it didn’t feel so good. “I’m fine, but get some if you want.”
Instead, he sat. “We just came out of a meeting about the new recruit class.”
“Did it go well?”
“No. Tom Senate, a line firefighter, asked for reassignment.”
“Why?”
“Because Jack is holding a workshop for the recruits called Recruit Concerns. Did you know about that?”
“Yeah. He was upstate to get some experience for it.” She scowled. “I still think I should have been told about his role.” Something occurred to her that should have before. “Mitch, why didn’t you tell me he was coming up to Rockland?”
“He asked Noah and me not to let anyone know who he was. When I told him I had family up there, he said not to mention we knew him, he wanted fair treatment. He got it from you.”
“Not that he was happy about it.”
Mitch shrugged a shoulder. “In any case, Tom didn’t want to open himself up to scrutiny by letting the recruits talk about the staff in the RC class. And he was totally against not knowing what they said about him.”
“If Senate’s doing what he thinks is best, he shouldn’t care.”
Mitch bestowed an approving smile on her, like the ones she got from him when she’d won the Senior English prize in high school and graduated from the Fire Academy. “That’s how I feel. But not everybody has the self-esteem that’s in the Malvaso blood.”
“You helped me form that.”
“We fought, kiddo, remember?”
“I do. I loved you like a brother, though. I knew you had my best interest at heart.” She bit her lip.
His brow furrowed, and his expression turned bleak. “Joey didn’t take it so well.”
“I know, Mitch. He was too spoiled by the time he came to live with you. He never got over his sense of entitlement. Of invulnerability. And it killed him.”
“Do you think about him all the time, still?”
“Not all the time. Lots, though. Especially after I visit his grave.” She shook her head. “What were we talking about?”
“The recruit class. The team wants to interview you.”
She thought about Cory and Mitch both asking her to stay. “Who’s the team?”
He told her.
“Jack Harrison won’t want me on staff, Mitch.”
“You’re right. I was gonna tell you that he voiced his concerns. But he agreed that if everybody else wants to hire you after your interview, he’ll go along with us.”
“I’m surprised he gave in.” She sighed. “He’s so stubborn and opinionated.”
“Jack? Everybody loves him.”
“He has good traits, I know.” That was an understatement. She knew a great deal about how good he was. “But Mitch, I still haven’t decided to stay in Hidden Cove. Though I’m giving it more thought now.”
“I heard you talking to Chief Lincoln last night. Sorry, I didn’t intentionally eavesdrop.”
“That’s okay. I would have told you if you asked. There’s no recruit class until the fall, but I can go back to the Academy. He says I can train seasoned firefighters”—she rolled her eyes—“or do PR for the department.”
“Teresa Righetti, the poster child for women recruitment. I can see where you’d like that.” His tone was dry.
“I’d hate it. But I do want more women to join the department. I suppose I could tolerate the job.”
“What about the other?”
“What other?”
“Having your surrogate mother and brothers and sisters around. Getting to know your nieces and nephews. Doesn’t that appeal to you?”
Her heart twisted in her chest. She thought of Sabina fussing over her at home now. Of Zach stopping by to see her during the day. Of their wives asking her out to lunch. “You know it does.”
“Then, go for this job, honey. Give us some time together. I’m sure Noah could make arrangements with Chief Lincoln for a temporary leave for you to do this if you want to go back in four months.”
“You think?”
Mitch nodded and took her hand. “What do you have to lose, Tess?”
Jack Harrison’s face appeared before her. My heart, she thought, but didn’t say it. She didn’t even know him well enough to be thinking that. “I’ll need time to decide.”
“Meet with the other Academy staff later this afternoon, but tell them you need overnight to consider it.”
“You are a pushy older brother, you know that?”
His grin was mile-wide. He’d won this one.
o0o
Three hours later, Jack once again sat in Noah’s office. This time, Tess Righetti occupied Tom Senate’s chair. Dressed in the same stretchy pants and navy blouse he’d reacted to this morning, she didn’t seem anxious at all. Then again, she was confident in her profession. Because of that, she’d done a fantastic job with the interview. Olive and Jane had drilled her—female firefighters were a tight bunch, but they didn’t let anyone in their ranks without scrutiny.
Olive spoke now. “I guess that’s all we wanted to cover, Tess.”
“We should discuss something else.” She transferred her dark gaze to Jack. He’d noticed she hadn’t looked at him for the whole past hour and a half, not even when she described her philosophy about recruits. “We need to address the elephant in the room.” The damn woman never backed away from anything.
Noah raised his brows.
Mitch spoke up. “I told her about Jack’s reservations.”
“He cleared it with me first, Noah.” Jack’s voice was even. “Everything should be out in the open.”
Keeping emotion out of her voice, Tess addressed him directly. “Did you know, Jo—Jack, that everybody graduated from the recruit class you were in?” Her tone was smug.
He grinned, despite being on the hot seat. “Even Mick Riley and Mae—I can’t remember her last name?”
“Even them. Can’t be I did such a bad job.”
“I never said you did a bad job. I simply don’t agree with your methods.”
She scanned the group. “Could you tell me now if the rest of you agree with Dr. Harrison?”
“I’m okay with being tough, Tess.” Olive spoke first. “But if we do hire you, I’ll challenge you if I think you’re out of line.”
“I’d expect that regarding any of my behavior.”
Phillips, Quinn, Ramirez and Jenkins agreed that toughness was important in dealing with recruits.
Noah looked to Jack.
Jack nodded. “I withdraw my objection.”
“Then, the job’s yours.” Noah smiled. “Welcome to the Academy.”
“Thank you. But I’d like to think this through overnight if that’s okay. As I said at the outset, leaving Rockland would be a big decision.”
“Fair enough.” Noah stood. “Let me know early tomorrow morning. I—”
Mitch’s phone rang. “Uh, sorry. I have a specific ring tone for Megan. She wouldn’t call unless it was important.” He stood and crossed to the side of the room. But they could hear, “What’s up, baby?” A pause. “What?” Mitch slapped his hand on the wall. When Jack saw him turn white, he rose and went to stand behind his friend. “I—” Mitch cleared his throat. “I’ll be right there.” He clicked off his phone and stared at it.
Jack settled his hand on Mitch’s shoulder. “What’s wrong?”
Mitch glanced over at Tess. “It’s Mama. She’s been rushed to the hospital.”
Bolting up, Tess rushed to them. “What’s wrong?”
“She had a heart attack.” Mitch took her hand. “We have to go to the hospital.”
Tess froze. “Aunt Sabina?” Her voice was raw.
“I’ll drive you there,” Jack decided. “Noah?”
“Go ahead. Let us know what happens. I’m sorry, Mitch, Tess.”
Ramirez called out, “All of our kids know each other.
If you need help, call me. I can pick them up and keep them at my house.”
Now Tess was white-faced, and her hands shook. Jack ushered her out, with Mitch at his side. No one spoke. In light of Sabina’s illness, the previous disagreements voiced in this room seemed inconsequential.