Chapter 48: There’s Someone Down There

The smoke coming from the back of the house alerted the neighbors who called the Fire Department who were onto things very quickly. They were soon barreling down the road with sirens blaring and only minutes behind Tracey Manning’s car who was also racing to the scene at the same time without him knowing a thing about what was happening

By the time the Fire Department had arrived at the house the place was well and truly ablaze. Several brave fireman attempted to entire the house but were pushed back by the acrid smoke and the heat.

Those neighbors had also alerted Max about the situation who had then alerted Jared and Gloria. All three had then arrived on the scene about forty five minutes after the Fire Department had. By the time Jared, Gloria and Max got there the fire had pretty well gutted the whole house and was showing signs of finally submitting to the flow of water coming from the fire hoses.

Within in sixty minutes of getting back all Jared, Gloria and Max found themselves looking at were the charred and smoldering ruins of what had been a lovely home. Of Tracey and Vanessa there was still no sign. Police officers had also sealed off the property so they could begin investigations into what had all the hallmarks of a deliberately lit fire.

Gloria and Max just held themselves in close to Jared’s body not knowing yet how to cry or scream or even speak about what they were witnessing. They stood like that - motionless - for a good hour or two. Eventually Jared saw one police officer call another police officer over to investigate something lying in the smoldering ashes. The second police officer made a signal to a third who then went to a squad car and produced what looked like a body bag. Max and Gloria looked away in horror at what looked like the charred remains of a human body being zipped up into that bag. That was the point that both women began to sob and sob and sob. Even Jared had tears streaming down his face unable to control the overwhelming grief that was engulfing the three of them. But once again that thing called fate was going to step in and bring about what most people just call miracles - and who knows, maybe that’s just what they really are!