Read Online Winning the Right Brother by Abigail Strom - Free Book Online Page A

grabbed the receiver off the cradle.
    “Yeah,” he said.
    “Coach! It’s Tom Washington.”
    Alex glanced at the clock in surprise. “It’s almost midnight, Tom. What’s going on?”
    “It’s about Will,” he said, and Alex tensed. “His house, actually. You know my dad’s a fireman, right? He just got called out to a fire—at the Stantons. A bad one.”
    A chill ran through Alex’s body. “Do you know if they’re okay?”
    “I don’t know anything yet except that it’s bad. Coach, can you pick me up and take me over there? My mom’s working the night shift at the hospital and I—”
    “I’ll be there in five minutes. Wait for me out front.”
    Alex threw on some clothes and cursed viciously as he tried to tie his sneakers with shaking hands. He fought to stay calm as he drove to Tom’s, knowing that it wouldn’t help Holly any if he wrapped himself around a tree.
    Tom was waiting at the curb, and he jumped into the car and slammed the door almost before it came to a stop. Alex saw he was holding a small transistor radio and figured it was tuned to the fire department’s band.“Any news?” he asked as he pulled away and headed for Holly’s house.
    Tom shook his head. “Just that one guy said it was the worst fire he’d seen in five years.”
    Alex felt cold. “Anything about the Stantons? If they got out safely?”
    Tom shrugged helplessly. “I’m not sure. I can’t always follow what they’re saying. I think someone said there wasn’t anyone inside the house….”
    They turned down Maple Avenue, and both of them gasped. The rising flames, the smoke, the flashing lights and wailing sirens, the people—
    There was an ambulance there, too. Alex parked across the street and he and Tom ran over to the paramedic leaning against his vehicle.
    “Anyone hurt?” Alex demanded, his voice sharp with fear.
    The paramedic shook his head. “They both got out. A mother and a son. No burns or serious injuries. I’ve already seen the boy and he’s fine. I’m still waiting for the mother, just to check her over, and to make sure all the men are okay.” He glanced at the raging inferno that had once been a home. “It’s a bad one, all right. But no one was hurt.”
    Alex closed his eyes. “Thank God,” he breathed. He opened his eyes. “Where are they?”
    “The boy’s over there,” the paramedic said, pointing toward the house next door, where Tom and Alex could see Will on the front porch, leaning against the railing and watching the fire. An elderly woman stood next to him with her hand on his shoulder. Tom took off at a run while Alex turned back to the paramedic.
    “And Holly? The boy’s mother?”
    “She’s definitely okay—she talked to one of the firemen when they first got here. I’m not sure where she is now. Maybe with another one of the neighbors.”
    Alex scanned the street and didn’t see her anywhere. He tried to think clearly. If she wasn’t with Will, she wouldn’t be with a neighbor. If she wasn’t with Will it meant she didn’t want to be with anybody. Where was she? Off by herself, watching her home go up in smoke? She was in shock, emotional if not physical. He had to find her.
    On a hunch he headed for the backyard, passing close enough to the house that he could feel the heat from the crackling flames.
    Alex quickened his pace. Thank God, there she was. She was wearing a long white nightgown and was down on her hands and knees, retching. In an instant Alex was at her side, holding back her hair, although she didn’t seem to be throwing anything up. After a minute the terrible convulsions eased and Holly rocked back on her heels, shuddering. Alex knelt down beside her and checked for injuries.
    “You’re bleeding,” he said, his voice shaking. He used his sleeve to wipe the blood from her face. “It’s just a scratch,” he said, weak with relief. “This one, too.” He cradled her forearm as he gently cleaned away the blood. “We need to get some