dn't an

t, and walked out of the glass

ck, I had my

, handing me a paper. "Mr. Mercer's order

parked inside the lower gate. Broo

n," sh

ive the

e engine. "Somebody has to m

oad toward the tent city. The h

d. "What happen

for a long time.

re going to keep getting me

happens in

his will two years ago. Calder keeps control of Ashcroft Water only if he's

Vict

Vict

hat's insane. Why w

She shrugged. "He thought five years was plenty of time. Then he got sick

't Rhys just

ed, short a

yone. And anyone Victor can

was worse

lips. Old men lying in the shade of cardboard. T

truck stopped,

soda bottles. Somebody screamed. A man fell. A little g

shouted. "Back

They were too t

the little girl's arm and hauled her up beside

oked at t

e dirt from a loose fitting. People were throwing t

ice around the fitting, and cinched

top of the tan

en to

heads

A through K today! Everyone!" I pointed at the meter on the side. "I'll read

oving

up on the left. Everyone else on the r

y minutes. Th

handled the hose. A woman in a red headscarf started keeping the lines straight with

fainted at the

on the tank beside me the

the sun was going down. I c

caught

nding in the dust in his dark su

e you been he

ressed the bottle i

f the bottle

ople's jobs better th

e hire bet

th moved. It was almo

" I said. "N

disappeared. "Nad

one around here wh

t. Then he turned and walked bac

. I was so tired I could barely feel my feet. I took th

when I he

d behind

a stone bench by the fountain,

s the company. The board names you heir. You

mp?" Tessa

every gallon we don'

led. "And

wirled h

my dear," he said. "People wande

t," Tessa said, an

ver my mouth. My wh

pped

nch snapped u

ghter s

e?" Victor