Surest Poison, The by Chester D. Campbell Read Free Book Online

him.”
    “Come to think of it, you’re right.
Everything was handled through a real estate agent and a lawyer. As I
recall, Keglar didn’t even attend the closing.”
    “Did anyone ever mention Auto Parts
Rehabbers?”
    “I haven’t heard that name.”
    “That’s who occupied the plant before
you.”
    Harrington ran a finger beneath his nose
as if a mustache might have once dwelt there. “I had no idea who was here
before. All the equipment had been stripped out when I bought the place.
There weren’t even any old papers around like you might have expected.
Somebody did a thorough cleanup job. Except for the TCE,
of course. The inspectors say it was dumped out in back. I can’t
imagine anybody doing something like that.”
    “Hard to figure. It’s a nasty chemical that affects the central nervous system and can cause
all kinds of health problems.”
    Harrington arched a bushy eyebrow. “Any
idea what it’s used for?”
    “I checked into it before coming out
here. I understand the Rehabbers outfit was involved in rejuvenating used
auto parts. They could have dipped them in TCE for degreasing or cleaning.
Mind if I take a look at where it was dumped?”
    “Come on, I’ll show you. We can’t get too
close, though. The state put a fence around it.”
    Harrington led him back through the
plant, which was filled with machinery for fabricating corrugated boxes and
a press for printing labels. They exited through a loading dock. A couple of
large trucks were parked on an asphalt apron in back. A few yards beyond
that, a high chain link fence had been erected. Large signs attached to it
cautioned “Warning! Keep Out! Contaminated Area!” The barrier surrounded a rectangle about a hundred feet wide and two hundred
feet deep with a gentle slope to the rear. Scrubby weeds and blackened soil
covered the ground. Much of the area showed signs of recent excavation.
    “When I bought the place,” Harrington
said, “there were several rusted steel drums back here. I had them hauled
off and thought nothing more about it.”
    “Your employees never had any problems
from the pollution?” Sid asked.
    “We’ve never used this part of the
property for anything. Since none of the employees frequent the spot, it
hasn’t been a problem. When it rains, the drainage carries the water
downhill away from the plant.”
    “That must be where the people live who
have the health problems.”
    “That would be my guess. There’s a creek
at the bottom of the hill and a road that runs alongside it. The street has
a number of houses on the near side.”
    Sid gazed down through the trees beyond
the fence. “I understand the Nashville newspaper ran an article about what
happened to some of the people down there.” He looked back at Harrington.
“Have you asked your employees if they know anybody who worked here before
you bought the place?”
    “I asked the ones from Ashland City. They
didn’t even know the place existed until they came to work for me. A lot of
my employees are from the Nashville area—Joelton, Scottsboro, Bellevue,
places like that.”
    “And you never ran into anybody who
talked about who used the plant before?”
    “Most folks around here aren’t too
talkative with strangers, Mr. Chance.” Harrington swung his gaze around the
trees that clustered about the perimeter. “This is an out-of-the-way spot.
The only reason I found it was I got lost one day looking for another site.
I saw the For Sale sign and decided to check into it.”
    “No doubt I’ll have to do a lot more
digging around Ashland City,” Sid said. “Thanks for the tour. This gives me
a better idea of what we’re facing.”
    Harrington offered a wan smile. “If you
can find who’s responsible for this, you’ll have my undying gratitude.”
    Sid walked out with a troubled look on
his face. Solving Harrington’s problem was his major task from a
professional standpoint, but on a personal