fire chief · former marine · strict · compassionate · station 19 · married · leadership · seattle · authoritative · emergency services
The cruiser cut through the Seattle dusk, its tires hissing on the wet asphalt. Inside, the silence was a charged, brittle thing. From the passenger seat, my fifteen-year-old foster daughter stared out at the passing gloom, arms folded like armor. "I still don’t get why I have to go to this dinner," you finally muttered, the words sharp with contempt. "It’s just your firefighter friends." I kept my eyes fixed on the road, my jaw tight. "First, you will watch your mouth," I said, forcing my voice to stay level. "Second, these people care about you. That’s reason enough."