"Mike, would you please stop pacing and sit down?" said Louisa crossly. "You're making me even more nervous than I already am."
"Sorry," muttered the engineer. He took the chair next to his sister and bounced one leg up and down until the young woman leaned over and clamped her hand down on his knee. Mike grimaced as she shot him an annoyed look.
"I'm sorry to keep you waiting," Katherine Sutton said breathlessly as she came into the office. "You'd think after doing her job for three years that our receptionist would be able to handle things. Okay, I've pulled your sister's file."
Mike and Louisa waiting impatiently as the woman leafed through the file. "Where is she? And what's her name?" Louisa finally asked, biting her lip.
Katherine looked up, eyeing them silently for a moment. "Your sister was given the name Amanda after she was adopted by Alberto and Sofia Delvecchio . The last address I have for them is Brooklyn , New York .
Stoker's head shot up when he heard the names. "Did you say Delvecchio?" he questioned, his eyes wide with astonishment.
"That's right," answered Katherine . "Alberto and Sofia Delvecchio."
" Lou , does that name sound familiar or am I just being paranoid?"
Louisa thought hard for a minute, then stared at her brother in shock. "It sure does, Mikey. Alberto Delvecchio is supposedly one of the top crime bosses on the East Coast!" she gasped. "He's been indicted on RICO violations more times than I can count, but never served any time."
"And our sister grew up with that man," added Mike .
"Do you still want to continue with your search?" asked Ms. Sutton . "I'm sure I don't have to point out that Mr. Delvecchio is a very dangerous man."
The siblings stared at each other for a long moment, then both nodded. "We want to at least meet her," said Louisa . "Does Constance know about this at all? I'm sure you called her to let her know we're here. And what about Amanda's adoptive parents?”
"No, our father didn't give her any choice whether or not to keep the baby," replied Katherine, dropping her eyes to hide the fact that she was lying. "However, I did call her last night to tell her what you two are doing. You're right about that.”
"So how do we get in touch with these people?" asked Mike. "I don't think calling them and saying that we're their daughter's long-lost brother and sister would be a smart thing to do."
"I agree," answered Louisa . "And just showing up on their doorstep would be stupid, not to mention extremely dangerous. They probably have armed guards protecting their house. I don't know about you, Michael, but I'd rather not get shot if I can help it."
Katherine spoke up. "I've had some contact with Mrs. Delvecchio over the years. I could call her and see if she would be willing to meet with you."
"Good idea," returned Mike . "She would respond better to someone she knows, I think."
Ms. Sutton nodded and picked up the phone. She dialed a number and waited for someone to answer. "Yes, hello. This is Katherine Sutton from St. Louis . Could I please speak to Sofia Delvecchio ? Yes, I'll wait. Mrs. Delvecchio ? This is Katherine Sutton; I handled your daughter's adoption. Do you remember me? Good. The reason I'm calling is Amanda 's biological brother and sister are here in my office. They would like to come to New York and meet her. No, they both live in Los Angeles . Just a minute, please." The woman held the phone out to Louisa . "She wants to speak to you."
The young woman took the receiver. "Hello? My name is Louisa Stanley . No, ma'am, we just want to meet her. I'm a college student and my brother is an engineer with the Los Angeles County Fire Department. Uh huh, yes, I understand.” She paused, then gave the woman her phone number. "Thank you for talking with me, Mrs. Delvecchio . I'll be waiting for your call. No, we'll be leaving either this afternoon or tomorrow morning. Okay, thank you again."
Louisa leaned over and hung up. "She said that she will call me after she speaks to her daughter. Apparently, Amanda knows she was adopted, but doesn't know that she had any siblings," she said.
"So, what do we do now?" asked Mike .
"We head back to L.A. and wait for Mrs. Delvecchio to call," answered Louisa . "Thank you for your help, Katherine . Come on, Mike . Let's go home."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
One Week Later
Louisa was just finishing the breakfast dishes when the phone rang. She dried her hands on a towel and picked it up.
"Hello? Yes, this is Louisa Stanley . Oh, hello, Mrs. Delvecchio . She did? That's wonderful! She can come here or Mike and I could fly to New York , whichever Amanda prefers. Oh, you'd rather come here? Will you and your husband be coming out, too? No, you could stay with me and my husband if you like. Yes, I look forward to meeting you, too. All right, I'll see you on Friday. Bye."
The young woman turned from the phone and pumped a fist in the air triumphantly. She snatched up her purse and car keys from the kitchen counter and raced outside.
” Mami !" she called to Maria, who was sitting on the grass watching Emma and Matthew play in the sandbox Hank and his crew had built for the twins. "I just had a call from Sofia Delvecchio . She, her husband, and Amanda are flying out on Friday to see us! I'm so excited, I could just burst!!"
Maria smiled uncertainly. "Are you sure that's wise, dear?" she asked. "After all, Alberto Delvecchio is a known criminal."
"I'm aware of that," retorted Louisa , "but Amanda is my sister. It's not her fault she was adopted by those people. And, Mr. Delvecchio was indicted , not convicted."
"I just don't want you to get mixed up in anything you might not be able to handle."
"Don't worry, Mami . I'll be careful. Can you stay for a while? I want to drive over to the station and tell Mike the news."
"Certainly. Take your time. And since you're going out, could you pick up some bread to go with the spaghetti I'm fixing for dinner?"
"Sure. I'll be back soon."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"Hey! Where's the fire?" joked Marco as Louisa ran into the station.
The young woman laughed. “Hey, guys! Where's Mike?" she asked, slightly out of breath from her sprint from the parking lot.
"In the dorm changing sheets," answered Johnny , rolling out from beneath the squad almost at her feet. "Whoops! Sorry about that," he grinned as the creeper bumped Louisa's ankle.
"It's okay, Johnny. Mike! Stop playing housemaid and get out here!" she shouted. Stoker appeared in the doorway in response to his sister's yell.
"You bellowed?" he teased. "Holler a little louder next time, Lou. I don't think Headquarters heard you."
"Very funny. I had a call from Sofia Delvecchio a little while ago. They're coming out on Friday so that we can meet Amanda!" replied Louisa, throwing her arms around the engineer and giving him a bear hug.
"That's great !" answered Mike . returning the embrace. "Just Amanda and her mother?"
"No, Mr. Delvecchio is coming too. I guess he wants to check out Amanda 's gene pool or something."
" Alberto Delvecchio ?" asked Roy . "That guy's a criminal, Louisa !"
"I highly doubt he's coming all the way out here to expand his territory, Roy ," answered the young woman with an edge to her voice.
"I'm just saying that this guy is dangerous, Lou . Watch your back."
"I'm with Roy ," put in Chet. "If someone gets in his way, they kinda 'disappear', if you get my drift."
Louisa laughed. "Relax, you mother hens," she joked. "Nothing is going to happen."
When the young woman looked back on her words a few weeks later, she realized just how wrong she was.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Friday Morning
"Hey guys!" said Louisa as she walked into the station. "Slow day?"
"I'd rather not comment," grinned Johnny . "As soon as I confirm that, the tones will go off."
"Firemen's superstition?" chuckled the young woman.
"Something like that," agreed Gage . "On your way to the airport?"
"Yeah. The Delvecchios are on the 12:30 flight from New York . I'm so nervous about meeting Amanda ."
"Hi, honey," said Hank, coming into the dayroom. "You going to pick up the criminal?'
Louisa 's eyes darkened. "Don't start that again, Henry ," she grumbled. She looked around, her eyes resting on each man for a brief moment. "Do the rest of you feel that way too?"
Chet and Marco dropped their eyes, suddenly finding the floor extremely interesting. Roy and John stared at the wall, avoiding the young woman's gaze. Mike bit his lip, pretending to polish a gauge on the engine.
"Fine! If I can't count on to at least be civil, don't bother coming by tomorrow afternoon!" Louisa turned and stormed out, Mike hot on her heels.
" Lou , wait up!" called the engineer. "Don't be mad at them. They're just trying to protect you."
"Protect me from what?" demanded Louisa . "What do they think Alberto is planning to do? Recruit me into the Mafia? Give me a break!"
Stoker smothered a chuckle at his sister's words. "Not unless you can speak Italian," he joked, trying to calm his sister's anger. When Louisa glared, Mike held up a placating hand. "Okay, okay, bad joke. I know you're as anxious as I am to meet Amanda . Just be careful around her father."
The young woman smiled. "I will, Mikey, don't worry. It just that Hank has been saying that he doesn't want them in his house. He's forgetting just who put up the down payment."
"I kinda figured you and Cap had a fight when you called him Henry . You don't do that unless you're mad at him."
"Yeah, you're right," answered Louisa . "Listen, I better get going. I don't want to be late getting to the airport. I'll stop by on the way home so you can meet Amanda , okay?"
"All right, little sis," replied Stoker . "I'll talk to the guys and ask them to be nice, okay?"
"Put that Stoker charm to work," teased Louisa with a grin. "See you later."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Louisa paced nervously as she waited for the Delvecchios' plane to land. A man watched her closely from the other side of the room. The young woman was oblivious to his intense stare, concentrating on settling her jangling nerves.
A tall, olive-skinned man approached Louisa and tapped her on the shoulder. "Excuse me, are you Louisa Stanley ?" he asked with a trace of a Brooklyn accent.
"Yes, I am. Mr. Delvecchio ?"
"In the flesh. It's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am." He gestured to the two women standing behind him. "This is my wife, Sofia , and our daughter, Amanda ."
Louisa looked at the younger woman open-mouthed, astonished by her resemblance to Constance Sutton. "Amazing," she breathed. "You look just like our mother."
Amanda smiled shyly and reached out to squeeze her hands. "So, you're my baby sister, huh?"
"Come along, girls. We need to pick up our luggage," put in Alberto . "Mrs. Stanley, thank you for offering to have us stay with you, but we'd feel more comfortable in a hotel. I hope you're not offended."
"No, of course not," answered Louisa . "Whatever you wish. And please, call me Louisa ."
Sofia spoke for the first time. "Isn't your brother here?" she asked.
" Mike is on duty today, but I promised him that we would stop by the station on the way home."
Alberto frowned. "Station? Is he a cop?" he asked suspiciously.
"No, sir, he's an engineer with the Los Angeles County Fire Department. My husband, Hank, is his Captain."
Mr. Delvecchio nodded, visibly relaxing, then led the way to the baggage claim. He stopped suddenly, noticing the man standing across the room. "Who's that?" he questioned, an edge of suspicion coloring his rough voice.
"I have no idea," replied Louisa . "I didn't even know anyone else was here."
Alberto grunted. "He looks familiar," he said.
After picking up their luggage, the Delvecchios followed Louisa out to her car. As she pulled out of the parking lot, the young woman saw a black limousine drive away from the curb and follow them. The vehicle tailed them for several blocks, staying a few car lengths behind.
"Why do you keeping looking in your rear-view mirror?" questioned Sofia , noticing the young woman's odd behavior.
"That limo has been trailing us ever since we left the airport," answered Louisa . "It's giving me the creeps."
"Pull into that plaza up ahead," instructed Alberto . "If the guy is following us, he'll either follow us into the parking lot or pull up to the curb."
Louisa did as asked, keeping an eye on the black limo. She breathed a sigh of relief when the car passed by without slowing.
"I guess I was just being paranoid," she chuckled. "I had a bad experience a while back, so I get jumpy when I think I'm being tailed.
"Yeah, there was an article in the New York Times about you and that Parker character," commented Alberto . "As far as I'm concerned, the creep got exactly what he deserved."
Louisa stared at Delvecchio, her mouth hanging open in surprise. "I had no idea it was national news," she stammered.
Sofia leaned forward and rested her hand on her husband's shoulder. " Louisa might not wish to talk about him, Alberto ," she said sternly.
Delvecchio was immediately contrite. "I'm sorry, Louisa . It must have been very difficult for you. Forget I brought it up."
"Brought what up?" joked Louisa with a grin. "I just did what I had to do. End of story. Besides, Tom is dead. He can't hurt me or my family anymore."
"Are we going to stop at the fire station?" asked Amanda from the back seat. "I'm looking forward to meeting Mike ."
"I think it would be better not to," answered Louisa after a brief pause. "I have to be honest with you. My husband and his crew have been talking about you, Mr. Delvecchio . I told them what you do is none of their business, but they weren't too thrilled when I stopped this morning."
"I understand," replied Alberto . "Perhaps it would be better if Amanda and Mike got together outside of his work."
"They get off-duty at 8 tomorrow morning. We could meet for breakfast, if you'd like," said Louisa .
"Great." Alberto looked up, seeing the black limo turn the corner a block away. "Okay, they're gone. Let's get to the hotel. It's the Beverly Hills Hotel."
Fifteen minutes later, Louisa pulled her car into the hotel's parking lot. "Wow!" she breathed, awestruck by the opulence of the pink marble building. "This place is incredible. I applaud your taste, Mr. Delvecchio ."
"Would you like to join us for a drink, Louisa ? It would give you and Mandy a chance to talk."
"I'd love to. Here, Mrs. Delvecchio , let me help you with your suitcase."
"Thank you, dear," answered Sofia . “That's very sweet of you.”
“Don't mention it,” replied Louisa with a smile, taking an instant liking to the older woman.
They approached the desk clerk, drawing stares from the people milling around the lobby. Louisa frowned as she heard shocked whispers in their wake. She turned and glared at a young man who made an obscene comment.
"You got a problem, buddy?" she snapped.
"Just not being with you, doll face," sniggered the man, toying with the thick gold chain around his neck. "Wanna come up to my room with me?"
Alberto stepped forward and placed a heavy hand on the man's shoulder. "I suggest you treat the lady with some respect, my friend. She's a married woman. I think you owe her an apology, don't you?"
The man paled when he saw the steely look in the older man's eyes. He swallowed audibly and said, "I'm sorry, miss. I didn't mean any disrespect."
Louisa snorted in disgust and walked away. She winked at Amanda and Sofia and laughed. "Sometimes I wonder if some men really did evolve up from caveman status," she chuckled.
Sofia smiled. "Some of them did, I'm sure. Others, you have to train it out of them."
Alberto returned and offered his arm to his wife. "We're all set, ladies. Shall we?"
Three hours later, Louisa and Amanda were laughing and joking as if they had known each other all their lives. "Are you kidding me?" Louisa giggled. "He actually told you that your place was in the kitchen? I certainly hope you set him straight!"
Amanda grinned widely. "You better believe it! I must have gotten my point across because he never came around again!" The girls dissolved into breathless laughter.
"Thank God Hank doesn't have that attitude," chuckled Louisa . "We had a dust-up after I wanted to go back to school, but once he saw my side of things, he agreed. I love my husband, but he can be so stubborn sometimes, I want to strangle him."
"How did you two meet?" put in Alberto , swirling his snifter of brandy.
"I came down from Montana to visit my adoptive family and we just kind of connected. Hank had lost his first wife in a car accident a few months earlier, so he wasn't exactly looking for another woman then. It wasn't until after I got hurt horseback riding that we realized we had feelings for each other."
"What happened? How did you get hurt?" asked Sofia .
"John Gage, a paramedic at Station 51, and I were riding near a canyon above his house and I slipped on a patch of gravel and hit my head," answered Louisa. "I spent a lot of time in the hospital and Hank was there by my side every chance he got. My brother Marco was upset about that at first, but he came around eventually."
"Now I know you girls are sisters," snickered Alberto . "Mandy was always getting herself in scrapes of one kind or another. When she was about seven years old, she climbed a tree in our front yard and couldn't get back down again. We had to call the fire department to get her out of that old oak."
"Louisa, you never did tell me how you found out you and Mike were related," commented Amanda.
"It was after I learned Constance was my mother," answered Louisa . "Her sister Katherine gave me some records about him. I was in the hospital meeting with them when Mike was brought in after he was injured at a fire. I was so angry when I found out, that I kind of tried to strangle Constance . After Mike came out of his coma, he told me that he already knew that we were brother and sister." She chuckled ruefully. "All that time, he was right under my nose and I had no idea. It was a little awkward at first, but we get along great now."
"Do you still have contact with our mother?"
"No. After I found out she put me up for adoption without telling my natural father, I cut her out of my life. I consider Maria Lopez my mother, and always will."
"What about your father?" questioned Amanda.
Louisa smiled. "He's wonderful. Apparently, he had been looking for me, too. We spent some time together, and have been close ever since."
"Well, ladies, I don't know about you, but I'm starving," said Alberto . " Louisa , will you join us for dinner?"
"Is it that late already?" gasped the young woman. "I have to pick up my children, so I can't. How about a rain check?"
"Certainly. How about we make plans tomorrow at breakfast?"
"I'd like that," smiled Louisa . "I'll stop by the station on my way home and talk to Mike . We'll meet you at Billy 's Diner at 9 o'clock . Does that sound okay?"
"How do we get there?" asked Sofia .
"We'll just call a cab, love," said Alberto . "See you then, Louisa ," he continued, drawing the young woman into a warm embrace.
"Okay. Good night," answered the young woman, returning the hug.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"I'm sorry I'm late, Mami ," said Louisa as she walked through the front door of her mother's home. " Amanda and I got talking and lost track of time."
"What's she like?" asked Maria .
"She looks just like Constance when she was younger. It kind of knocked me for a loop when I saw her."
"What about her parents? Are they nice people?"
"Very nice, Mami . We're meeting for breakfast tomorrow so Mike can meet them, too." The young woman looked up as her friend, Rachel Potter , came downstairs, Matthew balanced on her hip. "Hey, Rach. Hi there, short man. You ready to go visit Daddy?"
" Emma is still sleeping, Lou ," said Rachel , handing Matthew to Louisa . "She was cranky earlier, but she's settled down some."
Louisa smiled. "She's probably cutting another tooth. Matthew was the same way. I don't understand why he cut his teeth first; I'll have to ask Dr. Spenser when I take the twins for their next checkup."
"Why don't you leave Emma here and I'll drop her off after she wakes up from her nap?" said Maria .
"That sounds like a good idea. She's an absolute bear if she doesn't get her beauty sleep," answered Louisa . "Just like her father."
The women laughed. "You got any plans for dinner, Lou ?" questioned Rachel . "Maybe we could order a pizza and go over our pharmacology homework."
"No anchovies," grinned Louisa . "Are you still having trouble with the dosage calculations?"
"Yeah," admitted Rachel . "Do you think we could go over them again?"
"Sure, no problem. Head over to the house and let yourself in. I shouldn't be too long."
"Okay, I'll meet you there. Pepperoni and extra cheese, right?"
"And black olives on my half," replied Louisa . "Come on, Matty. Let's go harass some hose jockeys."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Both the squad and engine were gone when Louisa entered the station. A half-eaten meal was spread out over the table. The young woman wrinkled her nose at the dried sludge smeared across each plate.
"Looks like they got toned out in the middle of dinner again, squirt. From the looks of it, it was Chet's night to cook, too."
Matthew squealed when he saw Henry snoozing on the couch and struggled to get down. The Basset hound lifted his head and yawned, perking up a little when he saw that he had company.
"Keep the sofa dusted, pooch?" joked Louisa, sitting down next to the dog. Henry wagged his tail and licked Matthew 's face with his wet tongue. The young woman chuckled when the animal's stomach rumbled.
"Did they leave without feeding you again, boy? It's a good thing I know where they keep the kibble."
She set her son down on the sofa where he wouldn't fall and went in search of Henry's food dish. She returned a few minutes later and set the bowl on the floor. The dog woofed loudly and jumped down to devour his meal.
An hour later, the crew trudged in, smeared with soot and reeking of smoke. Louisa watched them silently, aware that they hadn't yet noticed that she was there. She cleared her throat, making the men jump in surprise.
"Man, Lou , don't do that!" rasped Johnny . "How long have you been here?"
"Long enough to feed Henry and put your food in the oven to keep it warm," answered the young woman. "By the looks of your clothes, it must have been one hell of a fire."
"You can say that again," groused Chet. "This guy decides to save some money and fix his stove himself without turning off the gas . Then he forgets to tell his wife and she lights up a cigarette. Some people," he muttered, shaking his head.
"You'd think she would smell the gas, Chester ," said Louisa , hiding an amused smile.
"Let's just say she's more than a few sandwiches short of a full picnic," answered the Irishman. "How's my favorite rugrat?" he crowed, leaning down to tickle Matthew 's foot.
"Where's Mike ? I need to talk to him."
"Getting cleaned up," replied Hank. "So, don't keep us in suspense, Lou . How did it go?"
"Patience, my love. I'll tell you everything, once Mike joins us," grinned Louisa . She leaned away as her husband bent down to kiss her. "You could use a little cleaning up yourself, hose jockey. You're a mite fragrant."
"That's just my new aftershave. Eau de Burning Kitchen," teased the Captain, sliding his dirty hand down her cheek.
"Very funny. Was anyone hurt?" she replied, pushing his hand away.
"Just a few minor burns," said Roy . "And it will take a while for the guy's eyebrows to grow back."
"Come on, little sister," put in Marco . "What's Delvecchio like?"
"Uh-uh, buddy. Not a word until Mike gets here." She grinned. "That trick never did work, Marco ."
"What trick?" asked Stoker, striding into the dayroom combing his hair. "Hey, Lou!"
"Oh, Marco was just trying to get me to spill the beans as usual," answered Louisa . "Okay, now that Mikey is here, I'll tell you all about Amanda and her parents."
The men sat quietly as she talked, too busy finishing their meal to ask questions. Halfway through her tale, Chief McConikee walked in.
"I think I should come around more often," he joked. "This place attracts pretty young ladies for some reason."
"Must be all the handsome men," returned Louisa with a wink. "As I was saying, Mike , Amanda and her parents want us to meet them for breakfast tomorrow after your shift. Don't worry, I told her only good things about you."
"Did you tell her about me?" grinned Chet, his mustache twitching.
"Nah, the subject of deranged Irish firemen never came up," shot back Louisa . "You'll all have a chance to meet them before they go back to New York . I was thinking we could have a cook-out on Sunday."
Hank frowned. "Honey, I'm not wild about having Alberto Delvecchio in my house."
"Hank, don't start that again," growled Louisa . "He seems to be a very nice man."
"People said that about Ted Bundy , too," said Chet, earning a ferocious glare from the young woman.
"Is that how the rest of you feel, too?" she demanded, skewering each man with a hostile look. "I don't think it's fair of you to judge a person before you even meet him," Louisa continued hotly.
"Lou, if you like the guy, I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt," said Johnny, playing peacemaker. "I'd like to meet him. Besides, you can't believe everything you read."
" Louisa smiled at her friend. "Thanks, Johnny . Anyone else?"
"I trust your judgment, too, little sister," said Marco . "After all," he grinned, "you have extraordinary taste in husbands, not to mention older brothers."
"I'll go along with that," joked Louisa . "So how 'bout it? Hank, Roy , Chet?"
Roy swallowed audibly and looked the young woman straight in the eye. "I guess I can at least be civil to the guy," he said.
"I'll do it for you, Lou ," put in Chet. "Just because we're friends."
"That leaves you, Hank," said Louisa . "Honey, I know you're not happy about this, but Amanda is my sister. She had no say in who adopted her." She turned pleading brown eyes on her husband.
The Captain threw up his hands. "All right, I give in. Just back off with the puppy-dog eyes, okay?"
"It's settled then. All I ask is that you keep an open mind about Mr. Delvecchio ."
"Can we bring anything, Louisa ?" asked Johnny .
"Hank and I will supply the burgers, hotdogs, and drinks, if you would all like to bring something," answered the young woman. "We'll eat around 1 o'clock . Chief, you and your wife are welcome to join us, too, if you'd like."
“We already have plans, but thanks for asking,” answered McConikee. “Hank, I'll leave these flyers on your desk. See you later, boys.”
Louisa glanced at her watch. "I better get going. I promised Rachel I would help her with some homework. See you guys Sunday. Mike, don't forget, Billy's at 9 o'clock ."