Chapter 9 - Below Hawthorne Creek
Nadia Chen, the county's drainage engineer, joined the video call from her office. She studied Ruth's photographs, then pulled up modern municipal plans.
"These are not the same system," she said immediately.
In the official drawings, the abandoned drain ended beneath Claire's house. In Ruth's photographs, a branch continued under Hawthorne Row, where thirty-two families lived in closely packed homes beside the creek.
"The developer omitted the branch," Nadia said. "Their proposed parking structure rests on top of it."
Claire looked at the blue lines. "What happens if they fill the gate?"
"In a severe storm, the pressure could shift into a section that isn't reinforced. Those families would receive water faster than the street drains could handle."
"And there's a storm tonight," Ortiz said.
"Rain's moving in. The city hasn't issued an evacuation order yet. I'm calling emergency management."
An older woman appeared in the hospital doorway beside an officer. Her name was Rosa Perez; she lived on Hawthorne Row. She had brought a bag of clean baby clothes after hearing about Emma.
"I washed them twice," Rosa said. "The soft detergent. My daughter said you might need help."
Claire's eyes stung. She didn't know Rosa well. They had waved across the creek a handful of times.
"Why would you come all this way?"
"Because your mother came when my basement flooded. She stayed until the pumps worked. We don't forget that."
Nadia interrupted. "We have another problem. The company's construction permits don't take effect until tomorrow, but they've started work tonight. If they pour the closure now, we won't be able to reverse it quickly."
A hard crack sounded through Ortiz's radio, followed by shouting.
May you like
"Officer down?" Ortiz said sharply.
"No injury. Someone blew the cellar lights. And the water level just rose six inches."
