Up in Flames

By Eileen M. Foti

This book has Sergeant Finn chasing criminals who are setting fires and explosions around the area. Victor Armani, the leader of the gang, has a hit list, and one after another, he is checking the listed names off and terminating them. Sergeant Finn and Detective McKenzie are kept busy trying to catch this gang and put them away so they do not kill any more people.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Mar 27, 2017
• ISBN: 9781524589516

Eileen M. Foti

Eileen M. Foti lives in Tappan, New York with her husband Charlie. She graduated from Dominican College. Eileen’s children are married, and three grandkids are now on the scene. Painting, knitting, and photography are Eileen’s hobbies. She has exhibited around Rockland County and has won many ribbons.

Book preview

Copyright © 2017 by Eileen M. Foti.

Library of Congress Control Number:   2017903403

ISBN:           Hardcover           978-1-5245-8953-0

                     Softcover             978-1-5245-8952-3

                     eBook                  978-1-5245-8951-6

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 03/08/2017

Xlibris

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Contents

Chapter 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 10

CHAPTER 11

CHAPTER 12

CHAPTER 13

CHAPTER 14

CHAPTER 15

CHAPTER 16

CHAPTER 17

CHAPTER 18

CHAPTER 19

CHAPTER 20

CHAPTER 21

CHAPTER 22

CHAPTER 23

CHAPTER 24

CHAPTER 25

CHAPTER 26

CHAPTER 27

CHAPTER 28

CHAPTER 29

CHAPTER 30

CHAPTER 31

CHAPTER 32

CHAPTER 33

CHAPTER 34

CHAPTER 35

CHAPTER 36

CHAPTER 37

CHAPTER 38

CHAPTER 39

AUTHOR’S NOTE

I’d like to thank my daughter-in-law, Amanda, for suggesting the name of this book. Also, I would like to thank Dr. and Mrs. John Lounibos for their wonderful editing skills. They were most kind to take on this project. I thank Martiny Jean Baptiste for all his help with my computer; he is always kind even though I am sometimes computer dense! I’d like to thank anyone who answered a question I asked concerning this book. Finally, I give a special thank you to my husband, Charlie, for always being there for me.

Chapter 1

A S THE AFTERNOON wove into early night, the sky slowly turned from blue to a dusky grey and the sun started going down. However, the sky became streaked with grey, purple, orange, red, and yellow, painted by the setting sun over the darkening land.

A siren suddenly pierced the night air. Fire alarms sounded urgently calling out for help to come forward and assist the emergency people rushing off to a fire. Then police cars wailed and raced along cutting the night air once more.

Sergeant Finn sat in front of the TV as his cell phone sang out.

Finn here, he answered.

I heard the sirens. …… I’ll be right there, he said as he turned off his phone.

Finn picked up the phone again and called Mike McKenzie. Mike, I just got a call about a raging fire on Main Street. Meet me there; I’m leaving now, said Finn as he grabbed his coat and left his house.

Finn raced to his car, opened the door and jumped in. The car started immediately and he backed down the driveway and onto the street. The car picked up speed as Finn reached out and placed the flashing light on top of the car.

The fire was in full force as Finn entered Main Street. Red tongues of flames shot out of the windows of an eight storied apartment building. Ladders were placed on the side of the building and firemen in black and yellow suits were climbing up trying to rescue tenants through the opened windows. Water was being pumped onto the fire with great force and intensity. Window panes were breaking and flying through the air; glass shards were landing all around the firemen as well as around the people who were standing on the ground.

Finn found the Fire Chief and asked for the details of the terrible event. He was told someone smelled smoke and phoned the fire department. However, the fire had a head start by the time it was discovered, trapping people on the upper floors. Firemen are trying to make their way up the stairs, and ladders, but they are fighting thick smoke as well as flames, so the going is slow.

As the men talked people were screaming, while others were wandering around looking for their loved ones.

Mike pulled up and Finn walked over to meet him.

Hi, Mike. It looks like a suspicious fire. There may be a number of deaths. The arson squad is on the way so some questions will be answered. Have some officers hold the news people back at a safe distance, instructed Finn.

Right, Sarge, said Mike.

Finn stood back and looked up at the building. People were hanging out of the windows while firemen were frantically instructing them to climb down the ladder to safety. The fire had been raging for an hour and the fire was still going strong. It was yet to be determined if someone had set the fire and didn’t care about all the lives that would be lost.

Finn and McKenzie stayed at the site for well over an hour. Finally Finn spoke to the Fire Chief, told him to call him with the results of the arson report, and then he and McKenzie left.

The men arrived at the precinct to start filling out an account of the newest nefarious crime.

CHAPTER 2

F INN ARRIVED AT his office early the next morning. He took off his coat, threw it over the back of the chair, and grabbed the phone.

Finn dialed the coroner’s office. After a few rings a voice answered the call. Hello, this is Max, how may I help you?

Hi Max, this is Finn calling about the fire last night. Were there any deaths or injuries?

Unfortunately, we had two deaths on the top floor. I need to do an autopsy to determine the cause of death, but it looks suspicious. Most of the other tenants escaped with only a few cuts and bruises. However, there were many injured and a few were treated for smoke inhalation, and are still at the hospital for treatment. I will have the full report for you later today, Max said.

I’ll be waiting to hear from you, replied Finn as he hung up the phone.

McKenzie entered the office as Finn placed the