Chapter 2: Consequences Arrive
Within minutes, a fire truck pulled up, followed by a city utility vehicle and a police car.
Two firefighters jumped out and moved quickly to shut off the water. A police officer approached Karen and asked what had happened.
Karen tried to explain.
But her wet clothes, the hammer lying on the ground, and Frank’s calm statement told the story far more clearly than she could.
The officer photographed the damaged hydrant, collected the hammer, and informed Karen that damaging a municipal fire hydrant was a serious offense. It could endanger lives and result in significant fines.
Karen’s confident attitude was gone.
For the first time, she looked less like the person who had spent months policing everyone else and more like someone who had suddenly realized that rules applied to her, too.
Frank said very little.
He simply stood nearby, watching the firefighters work.
He knew the hydrant was more than an ugly piece of red metal on the curb.
It was there for a reason.
Someone might someday need it when every second mattered.
The firefighters eventually stopped the flow, but the damage had already been done. Water had flooded part of the street, soaked nearby landscaping, and left the pavement covered in puddles.
Karen was asked to remain available while the city documented the incident.
By the time the emergency crews left, nearly everyone on the block knew what had happened.
And Willow Creek would not look at Karen the same way again.
