At The Edge

by David Dun

  He dragged her over by the wall until he saw the drums. "Go." He released her.

  Hiking her panties, she ran for the door, grabbing her cap and Colt off the floor. By sheer force of will, she adopted a walk of brusque nonchalance as she left and closed the door. Maybe the little bastard wouldn't be in time.

  Shohei paused and thought. There were no good options. He picked up the drums and moved them to the corner opposite the door, about fifty feet from the air intake. He had no idea what else it was near that might matter. Then he tried to force the vents closed, but the controls were electronic. He didn't have the slightest idea how the mechanism worked, nor how this gas bomb worked. Without further hesitation he was out the door, hearing a boiling sound as he headed down the hall.

  Within five steps a maintenance man came running round the corner.

  "Leave immediately," Shohei said.

  "Who are you and what are you-"

  Shohei could see it was hopeless and rendered the man unconscious. Flopping the man over him in a fireman's carry, he walked twenty feet to a fire alarm. An instant before he pulled the lever, it sounded anyway.

  With a free hand he pulled out a cell phone and called 911.

  "Nolo County Sheriff," the crisp voice answered.

  "Turn off the air-conditioning and all vents in the courthouse. There is poison gas."

  "Say again. The alarm is loud-"

  "Poison gas in the courthouse. Turn off vents and air-conditioning."

  "Got it. Turn off vents and-"

  Shohei hung up.

  "When will you stop with your bullshit and admit those trees are a national treasure-"

  "Wait," Dan said. "I smell something-it smells like gas. Get out of here!" Dan screamed.

  ''What?'' she said, not sure she smelled a thing. Grabbing her, he shoved her toward the door and she started moving ahead of him. He seemed a crazy man.

  "Go, go, go," he shouted, grabbing her hand, yanking her. Then shoving her.

  "Just a minute," she said. He pulled her down the small side hallway leading from the judge's chambers.

  "No 'just a minute'! We're out of here," he yelled, literally picking her up and running for twenty feet or so.

  "All right," she said as they burst into the corridor and ran down to the stairway. Now something was stinging her eyes. He yanked a fire alarm.

  "Everybody out," he shouted as they reached the stairwell.

  The stairs were filled with running people. A man stumbled after them into the stairwell, looking violently ill and vomiting. They ran down the stairs and out the door, not stopping until they were across the street.

  In minutes the entire courthouse had emptied onto the lawn. Detectives came through, telling everyone to stay. Yellow ribbons were strung around, separating those who had come from the courthouse from the gawkers.

  "Where were you?" A young officer approached Dan and Maria with a clipboard and radios hanging off him.

  "Judge Traxler's courtroom."

  "How many in there?"

  "Lots," Dan said.

  "Everybody who was in Judge Traxler's courtroom, right over here."

  ''Actually, we were in the jury room just off the courtroom," Dan explained further. "Court had just adjourned. They may have been in the hall."

  The questions seemed endless, it was warm, and after all the adrenaline rush, drowsiness set in. People were allowed to leave after giving complete statements. An hour and a half later, Dan and Maria had given their statements to the police and been excused to the coffee shop where they settled the case. After a time they got word that nobody died. Someone had called in and said to turn off the air conditioner, and the intake fans had already been on low. But thirty people were taken to the hospital. Ross wasn't among them; Maria called and found him at the Palmer Inn, oblivious to what had happened and grateful she was safe.

  Dan wrote as Maria sipped her coffee and occasionally argued about a word or a phrase. The devil was always in the details. As she watched him concentrate on the page, she noticed the way his shoulders and arms filled the suit, the thick strength of his neck. Across his chest his blue dress shirt was nearly stretched tight. Although he'd gained a little since the photos she had seen, his face was still relatively lean and there was sharpness in his blue eyes. Periodically he glanced at her from under his heavy brows. She decided that they made him look wise and that in middle age a pair of gold reading glasses would only add to his charm. His thick blond hair was becoming uneven and had grown over his ears; he should have it cut. Then she considered that such a thought-considering her long-haired boyfriend, and all her many wavy-haired colleagues-must be some kind of mental regression. Perhaps it was a throwback to the days when she would tell her father he needed a haircut. She caught herself smiling, on the verge of laughter.

  Then she noticed some of her friends from the cafe looking at her and felt suddenly very uncomfortable. Almost ashamed.

  "What?" he said, searching her face.

  "Utterly nothing. Just nothing."

  Then the whole courtroom scene and his words overtook her again and she could feel her jaw set, angry with herself that she was acting like a schoolgirl.

  As they finished penciling the settlement stipulation, Dan seemed to notice Maria's people gathering at a nearby table-and staring.

  "This isn't real comfortable," she said.

  "Why? We're settling a case."

  "We already did that."

  "You'd rather be with them."

  "Dan, this isn't the twelfth grade. I'm heading to the John and then I'm going to go be with my friends and coworkers. I'll call you."

  "You're still mad about what I said in court."

  "You mean calling me an ass?".

  "Well, it wasn't personal. It was a debate over something we both have deep convictions about."

  "We can talk about it later." As she rose, he followed.

  ''I suppose you're looking for some kind of apology about my 'ass' joke. And the attorney-client-privilege stuff."

  "Is that your idea or mine?"

  Walking behind Maria, down the hallway to the rest room, he couldn't help but take in her appearance. Her suit, somehow both powerful and soft. The gentle, perfect sway of her hips.

  "Great outfit," he whispered.

  Maria halted abruptly and turned, causing Dan to come within inches of running her down. There they stood, her nose eight inches from his chest. Dan wondered if he detected a slight change in her demeanor.

  He felt both tired and irreverent. "A beauty unlike any other." He smiled. "I am speaking, of course, of your oral argument."

  "Dan, there can never be anything between us," she responded flatly.

  He shrugged. "I also thought you looked terrific on the counsel table."

  Her eyes betrayed nothing. "You are a hopeless throwback to the Old West, when white people butchered Native Americans and destroyed everything in their path. Frankly, after that display in the courtroom, we shouldn't have anything to say to each other.''

  "Going to battle together doesn't count?"

  "It does and it doesn't. I'll call you."

  "Now that we've got a deal, I feel like maybe I could bend the rules and tell you what happened."

  "So now ethics don't matter?"

  "For five minutes, why don't you just quit being a hard-ass?"

  She stood with her weight on her right foot and crossed her arms. "OK, spill your guts."

  "This is just between you and me. Nobody else."

  "Why should you trust me?"

  "Because you may be a lot of things but you aren't untrustworthy."

  "Don't tell me anything about the future. Only tell me about the past. I'm only curious about what you did."

  Dan took a deep breath. "All right. I fought them tooth and nail on the extra cutters. So did Otran's chief of forestry. To shut us up, Anderson led us to believe they wouldn't do any accelerated cutting. I thought they were doing the usual thing. So did Otran's foresters all the way
up to the vice president of natural resources. Normal work on the weekends, nothing else."

  "You told them not to do anything out of the ordinary. No winks, nothing like that."

  "No winks. I thought it was in their own best interests not to do that sort of thing. So did Otran's people."

  "You know you'd be a real asshole to lie to me now."

  "I'm not lying to you. I was absolutely trying to keep you away from the Anderson logging show on Sunday morning. Everything you said about that is true. I suppose nothing will make this right between us?"

  "More self-flagellation might be a start." She turned to leave. "I can tell you hate it," she said over her shoulder.

  "Hey," he called out. "We have to discuss the chemists and the zoologist. We gotta keep going."

  "Yes, we do." She turned to face him. "I was going to call you when I thought I could be civil. I have a zoologist who has spent his life studying bats. And he's rounded up a chemist. Perhaps I should go see them and give you a report."

  "Look, Maria, as one human being to another, I'm sorry about these trees. I know how important they are to you."

  She shook her head. "You couldn't possibly know. You probably believe that the tooth fairy is a Rockefeller."

  "Peace." He held out his hand. Even as she shook her head as if she had reservations, she took his hand in hers. "So let's make an appointment for this zoologist."

  "I have a feeling, Dan. We're into something dangerous. You have a little boy. Are you sure you want to pursue this?"

  "I'm sure." He squeezed her hand. For a moment she squeezed back and then the touch was gone.

  17

  Other than security people everywhere, the next day people returned to the courthouse as if nothing had happened. Maria had not called Dan.

  She first saw him standing in the courtroom doorway, watching her argue another case. Once again there were plenty of people in the gallery. A San Francisco attorney for Metco was opposing her, and she was in her element, showing the judge a six-foot blowup of a clear-cut. Although she knew Dan would label her argument as full of grand generalizations, simplistic and biased, she also knew she was effective. And on these ancient trees, she was certain she was right.

  Maria began gathering her things on the counsel table. When she turned around, she noticed him; for a brief second, before she caught herself, she flashed him her trademark smile.

  In the main hallway, the crowd was thinning. Maria watched as Dan greeted Nate and an attractive red-haired woman.

  She slowed to say hello.

  ''Pepacita had to tend to a sick cousin for a few hours,'' Dan said. "She left Nate with Lynette at the office, and he wanted to come see his dad."

  ''Actually, my son is sick and I have to go home,'' Lynette said. "I'm afraid if I take Nate, he'll get sick too. And then the boss will get sick."

  "Vicious cycle," Dan said, smiling. "There is the old expression that is too common for the likes of you, Lynette, but I'll say it anyway: 'I don't know what I would have done without you.' " He glanced at Maria. "She's my organizer, some days my sanity, and when Pepacita's gone and Katie's at work, she's my second backup child-care person.''

  "Don't forget nag. I'm his nag. When I get done with my husband, I start in on Dan."

  "Maria Fischer, this is my assistant, Lynette Tisdale," Dan said. ''And this"-he smiled, tousling the boy's hair- "as you may already know… is your admirer."

  "Well, I haven't seen you for a while," she told Nate. "You're getting more handsome every day." Nate grinned at her.

  "Well, gotta go. See you later," Lynette said, nodding and moving off through the crowd.

  "Hey, dude," Dan exclaimed to Nate.

  "Hey, dude," the boy replied. "Are you done in court?"

  "All done with the first one. I have one more quick one."

  "Were you in court against Ms. Fischer again?"

  "No, that was Monday."

  "Who won?" He looked at them both.

  Dan glanced at Maria. She did not try to hide her interest in his answer. "We both won."

  "Were you mad?" Nate asked Maria.

  "Nate apparently has some questions for you," Dan said. "I can tell."

  She sat on a bench, getting to Nate's eye level. "I was mad. People cut down trees that I loved and I didn't have a chance to talk about it first."

  "I like trees," he said. "But my dad likes to cut 'em so the mill people have jobs. He says growing new ones cleans the air."

  "I think your dad's been teaching you."

  "My dad's a pretty good guy, you know."

  "Yes, Nate, I know he is."

  "Could I get that on tape?" Dan said.

  "It's a matter of perspective that I think might be lost on the tape," Maria said with a smile.

  "Hey, we gotta talk. Let's get the science guys on the phone."

  "I know, I know. Yesterday was awful. I'm doing what I can."

  "Come for dinner. We can talk things out."

  At that moment, Judge Traxler stuck his head into the corridor. "Could I see you a minute?" he said to Dan.

  Dan hesitated, then reached for Nate's hand before following the judge.

  "If you won't be long, I'll stay with Nate," Maria volunteered.

  "You would?"

  "I would be happy to entertain the better half of the family," she said. "Besides, I'm sure Judge Traxler would like your undivided attention."

  Nate signaled to his father that he wanted to whisper, and Dan leaned over.

  Finally Dan stood straight. ''If you were to come for dinner. Nate and I would help Pepacita cook for you," he said. "Nate figures that's an important sales feature that I omitted."

  Maria was actually tempted for just a moment.

  "Really, we need to talk about what I've figured out," Dan added. "Kim Lee disappears. Somebody tries to gas us. You know it was meant for you and me."

  "That's what I'm afraid of."

  "It would be a working dinner."

  "That's really thin." She half-smiled. "We don't need to go to your house to work."

  "Please," Nate said.

  Maria caught herself looking around to see if anyone was listening. "Just this one more time."

  "Maybe you could just take Nate on home then."

  "Yes, maybe I could."

  "I've watched my dad in court before." Nate's round eyes widened and a look of concentration came over his face as he formed his next question. "Are you an enviro?"

  "I'm an environmental activist. Can you say that?"

  "Sure-'environmental activist.' " His pronunciation was flawless. "Is that the same as an enviro?"

  "I think so, yes. But tell me the correct name again."

  "Environmental activist." Like a sponge, she thought to herself.

  "My mom died, you know."

  "Yes. I was very sorry to hear that."

  "You know, my friend Kenneth got a stepmom."

  "He did, huh? What do you think about that?"

  ''I wish I could remember more about Mom. My dad tries to tell me, but he says it hurts too much."

  Maria looked at Nate. Dan Young was a good parent, to have such a great kid-either that or awfully lucky.

  Maria laughed. "Let's go," she said, walking to the exit. "You're a real charmer."

  Nathaniel brightened at her tone. "What's a charmer?"

  "A charmer is someone who pleases other people."

  Nathaniel thought for a moment, then nodded. ''Do you like my dad?"

  Maria smiled at him. His simplicity was pure, unspoiled- simple light in a world of shadowed complexities. "In some ways, Nathaniel, I think I do like him. I don't know him very well, though, and we don't agree about things."

  "I like you a lot, but I don't know you very well," Nate said. "I can tell you're good."

  "Now, how can you tell that?"

  "You hold my hand tight like you don't want anything awful to happen. You'd yell at me if I played in the street." Maria laughed. "Well, that's all true. But you need to
be careful about making up your mind about grown-ups too quickly."

  Nathaniel gave her a conspiratorial look, ''My dad likes you."

  "And how do you know that?"

  "Will I get in trouble?" he asked with mischief in his tone.

  "I won't tell."

  "He let me go with you." He paused as if there were more. He motioned her to lean down in the manner that his father had earlier, and she stopped to put her ear to his lips. "He looks at you funny."

  "I see."

  "Are you married?" Nate asked as Maria backed her Cherokee out of its parking space.

  "No, I'm not, but I have a man friend."

  "Is he nice?"

  "Yes, I think he is."

  "Are you sure?" His serious demeanor and penetrating gaze called for a serious response.

  "These would normally be considered very private questions," she said. Looking at him, she saw the disappointment in his eyes. "But among friends, I guess the question is OK. I suppose I'm not sure."

  "My dad's nice."

  Maria smiled and shook her head. She had never met such a determined nine-year-old. ''You and I can be good friends, but your father and I might just be what we call casual friends."

  "What's 'casual'? I thought that was like pants." Nate thought for a moment. "So you and my dad don't do stuff together?"

  ''Right. But that doesn't mean you and I can't be friends.''

  "We turn here," Nathaniel said suddenly. "This is the way my dad goes."

  Nate was fast asleep in his bedroom, Pepacita was cleaning up in the kitchen, and they were in the den. It was 8:30 p.m. Maria was drinking coffee, Dan his Bud Light.

  "Look at this picture," Dan said.

  "It's a pretty good blowup of the giant round thing we saw. Almost looks like a kid's swimming pool."

  "And this."

  "What's that? It looks like a collapsed shack."

  "Or a boarded-over hole in the side of the mountain."

  "Like a mine."

  ''But this is still in the area where the mountains have a heavy coastal sediment content. I don't think there are any tunnel mines anywhere near the northern California coast. I've looked for historical mines."

  He held up a listing of old mines kept by the state department of mines and geology. "There are none. And look closely here." He gave her a magnifying glass.