第11部分(第3/9 頁)

；　they　really　botched　it。〃

〃〃They'　being　the　people　who　put　that　parking　lot　so　close　to　the

cliff。？〃

Chloe　sighed。　〃It's　begun　to　erode　already；　and　the　locals　want　to　sue。

According　to　my　calculations；　they　have　a　case。〃

〃Will　you　be　called　in　to　testify？〃

〃I'm　not　sure。　I　have　to　work　this　report　up　into　some　kind　of　written

form。　Depending　on　what　happens　when　they　read　it；　whether　or　not　the

matter　can　be　settled　first；　it　may　not　make　it　to　court。〃　She　sat　back。

〃It's　a　shame　that　we　seem　to　learn　things　after　the　fact。　If　only　those

developers　had　gotten　a　geologist　to　advise　them　at　the　start。〃

Debbie　smiled。　〃You　make　a　good　crusader。　I　wish　I　could　present　my　case

as　well　as　you　do。〃

〃I　wish　I　could　handle　those　puters　as　well　as　you　do；〃　Chloe

returned。　〃e　on。　Let's　take　a　look　at　your　statistics。〃

They　spent　the　next　half　hour　reviewing　the　work　Debbie　had　done。

Between　them；　they　came　up　with　a　plan　of　attack　on　both　the　sinkhole　in

question　and　the　people　in　a　position　to　do　something　about　it。　Suitably

buoyed；　and　with　her　work　cut　out　for　her；　Debbie　left。　She　was　replaced

moments　later　by　a　slightly　groggy…looking　Josh　Anderson。

Chloe　grinned。　〃Late　night　last　night？〃

〃Don't　you　know　it；〃　Josh　murmured。　〃But　I　have　to　discuss　this

curriculum　guide　with　you。　If　the　preliminaries　are　all　right；　I'd　like