“Something is going on in this town. Something big and as usual, the townsfolk will be the last to know.” Mr. MacIntyre walked Christine to the door with Mr. Vladovich close behind.
“Remember when the mayor made his speech about E coli in the water? I would bet that has something to do with all of this snooping and testing. You mark my words.”
Christine bid farewell to the two men and turning her car around, she drove out of the driveway. As she passed Mr. Vladovich’s farm she saw two large tractors blocking his driveway. Something is definitely going on. I wish Jack were here.
Back in town, Christine went directly to the Bridgetown University library. She checked the computer listings for the most recent government studies and found nothing. About to leave, she remembered Professor Sayer. Christine walked over to the laboratory and knocked on the door. The Professor was bent over a microscope and shouted, “Come in.” He looked up and was surprised to see her. “Miss Hill, are you here to interview me for your articles?”
“Not exactly Professor Sayer, but I do have some questions.” She proceeded to tell the professor all about her visit with the farmers. He started to put this information together with his visit from Doctor Burns. This was getting more and more complicated.
“Let me make a phone call. I have a couple of contacts at Water and Waste Management, but they are a tight-lipped lot. Give me your number and I will call as soon as I know something.” She rose from the stool to leave. “And Miss Hill.” She looked at him. “Keep this to yourself; strictly off the record.”
Christine left feeling uneasy. She decided to drop into the veterinary office and see Bernie.
“Christine, this is a surprise.” Bernie looked up from a crouched position. He was putting a small kitten into a crate. Standing up, he washed his hands and came to greet her. Bernie could not help think that she was lovely standing there in her tight jeans and white blouse. If only you were here to see me. Christine saw the lovesick look on his face and turned away embarrassed. She pretended to look at the posters on the wall. He stood behind her, “Now, what can I do for you?” She turned toward him with a smile on her face trying to look casual and not embarrassed.
“Have you heard from Jack, Bernie?” He seemed surprised that she was asking about Jack. “I know he doesn’t have his cell phone, because he didn’t replace it after he broke it.”
“I spoke with him last night. He said he’ll be back in a week or two. Why?”
“Something is going on and I really need to talk to Jack, do you have his number?” Bernie gave her the number at the motel and she thanked him and left. Again he watched with longing as she climbed into her old car.
Her cell rang as she drove toward the Food Mart. She pulled over to answer it.
“Hello, Christine Hill.”
“Miss Hill, this is Professor Sayer. I couldn’t get much, but apparently the Water and Waste management department is investigating phosphorous emissions. My contact told me that this was a regulated contaminant and they were doing routine testing.”
“Do you believe them?”
“No, but at least you can give the farmers some news. I will keep digging and get back to you.” The professor hung up leaving Christine wondering what to do next. She dialed Jack’s number but there was no answer. She called Matt, but his cell went to voice mail. She decided to go and have a coffee and think about her next move.
At the plant, Matt was busy digging three more dead trees out of the ground when Alvin Cooley walked toward him. “Morning, Mr. Cooley. Looks like another cool autumn day.”
“Morning, what are you doing to those trees?”
“We are removing them. We probably got a bad batch from the wholesaler. We have never had this problem before. Don’t worry we will replace any that don’t take.” Matt wasn’t fond of Alvin Cooley, and ever since the bulldozer incident he had avoided the man.
“So you think it was bad nursery stock?”
“Yes Sir.” Alvin seemed satisfied with Matt’s answer and walked back to the plant leaving Matt wondering why he had come out in the first place. Crazy old coot.
Matt took his gloves off and looked at the rash on the back of his hands and arms. It was itchy, but he tried not to scratch it. He went to the truck and took another allergy pill.
“Do those things work?” One of the men in his crew walked over to the truck.
“Not yet, why?” The man rolled up his sleeves and showed Matt his arms. They were covered with the same rash that Matt had. “Did you work on the box hedge at the Town Hall?” The man nodded. “Doc thinks I am allergic, maybe you are too. Here take one of these, it can’t hurt.” He handed the man a pill and a bottle of water. The man thanked him and went back to work. Matt watched him, wondering what was going on. After he put his pills away and finished his bottle of water, he went and asked the rest of the crew if any of them had a rash. Three out of six did, but two of those men did not work on the box hedge. Matt tried to figure out where they had all worked together and the only place was the chemical plant. He told the men to see Doctor Hardy, but he was thinking that it wasn’t an allergy that was causing the rash. He went back to the truck and took an empty jar from the back. He walked over and filled the jar with needles from the dead trees and bark scraping from around the roots. He was going to get them analyzed. This might be the culprit.
Christine called Sarah but could not reach her. She needed to talk to someone about her morning, but everyone seemed to be busy. She went into the Banner office and worked on her article about the Small Business Loan for Environmental improvements. She had gone back to the banks and talked with the managers about the implementation of the loans and wanted to make sure all of the small business people in town knew that the money was available.
It was almost suppertime when she finally got through to Sarah. “Sarah, where have you been, I have been calling your cell all day.”
“Oh Chris, it’s terrible! I’m at the hospital with Edna. She is losing the baby.” Sarah sounded very distraught.
“Sarah I’m so sorry. Now I know why the cell was turned off. Are you sure there is nothing the doctors can do?”
“Doctors have been in and out all day, but it looks like she is going to lose the baby. It is only six months into the pregnancy. Dan is beside himself with worry and so am I.”
“Do you want me to come and sit with you?” Christine would do anything for Sarah.
“No, I have to be here for Dan and I will call you later, but thanks, Chris. You’re the best.” Sarah hung up and now Christine really needed to talk to Matt. She called his cell.
“Matt here.”
“Matt, where are you? I really need to see you.” He didn’t like the urgency in her voice, something must be wrong.
“I am at the university dropping off some tree samples, something is going on with the crew, but I will tell you about that later. Where are you?”
“At the Banner.”
“Okay, meet me in the café in ten minutes. Are you alright, Chris?”
“Yes, I just have some disturbing news. See you in ten, love you Matt.”
“Love you too sweetheart. See you in ten.” He hung up, but found the conversation unsettling. She didn’t usually say she loved him over the phone. Chris was a very private person when it came to their relationship. Those words were reserved for the bedroom or when they were alone. He was worried about her.
They met in the café and ordered dinner. She told him about the farmers and about poor Edna and Sarah. He was very sorry to hear about the baby. He told her about the rash and how the rest of the crew was also affected with it. They had a lot to talk about that evening. Bernie walked into the café about an hour later. They waved to him. It always made him angry when he saw Christine with Matt; his jealousy was close to the surface. He waved but didn’t go over; instead he took a table near the window. His cell rang just after he ordered. It was Jack.
“Hey Jack, how are things in Alberta?”
“Things are good here, but how are things there. I’m worried, Bernie.”
“About the same, but Christine was looking for your number. Did you talk to her?”
“Christine? No, but I don’t have my cell. Remember I threw it across the room and I haven’t had time to replace it. I will call her at home.”
“Hold on, I’m in the café and she is sitting a couple of booths down.” Bernie walked over to Christine and Matt’s table. They both looked up at him and smiled.
“Evening, Bernie.”
“Christine, Jack is on the phone. After our visit this morning, I know you wanted to talk to him.” Bernie handed Christine the phone and gave Matt a sideways look. He wanted Matt to know he had been with Christine earlier. Matt just shrugged it off. Bernie was no threat to him.
“Jack I need to talk to you. Can I call you in about an hour? I’m in the café and can’t talk here.”
“Sure Christine, I’ll be in all night. Put Bernie back on.” She handed the phone back to Bernie.
“Hi Jack, I guess I’ll talk to you later.” Bernie walked away still talking to Jack.
Christine and Matt finished their meal, paid their bill and left. She would go straight home and call Jack.
Matt relaxed on the couch, while Christine called Jack and filled him in on what was happening to the farmers. She also told him about Edna and Dan’s baby and how upset Sarah was. Jack said he would call Sarah, but Chris reminded him that cell phones had to be turned off in the hospital.
When he hung up, Jack wanted to talk to Sarah very badly. He called her house and left a message saying how sorry he was about Edna and the baby and left her his number at the motel. He hoped she would call him when she got home. Susan knocked at his door just as he was about to get into the shower.
“Hey Susan, what can I do for you?”
“Just wondered if you wanted to watch a movie, or are you making it an early night?” She walked into the room and plopped in the chair.
“I was just on the phone with a friend from Bridgetown.” She looked at him and stood up, thinking it must have been the woman that Jack was longing for.
“I’ll leave you alone, Jack.” He was surprised at her sudden change of mood.
“Wait, Susan, sit down. It was about the water problem. Can I run a couple of things by you? You have a lot of experience with this sort of thing.” She relaxed when she found out it wasn’t his lost love.
Jack explained what the farmers had told Christine and that the mayor had made an announcement about E-coli levels a few weeks prior. She reminded him of some things about watershed management.
“Phosphorus, nitrogen and sediment can enter a waterway from several agricultural sources, as you know, Jack. Bacteria from septic systems, wells and urban storm drains are often unmeasured and can be unpredictable.”
“I think that if the watershed itself is understood, it would allow for the prediction of the nutrient behaviors of phosphorous, nitrogen and sediment depending on water flow and particle size.” Jack was still trying to work out the problem in his mind.
“That is right Jack, but it sounds like your Water and Waste Management department is suspicious of runoff from the farms or of contaminated wells overflowing into the river. This is definitely not routine.”
“I don’t envy those farmers because the Water and Waste Management team can be a real pain in the ass,” Jack added.
“There was a case a couple of years ago in North Battleford, Saskatchewan. There was a waterborne outbreak attributed to Cryptosporidium parvaum. More than seven thousand people took ill in the course of three months. The underlying causes were known by the powers that be, both municipal and provincial for decades, but of course they ignored the problem.”
“That is what I am trying to avoid in Bridgetown. We had a situation in Ontario a few years back in Walkerton. It was found that neither, the manager or the water foreman had been given any formal training and were hired strictly through on-the-job experience. The water was contaminated from farm runoff with E-coli bacteria. It was only after more than five thousand people experienced symptoms that the Medical Officer of Health issued a boil water advisory. Of course, the problem didn’t end and seven people died directly as a result of drinking contaminated water. It seems the officials always wait until someone dies or is close to death, before they take action and it makes me furious!”
“I remember that case. The provincial premier blamed the former government for loose water standards and called for a public inquiry. It came back laying most of the blame on his government. It was a typical political game of ‘pass the buck’ and it makes me angry. Didn’t those two guys from the water treatment plant end up in jail?”
“Yes, one got a year and other got house arrest. I did read something interesting about that incident. Apparently, the local health store had been promoting Oil of Oregano, for months prior to the incident and anyone that was taking the supplement regularly did not get sick. There’s something to be said for natural remedies.”
“My people have believed in nature’s cures for thousands of years, it is only the white man that would rather poison himself with pharmaceutical companies’ concoctions.”
“I always have to laugh at the commercials, when they rhyme off the side effects of the drug. You are better of with the ache or pain that the drug is supposed to stop than the side effects. Drug companies are a whole other topic of conversation again.”
“True, let’s not get off topic. So do you have any ideas of what you are going to do in Bridgetown?” Just as the question left her lips, the phone rang. Jack answered it and the look on his face told her it was the woman back home. She waved goodbye and quietly left him alone. Once outside, she leaned against the door and sighed. Oh Jack, we could be so good together. A cold Alberta clipper blew through the parking lot and she hurried back to her room.
Back in the room, Jack was happy to hear from Sarah. “Sarah, I am so sorry to hear about your sister. How is she?”
“She lost her baby Jack. It is a very sad time for all of us.” Sarah sounded so lost and alone, he wished he was with her.
“How are you holding up, I know you were looking forward to a niece or nephew?”
“I am worried about Edna. She is very upset and Dan is too.” The mention of Dan made Jack ask her what she thought was a strange question.
“Sarah, did Dan go through any formal training when he got the promotion at the water plant?” After he asked, he realized he was being insensitive.
“Training? I don’t know, Jack. What kind of question is that?” Now she was annoyed with him again.
“I’m sorry, I was just curious.”
“Actually, now that you ask, no he didn’t. He got the job because he had been working there for five years, and when Mr. Carver moved up because the boss retired, so did Dan. Neither one had to go for training. I am sure they must know all there is to know about water treatment after five years.” Irritated that Jack had changed the subject, she tried to conclude the conversation quickly. “Anyway, how are things out west?”
Jack’s head was spinning with ideas. “What did you say? Sorry Sarah, I was just thinking about something.”
“I asked how things are going out west.” Now he wasn’t even listening to her, he could be so infuriating.
“Fine, everything is fine here. I should be finished by the end of next week and I will be back home.”
“Did Bernie tell you that Mrs. Oliver passed away?”
“Yes, he did, and he told me that there are two more cancer cases in the hospital now. There is something going on in Bridgetown Sarah, and I intend to find out what it is.” She rolled her eyes. Here we go again with the conspiracy theories, Jack.
“It was nice talking to you, Jack. I have to go. Take care of yourself and thank you for calling me, it meant a lot.” She hung up before he could go on any further. She was in no mood for one of Jack’s political rants tonight. She pulled the cushion from the sofa close and wrappe
d her arms around it. Tears fell for her sister and the baby that was never born. She realized then that Jack’s call was no comfort.
Chapter Twelve
Jack called Bernie the next day and asked him to find out what the training requirements were for water treatment employees. Bernie said he would talk with Doc Burns and make some discreet inquiries at the town hall.
Jack also called Christine and talked to her about the fact that Dan had received no training and that he was looking into that and a couple of other things.
“Jack, aren’t you being a little insensitive? Dan and Edna just lost their child.” Christine was annoyed with Jack for not thinking about poor Dan and Edna, not to mention Sarah.
“I know and I’m sorry. I’m not going to harass the man. I’m just making inquiries. You let me know about the farmers as soon as you know something. I’ll be back soon. How’s Matt?”
“Matt is itchy. He has some kind of an allergic reaction or something that is causing a rash.” Jack laughed.
“Where is the rash, Christine?” He said coyly, with a sexual overtone.
“Not there, smart ass. He has a rash on his hands and arms; apparently half of his crew has the same thing.” Now she had Jack’s attention.
“The crew has it. Where are they working?”
“They were at Town Hall, but now they are still working at the chemical plant. A lot of the trees died and had to be replaced. Matt took samples of the tree cuttings to the University for testing. As usual, test results take time.” Jack began to piece more pieces of the puzzle together.
“Tell Matt to have some soil samples taken; soil from the place where the trees are dying and Chris, not a word about this to anyone.” Now Christine was getting suspicious. Everyone was telling her to keep it to herself.
“What’s going on Jack? I know you are thinking something, spit it out.”
“I can’t tell you right now, Christine, just tell Matt what I said. And tell him not to touch that ground with his bare hands; long sleeves and high gloves for all the men from now on. I have to go. I’ll call you later.” The phone line went dead.
Bridgetown's Eleventh Hour Page 10