Page 6 of Hooked On The One That Got Away
‘My source says that the powers that be are a little wary of the big water companies, seeing as they’re owned by private investors with vast amounts of dosh – and political influence.’
Willow have Harvey a look. ‘Your source?’
Harvey leaned forward, putting a noticeable strain on his waistcoat buttons. ‘There’s a group of environmental activists who’ve made it their business to hold the water companies to account. One of them is an old chum from school. I can’t tell you his real name, but we call him Piggers.’
‘Of course you do,’ said Willow. ‘So, why haven’t Piggers and his mates gone to the police yet, or the media?’
Harvey hesitated. ‘Well, as you just said, this goes beyondourwaterways. This is happening in rivers, seas and lakes all across the country. Piggers and his cohort are part of an extensive undercover activist network, and they need to gather evidence to force change. People are simply not aware of the extent of the problem. So that’s the aim, to prove that this – pardon my French – is agiganticshower of shit, to which the authorities have so far turned a blind eye.’
Willow was calmer now but no less enraged. ‘So, how long will it take before Piggers and his mates can go public, then?’
‘When they’re sure they have enough evidence,’ Harvey replied. ‘It’s a bit like the Post Office scandal. They need the weight of public outrage on their side, so that the politicians are forced to take notice.’
Willow saw the sense in this. Butherriver was being polluted right now!Herdaily swim was under threat! And from something worse than irate swans! Shehadto dosomething.
‘Does the water company have an office here?’
‘It does …’ Harvey went to his desk and started searching on his computer. ‘If youaregoing to start making a fuss, and I certainly wouldn’t blame you, then I’d suggest targeting their PR team rather than the executive. They’re motivated to make problems go away, so it’s your job to convince them that you won’t.’
Harvey peered at the screen. ‘Here you are. Their newly appointed Head of External Communications – obviously what they call it these days – is one Charlie McKay.’
He frowned. ‘Isn’t that your, er?—?’
‘Yes,’ said Willow, grimly. ‘Yes, that is indeed my “er”.’
She wasn’t quite sure what this feeling was. Perhaps rage, at being betrayed yet again. How dare Charlie work for the people who were dumpinghuman wastein her river?The very same river he was fishing in only this morning!!
Or maybe he wasn’t fishing at all? Maybe that was a ruse to check out possible dumping spots? How dare he be so calculating, sodeceitfuland underhanded?
Well,it wasn’t as if he didn’t have form.
‘What’s their address?’ she demanded.
‘Er, you will take care, won’t you?’
Harvey was a kind man. He wouldn’t want her to do anything she’d regret. Like get arrested for grievous bodily harm. But Willow had already wasted too much time blaming the wrong person for her unhappiness. It hadnotbeen her fault. The only mistake she’d really made was trusting Charlie. Who was now proven beyond doubt to be the least trustworthy person on the planet. Hardened criminals were at leastreliablycriminal.
‘I’ll be there on behalf of the Town Council’s quarterly magazine,’ said Willow. ‘I think it’shightime we interviewed one of the biggest companies in our region.’
Chapter Six
Willow was secretly pleased to see that the water company offices were in the sterile business park on the edge of town. Charlie hadhatedthe business park.
‘I’d rather be lobotomised,’ he’d told Willow. ‘Mind you, working in that place would pretty quickly have the same effect.’
Charlie’s last job before he left was at a small local firm of lawyers. He’d found it all a bit stifling and had been talking about going out on his own. He especially wanted to work with start-ups and non-profits who wanted to make the world a better place. ‘Us idealists need to stick together,’ he’d said.
Another lie, obviously. Charlie had done a good job of pretending to be a good guy. But now the mask was off.
Outside the doors of the water company was a security guard. Given what she’d just learned, Willow wasn’t surprised.
‘I’m here to see Charlie McKay,’ she told the guard.
‘I’ll need to see confirmation of your appointment,’ the woman said.
Wow. That seemed over the top. But Willow could lie, too, if she had to.
‘We made it over the phone just now.’ And she could bluff, too. ‘Call him and check.’
