"I don't want him killed," Cole said harshly.
A faint smile touched Wing Ko's lips. "I have no control over this . . ." A sweep of one of his long-nailed hands indicated the aftermath of the earthquake around them. "But I can say that he will come to no harm at the hands of me or my boo how doy. However, if he survives, evidence will soon come into the hands of the police indicating that he was responsible for the wave of fires on the waterfront. This is justice, is it not?"
Not really, Annabel thought, because Wing Ko would go unpunished for his part in the arson. However, there were times when you had to take what you could get, and clearing Cole's name was the most important thing, anyway.
Cole nodded his acceptance of Wing Ko's proposal. Wing Ko inclined his head and said, "We will part now. I wish you and Miss Lowell the utmost happiness in your life."
Cole put his arm around Annabel again as the tong leader, his followers, and the little girl faded back into the shadows of an alley. "Will they be all right?" Annabel. asked.
"Men like Wing Ko have a knack for survival," Cole said. "Whatever happens next, he and the girl will come through it." He looked down at Annabel. "You knew the earthquake was coming. Maybe it's better that I don't know how you knew. But what about now? Do you know what's going to happen?"
Annabel took a deep breath. "Fire," she said. "Cole, San Francisco is going to burn."
Chapter 20
And so it did. San Francisco burned for three days and three nights, from early in the morning of Wednesday, April 18, 1906, to the morning of Saturday, April 21. The destruction was immense, with the earthquake itself responsible for only a portion of the many lives lost and buildings destroyed. By the afternoon of the 18th, much of the country already knew that one of the worst natural disasters in history had occurred on the West Coast—and it was just getting started.
Cole's instincts led him and Annabel unerringly through the nightmarish chaos to the firehouse where Engine Company Twenty-one was headquartered. Along the way, they saw pillars of black smoke climbing into the air all over the city and bright red flames leaping from the ruins of destroyed buildings. It took them almost an hour to make their way from Chinatown to the firehouse. When they reached it and saw that the redbrick building was still standing, a wave of relief went through Cole. The windows were broken and a few cracks ran up the sides of the building, but that appeared to be the extent of the damage. Those who had been on duty at the firehouse had probably come through the quake unharmed.
The big front doors were open, and the pumpers and the hook-and-ladder trucks were gone. They were already out fighting the many fires. Cole thought. Holding tightly to Annabel's hand, he stepped inside and called, "Patsy! Lieutenant Driscoll! Anybody here?"
A pathetic meow from above answered him. Cole lipped his head back and looked up at the living quarters on the second floor. The black-and-white cat, Fulton, stuck his head over the edge of the balcony-like structure.
"Fulton!" Cole said. "Come on, boy!"
Fulton launched himself out from the second floor, and Cole let go of Annabel's hand so that he could catch the cat. Fulton's claws dug through his shirt and into his skin, but Cole didn't care. He was glad to see that the engine company's mascot was all right.
"Fulton, meet Annabel," he said as he turned so that Annabel could pet the fuzzy feline. "Where is everybody?"
The only answer forthcoming was a loud purr as Annabel scratched Fulton's head between his ears. When after a moment she tried to take her hand away, he put out a paw and batted at it, as if commanding her to continue petting.
"I have to try to find the company," Cole said. "The way the fire is spreading, I'm sure they could use the help."
"We'll both help," she said.
Cole started to frown, then shrugged instead. After the dangers they had already faced together, it seemed a bit futile to argue with her now about staying out of harm's way.
"Fulton will be all right here," he said as he put the cat on the floor. "The building doesn't seem to be in any danger of collapsing, and I don't think there'll be any more aftershocks." It had been quite a while since any tremors had been felt. They were still possible, of course, but the likelihood of their occurring was growing less with each passing hour. Cole took Annabel's hand again and turned toward the big doors in the front of the building.
Before they could leave, one of the pumpers rolled into the firehouse, pulled by a team of wild-eyed horses. Patsy O'Flaherty was at the reins, sawing on them as he brought the team to a halt. "Cole!" he cried as he dropped the reins and leaped down from the seat. "Ye're all right!"