Cho checked his phone. “Let’s walk the perimeter. Get a closer look at the site.”
Lainey nodded. What else could she do? This wasn’t an inspection.
It was a warning.
Sarah walked beside her. “You’re still within the ten-day closure, right?”
“Yes, I’ve got eight more days to finish cleanup. The new security measures are already in place.”
Sarah nodded. “There seems to be … some concern you won’t be able to bring things into compliance in time.”
Lainey stopped walking. “Where’s that coming from?”
Sarah shrugged. “Calls. Inquiries. You know how people talk.”
She didn’t say who. But Lainey could guess. The visit from Hartwell Redevelopment Group didn’t come out of the blue. And who knew who else was itching to get this project?
Cho jumped in. “There’s also the matter of your last invoice. Something about the documentation not matching up.”
“It matched,” Lainey said. “It was itemized, signed, and I have receipts for every nail.”
Cho gazed around the site, wouldn’t look Lainey in the eyes. “They may need more time to review. Nothing’s been denied. Just delayed.”
Lainey willed her pulse to slow down. Any delay meant she’d be out tens of thousands of dollars. Her crew had to be paid whether they worked or not. Supplies cost money. Every stalled day cost her more.
“Oh, by the way, we did receive an alternate proposal,” Sarah added. “Someone submitted a review concept for the site. Private contractor. More profitable.”
“Who?” Lainey asked, trying to keep the edge from her voice and knowing she was failing miserably.
Cho raised his brow. “It’s early. Probably won’t go anywhere.”
Riiight. She heard the implied threat.Step aside or get pushed out.
She squared her shoulders. “If the city wants to push me out, they’ll have to work for it. I’ve fulfilled every permit, passed every inspection and filed every report required of me, on time.”
“We know that,” said Sarah sweetly. “We’re just here to support the project.”
They continued walking. Cho was tapping something on his phone.
The vultures were circling, waiting for her to trip.
The tour wrapped up ten minutes later, although it felt like an hour.
Cho shook her hand. “We’ll be in touch.”
Sarah patted her shoulder. “It’s a lot to manage.”
She didn’t watch them leave. Stood in front of her office, maybe her ex-office, and let out the breath she’d been holding.
As she walked toward her car, it felt like her dream was slipping through her fingers. Again.
CHAPTER 41
Finn’s day started early.Restless energy drove him out for a run at the crack of dawn.
Then he showered, dressed and swung by his jobsite to check in with Caleb before driving slowly past Lainey’s project. It was still locked up, and he hadn’t received any notices that someone had breached it.
Good. He wanted to be with Lainey when she met with the councilman this afternoon, but she’d been adamant that it was her project and she could handle it by herself. He respected that. Even though every protective instinct in his body said to be there, he backed off.
