The Firefighter Daddy. Margaret Daley

and then refilled his cup with freshly brewed coffee. He headed for the patio behind the building to sit and enjoy his drink after a hectic morning.

      When he’d returned from that multiple car wreck on the highway, he’d immediately started lunch while some of the guys had finished up cleaning the equipment and trucks. He’d become the cook on his shift after the others realized he knew how to prepare not just an edible meal but a delicious one, too.

      Two other firefighters were outside on the patio. Brandon was stretched out in a lounge chair, catching some sun, while Lieutenant Richie Dickerson worked a crossword puzzle at the picnic table. He looked up as the door closing disrupted the quiet.

      Liam took a seat across from Richie. “After we eat, I’ll need to go to the store to stock up for next week. Earlier you said something about coming along, too.”

      The lieutenant put his pen on top of the New York Times’s puzzle. “Yep. I’ve gotta pick up some other items for the station.”

      “Are there any other errands to run?”

      “Nope. That should be it today except for our refresher course in CPR at three. Of course, this schedule could be a moot point if an emergency comes up.”

      For the past two days both Madison and Katie had been moping around the house. Nothing Liam suggested for them to do was met with an enthusiastic response ever since Gabe’s owner had retrieved him. And yet with him gone for twenty-four hours at a time, he was concerned about getting a pet for them.

      “I do have a job for you. The captain suggested you could help Brandon with the fund-raiser for the kids’ summer camp. Every year we’re one of the sponsors of the event, and we send two firefighters to be on the committee overseeing it.”

      Liam glanced at his friend, probably pretending to be asleep. “When are the meetings?” he asked, hating to have to ask Aunt Betty to babysit any more than she already did.

      “That’s the great part about it. It’s during the weekday at lunch. If it’s a day you’re working here, you’ll go as part of our community outreach.”

      “What if we are called out?”

      “Usually, I can spare one, possibly both of you, depending on the emergency. On your days off, I still need you to attend the meeting. You’ll get together once a week in April and May. The fund-raiser is scheduled for Saturday June 4.”

      “That’s fine, since the girls will be in school. I think it’ll be fun.” Liam started to say more, when his cell phone rang. Hmm... Aunt Betty calling. Not good. She only called him at work when something was wrong. “Liam here.” He steeled himself for what his nieces had done this time.

      “I went out into the backyard to get the girls for lunch. They were playing in a fort they built out of blankets. But they’re gone.”

      “You know how they love to play hide-and-seek.”

      “Liam, I promise I looked everywhere before calling you. They aren’t at my house, and I even went over to yours, but they aren’t playing in the yard there, either.”

      His brother had installed a gate between the two properties when, at three years old, Madison had tried to climb the fence to see Aunt Betty on her patio. “I’ll be right there. You might talk to your neighbors and ask if they saw anything.”

      “I just went inside to make lunch. I brought it out to have a picnic. I knew something was wrong when it got so quiet.”

      With his nieces, that was usually an indication they were up to something. When he hung up, he turned to the lieutenant. “Madison and Katie aren’t where they’re supposed to be.”

      “You go. I’ll follow with a couple of the men.” Richie strode toward the bay area of the station while Liam made his way to the parking spaces at the side and jumped into his red car, his heart racing.

      What if someone had kidnapped them?

      Eight minutes later he arrived at his house and noticed the girls’ pink and purple bicycles weren’t leaning against the back of the fence where they’d put them last night. The sight of them gone calmed him a little as he loped toward his aunt’s yard. If someone had taken them, their bicycles wouldn’t be missing.

      At least he prayed that was true. He wanted the Lord to show him where they were, but he doubted he would hear from Him. He couldn’t blame God. Liam hadn’t had the strongest faith, and when his wife had walked out on his marriage, his life had fallen apart. Since coming to Buffalo, he was trying to change that because of his nieces.

      Aunt Betty rushed out the back door. “A fire truck pulled up out front.”

      “A few of the guys are going to help us look for the girls.”

      “Should I call the police?”

      “I don’t think anyone took them. I think they went riding on their own.” Liam rounded the side of his aunt’s house toward the front with her following. He spotted his lieutenant and waved. “I’m going to drive my car around the area. The girls’ pink and purple bikes are missing. They love the park two blocks away. Can you and the guys search there while I go up and down the streets?”

      “Sure. If we find them, I’ll call you on your cell phone.” Richie turned to leave.

      As the company of firefighters climbed back onto the engine truck, Liam headed toward his car.

      Aunt Betty hurried after him. “I’m coming with you.”

      “No. Stay here in case they come back. You have my cell number. Call me. If I find them, I’ll let you know.”

      “Oh, I hadn’t thought of that. I’m so sorry. I should have made them come in when I did, but they were having so much fun with the fort.”

      The sorrow in his aunt’s voice halted his steps. He hurried back to her at the gate between their yards. Tears filled her eyes. Her short graying hair wasn’t its usual neat style but looked as though she’d run her fingers through it repeatedly. “This wasn’t your fault. I suspect the girls wanted to go riding and left without asking you because you would have said no.”

      “Of course. They’re too young to go by themselves, and I could never keep up with them while walking.”

      “I’m going to make sure they understand that when I find them.” How, he wasn’t sure. It was possible they rode to the park to play on the swings as they had yesterday evening with him. If so, Richie and the others would find them.

      Driving about ten or fifteen miles per hour, he started down his street, going all the way to the dead end. He got out of his car and yelled their names into the wooded area near the creek. That was another place they loved to play, but there was no sign of them.

      He started back the other way, inspecting every place he could. An invisible band around his chest tightened, threatening his breathing. When he reached the block Sarah lived on, he thought he spied the back end of a pink bike in her yard. He increased his speed, afraid to be optimistic. But as he neared, he saw the pink bike and then Katie’s purple one.

      He exited his car, praying they were at Sarah’s. He rang the doorbell. No one answered. Stepping to the large picture window in her living room, he pressed his face close. Empty. He shouldn’t be surprised. Most likely Saturday was one of her busiest days at the salon.

      But if the girls are here, then where are they?

      He reached for his cell to call Sarah at work. A deep bark echoed through the noonday air, and he stuffed his phone back into his pocket. He rushed around the side of the house and went into the backyard through the gate in the wooden fence. Giggles echoed in the quiet and spurred his pace. When he rounded the house by the kitchen, he found his two nieces lying on the grass, playing with Gabe.

      Finally he allowed relief to loosen the tight hold tension had on him. He sank against the side of the house, watching his nieces so enthralled with Gabe they didn’t even know he was there. He understood