Page 151 of Ice Princess

My face pales. “That’s impossible.”

Ever since our huge scare with April, we’ve been extra careful about poisonous gases. Chance, out of fear, installed three different poisonous gas alarms.

I’ve been extra careful too. Seeing my best friend get carted to the hospital once was enough to scar me for life.

I look around, searching for the key to stopping this madness. There’s a smug-looking man in a suit standing on the lawn, tapping notes on a tablet. He’s the only one not wearing a hazmat suit.

Stalking to the guy who looks like he’s in charge, I demand, “How dare you? This is private property. You can’t just come in here and mess with our things.”

“We’re here on behalf of the County’s Safety Committee, Ms. Hart. You have been found in violation of several safety codes. Under county law, we have the right to shut this place down until the completion of a thorough investigation.”

Those were a lot of snooty words, but my brain stops functioning at the phrase ‘shut’ and ‘down’.

“What do you mean shut down? You can’t do that!” I yell.

“We can.” He nods to the hazmats who start rolling yellow ‘KEEP OUT’ tape all along the shop. “And we will.”

My bones feel hollow. My muscles twitch. For a second, it feels like the sky turns completely black above my head.

Panicked, I whirl around to find that the hazmats have successfully blocked off our garage like it’s the scene of a crime.

A crowd is gathering to watch and some of them have their phones out to record. This will be all over the neighborhood chat by evening. There’s a big possibility it might even get picked up by the evening news.

Delia touches my arm gently. “Should I grab my wrench and start swinging?”

My mind is spiraling with a million thoughts, but the comment makes me smile. She looks dead serious too.

“No.” I shake my head and take a few, calming breaths.

Think, Rebel. Think.

The Safety Committee swarmed the shop because someone made a complaint. But how did they know to go straight for the exhaust hose—the one safety hazard April and I had trouble with before, as if they knew they could use that fact against us.

Today’s rampage was instigated by someone with a plan.

I turn slightly. “Delia, call April and tell her what’s going on.”

The mechanic nods and taps on her cell phone.

I march back to the Safety Committee member. “I’m Rebel Hart, co-owner of The Pink Garage. Who issued a complaint against our auto shop?”

“I can’t tell you that, ma’am. We on the Safety Committee accept anonymous complaints.” He shakes his head. “And we can’t go around exposing our sources.”

What a perfect answer.

“I at least deserve to know what the next steps are to sort this out. I assure you that we run our shop with safety in mind. I’m very certain this is all a big misunderstanding.”

“The investigation will determine that,” he says, looking over at me with disapproval.

I fight an eye roll and keep my tone civil. “How long will an investigation take?”

“It depends.” He taps something on his tablet. “It could take a few weeks or a few months. Depending on the schedule of the lab.”

His words twist me inside out. “I’m sorry. Did you say it could takemonths?”

He ignores me and motions to the hazmats. “You boys about finished?”

“Yes, boss!” The hazmat-men shout.

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