Earth Angel by Linda Cajio Read Free Book Online Page B

right on cue. It settled onto the narrow creek bed, effectively damming the water at the bend. The creek would eventually erode the earth … but not before the dam caught the runoff being leaked from a hidden pipe at the Wagner plant.
    Catherine got a shovel out of the truck cab and walked into the knee-deep water. The newly createdmud sucked at her rubber boots. Whistling, she began to spread the dirt around. To make it pretty. She reminded herself to call the EPA, the county, and the press after she got home. She also reminded herself to dispose of the boots. They wouldn’t be fit for wearing after she was done.
    She chuckled. It would be interesting to see how Miles reacted to Earth Angel’s latest exploit.
    She couldn’t wait to find out.

Four
    When Catherine was finally back in her town house, she sighed in relief. Being a pollution commando was heck on the nerves.
    She glanced down at her boots. A thin rim of white gunk was drying around the ankles. Clearly her dam was working, as the paint by-products were already collecting at that point of the creek. Wrinkling her nose, she wondered how she was going to get the boots off without touching them. She wasn’t about to move off the foyer mat to walk to the kitchen and get gloves. She’d ruin her carpet. But she wasn’t about to touch the boots to take them off there.
    “Great planning,” she muttered, wishing she’d come through the garage.
    Her doorbell rang. She froze, panic rushing through her. She couldn’t have been traced already!
    She forced herself to think logically. She had rented the truck at a gas station in the suburbs, and bought the dirt at a nursery in another suburb.No, they couldn’t have found her out so quickly. Besides, nobody could possibly know about the dam yet.
    The doorbell rang again, then someone pounded on the door, nearly shooting her off the mat.
    “Catherine!” Miles bellowed.
    All the logic swept out of her head.
    The doorbell rang over and over, as if he were leaning on it. “Catherine, are you okay? Catherine, answer me! Catherine!”
    She muttered a barnyard curse and wondered if she could get away with acting as if no one were home.
    “Catherine!”
    “What?”
she screamed back reflexively, then soundly cursed again.
    The doorbell ringing immediately ceased. The silence on the other side was almost as deafening. Finally, Miles asked, “Are you okay?”
    “Yes, I’m okay,” she called. In dread, she waited for the accusation and the demand to open the door so they could drag her away to prison forever.
    Another, longer pause ensued. “I called earlier and there was no answer.”
    “I was … in the bathroom.”
    “Why?”
    “Why do you think?” She looked heavenward in supplication.
    “Oh. Can I come in?”
    “What for?”
    “To make sure you’re all right.”
    “But I just told you I was okay.”
    “Catherine, I came to check on you because you were sick last night.” She could hear the exasperationin his voice. “Now just let me in so I can see that you really are better.”
    “Oh.” It finally sank in that he was there for a gentlemanly reason. She glanced down at the boots, the jeans, and the sweatshirt. One look, and he’d get the message. “It was lovely of you to come, Miles. I truly appreciate it. But I’m perfectly fine this morning. I told you last night I only needed to get out of the smoke and get some rest—”
    “Then why won’t you open the door?”
    “Ah … I’m not dressed.”
    “I don’t care. I just want to see that you’re all right. You looked horrible last night. I never should have left you alone.”
    Of all the times to be a gentleman, she thought with irritation. “Miles, really—”
    “Open the damn door, Catherine. I’m not leaving until you do.”
    He meant it. She panicked again. Now what? “Ah … well … just a minute.”
    She turned and raced through to the kitchen, whipped off the boots by the garage door, cursed that she’d forgotten to