Rachelle Hampton

One of the reasons the fire department is so respected on this island is because way back in 1923, Grace's great-grandmother Eunice Williams, her barn had burned down in what became the biggest fire in island history.

It had taken more than two hours to wrangle a crew together, and by then the fire had spread, eventually engulfing downtown. It's now very easy to tell architecturally what was built on the island pre- and post-fire. This fire looms so large in the collective imagination that it basically becomes *** Island's version of 9-11. Oh my god.

It had taken more than two hours to wrangle a crew together, and by then the fire had spread, eventually engulfing downtown. It's now very easy to tell architecturally what was built on the island pre- and post-fire. This fire looms so large in the collective imagination that it basically becomes *** Island's version of 9-11. Oh my god.

Have you ever lived somewhere like a town or a campus where everyone was sort of haunted by this event that happened a long time ago, but it's up there in the brain?

Have you ever lived somewhere like a town or a campus where everyone was sort of haunted by this event that happened a long time ago, but it's up there in the brain?

Yeah. So similarly, Kennedy heard about this fire within two weeks of moving there. It is just this kind of stain on the collective imagination. And her first thought was, how are the Williams still so prominent after this if they caused this big fire? Isn't the mayor a Williams? What's going on here?

Yeah. So similarly, Kennedy heard about this fire within two weeks of moving there. It is just this kind of stain on the collective imagination. And her first thought was, how are the Williams still so prominent after this if they caused this big fire? Isn't the mayor a Williams? What's going on here?

In the aftermath of Eunice's bonfire, the Williams family quietly paid for half of the construction that had to be done in town because they wanted to preserve their reputation. It also helped that at any given moment, half of the population is somehow married or related to a Williams, if not a Williams themselves.

In the aftermath of Eunice's bonfire, the Williams family quietly paid for half of the construction that had to be done in town because they wanted to preserve their reputation. It also helped that at any given moment, half of the population is somehow married or related to a Williams, if not a Williams themselves.

The same is true of the fire department, as in half of it is somehow married, related to, or Williams himself, which meant no one was really surprised when Grace was confirmed as chief.

The same is true of the fire department, as in half of it is somehow married, related to, or Williams himself, which meant no one was really surprised when Grace was confirmed as chief.

Wow. Okay. After high school, Grace went to a good college, but she graduated right into the 2008 recession. So that was when she moved back to the island and started working for her dad, Elijah, who manages a little collection of vacation rentals on the island that are notoriously shitty. Oh, no.

Wow. Okay. After high school, Grace went to a good college, but she graduated right into the 2008 recession. So that was when she moved back to the island and started working for her dad, Elijah, who manages a little collection of vacation rentals on the island that are notoriously shitty. Oh, no.

Tourists are always complaining about leaks and exposed wiring, but the island's code enforcement officer is married to a William, so nothing really ever gets done. I'm sensing a pattern. I'm sensing a pattern. Keep that pattern in your mind. Oh my goodness. Okay. All this to say, Grace's appointment to fire chief makes Kennedy just a little bit nervous.

Tourists are always complaining about leaks and exposed wiring, but the island's code enforcement officer is married to a William, so nothing really ever gets done. I'm sensing a pattern. I'm sensing a pattern. Keep that pattern in your mind. Oh my goodness. Okay. All this to say, Grace's appointment to fire chief makes Kennedy just a little bit nervous.

Sure, Grace is competent, but if 10 years on this island have taught Kennedy anything, it's to be prepared for everything, especially when a Williams is involved.

Sure, Grace is competent, but if 10 years on this island have taught Kennedy anything, it's to be prepared for everything, especially when a Williams is involved.

How are you feeling so far? Do you have any immediate concerns? Your boss is about to be a 24-year-old.

How are you feeling so far? Do you have any immediate concerns? Your boss is about to be a 24-year-old.

Well, the thing is, at first things honestly go just fine under Grace's leadership. They're maybe even good. Oh. Like, everything is very organized. A bunch of physical paperwork and records that had been sitting around since the late 90s was finally digitized. Another fire hazard removed from the fire department.