CHAPTER 40
The humidity clungto her skin as Lainey stepped out of her car at the site. Despite the cleanup efforts, the air still carried a faint scent of charred wood.
“Over here.”
Lainey turned at the man’s voice. Councilman Cho was standing next to a black car, and a woman was standing next to him.
Good God, no! Sarah Granger.
Their shoes crunched over the gravel as they walked toward her.
“Lainey,” Councilman Cho said, smiling like the politician he was. “Thank you for making the time.”
“Not a problem,” she said. She kept her voice calm even though her gut was roiling. Lainey smiled at Sarah.
“Lainey Harper.” Sarah smiled, extending her hand like they were old friends. “It seems like I was just out here, and now not only did I hear there was a fire but also a scaffolding accident.”
Lainey shook her hand firmly. “Yes. But we have everything under control.”
“That’s what we like to hear.” Her gaze flicked sharply around the site, focusing on the shed.
Cho pointed at the burnt ground where the shed used to be. “We heard you’re requesting another temporary structure. A replacement for the one that burned.”
Lainey nodded. “It’s the same dimensions. Materials already ordered. I need it in place before inspections resume.”
Cho tilted his head. “Mmmm. That might be … premature.”
“The previous shed was approved and used to store reimbursable project materials.” She narrowed her eyes. “This is a continuation, not a change.”
Sarah exchanged a glance with Cho. “We’re getting pressure from the state finance board. They’re requesting closer oversight before the next reimbursement cycle.”
Lainey shook her head. “There haven’t been any delays in my paperwork. Everything’s been submitted on time and itemized.”
“Oh, I believe you.” Sarah smiled. “And I do understand your point. But perception matters. Especially when the public’s money is involved.”
“I’m fronting every dollar here. I’m reimbursed after. Delaying payments could stall the project.”
Cho nodded slowly. “Which is why we’re here, to avoid any misunderstandings. We’d hate for there to be any … gaps.”
There it was. Subtle. But still a threat.
Sarah moved a little closer. “Off the record? There are folks wondering if you’re stretched too thin. Taking on too much. There’ve been incidents, setbacks, unexpected costs.” She sighed. “Just a friendly reminder. We’re not the only ones watching.”
“Good.” Lainey met her gaze. “Then they’ll see exactly how committed I am.”
Sarah didn’t reply. She didn’t have to. It was clear to Lainey that they weren’t here to help.
Cho stepped forward, lowering his voice enough to sound like a warning. “That may be true. But the city doesn’t rush intoreimbursing costs tied to questionable risk management without a thorough review.”
So that was it. They weren’t just delaying her. They were setting her up to fail.
“Two major safety concerns this month, Lainey. That’s not a coincidence,” Cho added.
“If you’re implying the scaffolding accident was my fault,” Lainey said evenly, “you should know it was installed by a licensed contractor, inspected and reported the moment it failed.”
Lainey took a deep breath and continued. “Then maybe you should be looking at whoever is trying to sabotage the project. Not the ones fighting to keep it going. If the city wants to review the security footage or permits, I’ll email them by the end of the day. But I want to be clear here. The fire wasn’t caused by neglect. As for the scaffolding, I have the repair receipts. We’ve reviewed all site protocols and followed every protocol. Every inspection. Every report. I’ve done everything by the book.”
Sarah offered a tight-lipped smile. “Lainey, we’re just here to make sure nothing falls through the cracks.”
