The compliment settled into him in layers, and he read the subtext.We see you’re doing this by yourself. We were afraid not having Kara would ruin her. We lost our daughter, but at least we have her.
Laura glanced over at the manila envelope sitting on the counter. Ryan pulled the door a little closer to his shoulder.
“Did you have a good time last night?” Russ asked, noting his sweatpants and T-shirt.
Ryan nodded. “Yep. Great.”
He gave an approving smile. “Two weeks?” He stepped closer and put out a hand.
Ryan shook it, then gave Laura a hug. “See you soon. Love you.”
“Love you.” Laura waved, and the two of them walked back to the car.
Ryan had barely closed the door when Amaya burst into the hall. “Dad! Can Bailey and I have a sleepover tonight?”
He blinked. “You’re going to her house first thing in the morning. Tomorrow’s the first day of summer break.”
Now I see it all the time. Especially when I open my garage.Ryan dragged a hand through his hair.
Amaya’s shoulders slumped. “I know, but if I went over there, you wouldn’t have to get up so early, and then the start of summer would be reeeally special.” Her eyes grew to the size of an anime kitten.
“I thought we were going to watch a movie?” His phone buzzed on the kitchen table, and he reached for it.
“Bailey’s mom says it’s okay with her if it’s okay with you.” She bounced on her toes.
Ryan read Marc's message on his screen.
Emergency. Look at the soil contamination report ASAP
Ryan swore under his breath and opened his email. Soil contamination? What were the chances?
“Dad . . .” Amaya whined.
He scanned the beginning of the report.
Incident Summary
On June 22nd, 2024, during the early excavation phase of the Downtown Parking Garage project, the construction crew encountered unexpected environmental contamination in the form of chemically contaminated soil. The soil appeared discoloured, emitted a strong chemical odour, and preliminary on-site tests revealed elevated levels of hydrocarbons and heavy metals, indicating potential contamination from previous industrial activity on the site.
Details of Discovery
Time of Discovery: 10:45 AM, June 22, 2024
Excavation Depth: 6 feet below ground surface
Area Affected: Approx. 50 square meters in the northeast quadrant of the project site
Initial testing was conducted using a portable gas analyzer, and soil samples were sent to a laboratory for further testing. Results confirmed that the contamination consists of the following:
Hydrocarbons(e.g., benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene)
Heavy Metals(e.g., lead, arsenic)
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)at levels exceeding threshold limits.
Well, shit.
That was going to set back their timeline.
