Page 33 of Holidate Fail
“How do you know the Pange River?” Lacole asked him.
“I…must have seen it when we were looking up the coordinates after Sudoku.”
“You really know your rivers,” Mrs. Linares said.
“I’m providing expert testimony for damages in the illegal dumping,” Dahlia said.
“Good.” Mrs. Linares nodded approval. “Get those bastards.”
“Are they really bastards, though?” Heath asked. “I mean, it could have just been an honest mistake. Something a conversation could fix.”
The cab of the truck went uncomfortably silent. Dahlia stared at Heath with a laser focus, her tension filling the small space.
“What?” Heath asked.
“Have you been following the case?” Dahlia asked. “You never said anything.”
“Well, you never did, either,” Heath said.
“Some high falutin’ types tried to talk to my grandkids about it. Drum up support for their side,” Mrs. Linares continued. “Once we figured who they were, no one would talk to them.”
“That doesn’t make sense,” Dahlia said. “The damage wouldn’t have gotten this far yet.”
“Why?” Heath asked. “It’s the same water.”
“Not yet it isn’t. It takes time for water to travel from one spot to another.” Dahlia’s natural passion for water shone in her animated tone. “We’ve done dye studies in different bodies of water to see how long it takes.”
Hearing Dahlia in her element was a major turn-on. Kelly twined his fingers with hers.
“Huh.” Heath’s mouth quirked. “I didn’t think about it like that.”
“Current, weather, wind - it all factors in.”
They passed a stopped SUV in the gloomy shadows of the trees. Mrs. Linares slowed down so they could see if the car had gotten stuck.
“That’s the logo for Shady Creek Farms.” Dahlia nodded to the empty vehicle. “Something fishy is going on here.”
“Should we stop?” Kelly asked.
She squeezed his hand. “Let’s deal with your car first.
Mrs. Linares continued on until they came upon Kelly’s SUV. She pulled in front and turned, facing his car. He climbed out of the truck, Dahlia following. She wandered to the beginning of the vegetation.
Kelly clicked his winch and pulled it out of the SUV, then carried the end to Mrs. Linares’s truck. After he found an anchor point, he rigged it up and followed the winch line back to his SUV to make sure it was clear.
Dahlia was still studying the vegetation when his SUV had cleared the mud and unhooked his winch from the truck.
“Thank you,” he said to Mrs. Linares.
“Happy to help.” She left with a wave and a beep of her horn.
“Think we can delay going back for about ten minutes? There’s no way I’m not investigating this. I’ll be right back.” She charged to the river.
“Fine by me,” Heath said, kissing the back of Lacole’s hand.
Kelly caught up, taking Dahlia’s hand.
"This is the company that lost its case for illegal dumping. The one I’m the witness for,” she said as they navigated the muddy ground. “I can’t image any good reason that they’re here.”
