But maybe it should to the citizen who found, and returned, one of the town's most important keys last week.

For days, town firefighters searched trucks and stations, looking for a key that opens 992 gray business lockboxes.

In those gray boxes are more keys that firefighters use to get into buildings in emergencies.

And no one knew who had the key that ruled them all.

Still keyless last weekend, the fire department emptied the lockboxes and promised to spend $15,000 to change the locks.

Little did they know, the master key was safe all along.

On the morning of March 13, Talie Madans, 36, looked under a recycling bin in a grassy area near the recreation center at Carolina Preserve, a housing development for seniors where she is a manager.

There, she found a key.

Not knowing where it came from, she put it on her desk and left town for the weekend.

When she returned, she read about the town's frantic search and put the pieces together.

Firemen from Cary's Fire Station No. 7 on Carpenter Fire Station Road visited the rec center to respond to a malfunctioning fire alarm on March 10, the day the key went missing.

A firefighter must have dropped it.

She called the department, and they came by to pick up the key Tuesday.

"I can't really run into a burning building, or carry people on my shoulders," she said, with a laugh.

"But if I can find a key, I feel like I contributed."

'Good citizens'

The grateful department is evaluating the way it handles the keys, according to Chief Allan Cain.

Cary has 20 masters that open lockboxes, one for each fire truck.

Only the shift supervisor has access to the key.

Most building keys were returned to the lockboxes last week.

This was the first time in 24 years that one of the master keys had been missing, according to the town.

"Thank goodness we have good citizens in town who take care of Cary," Mayor Harold Weinbrecht said.

It was the least she could do, said Madans, a Durham resident.

Cary firemen often make trips to the senior community.

Those from Fire Station No. 7 have always been courteous and kind, she said.

"It was an exciting day," she said. "We found the key, and Papa John's started delivering to us on the same day.

"What more could you want?"