Page 58 of Crash Course
He snorted. "Uh, it’s weird."
Oh, please. "It’s notweird."
"Yeah, it is. Anyway, and yes, I’m changing the subject. Me going at you about your dad? I’m not being an ass. I’m trying to help you."
This, she didn’t doubt. For whatever reason, Cruz had wormed his way inside her. She trusted him. And that was saying something, since she’d been taught from an early age to always question motives.
"I believe that," she said. "Thank you. I need to figure out what’s going on with him. Why he’d buy contaminated property."
"Okay."
He nodded and then in one smooth motion, grabbed the check, stood, slid his wallet from his front pocket, and threw bills on the table.
"Let’s go," he said. "We have a few extra containers. I think we should get water samples. Maybe from that stream we saw while driving into town. We’re checking soil, we may as well check the water, too."
Still seated, Cilla shook her head. "I don’t think the water is the issue. The plant has their own water reclamation facility."
That stopped him cold."Really?"
"When they proposed building the plant, the town had concerns about such a large facility taxing their infrastructure. Water specifically, because the town’s system was already old. Rather than stress the town’s water system, Dad agreed to build their own. They’re self-sufficient with water. They recycle water for flushing toilets."
"Huh. Do they give sludge away?"
Oh, no.No, no, no. They’d just discussed this. How water treatment plants gave away contaminated sludge.
"I don't know," she said. "I’d never heard of it until you told me."
"Can you find out? Is there someone at the company you can ask? If not, I’ll see if Rohan can research it."
Cilla stood, pushed her chair in and leaned closer to Cruz. The place was nearly empty, but keeping her voice low wouldn’t hurt. "Meaning hacking into my father’s company?"
"It’s a thought."
"One that’s unnecessary." She scooped her purse from the back of her chair. "I can get us in."
10
A little after five,Cruz and Cilla arrived at the Annex, where Cruz set his gym bag with the soil and water samples on the conference table. A few months ago, at this hour, he’d have found at least one of his brothers sitting at the table busying himself with . . . whatever.
Now? It seemed everyone cleared out between five and five-thirty, off to have dinner with their significant others.
Another change to adjust to.
Voices sounded from Phin’s office. Cruz cocked his head, waited a beat for the talking to stop and whistled.
"Seriously?" Phin hollered from behind the half-closed door. "Are we dogs?"
On Cruz’s left, Rohan emerged from his office, shaking his head. "Hey, Cilla."
"Hi, Rohan."
He poked a finger at Cruz. "If Cilla wasn’t here, I’d tell you where to shove that whistle."
"Oh," she said. "Don’t let me stop you. I’d sure as hell tell him."
"Hey!" Cruz said, laughing. "Whose side are you on?"
"Right now?" She jerked her thumb at Rohan. "His. Deal with it."
