Page 44

“Jokes on them,” Raymond continued, “I ain’t no backwoods dumbfuck. Gonna have them folks from the Department of Environmental Protections come and test the soil. Prove those assholes did somethin’ to it. Then I’m gonna sue them for the shine off their shoes.”

“You should,” Will said. “What they’re doing–someone should stop them.”

He said it not just for Itori’s sake. If those men were trying to poison the land to buy it out from under the locals, someone needed to do something to stop them.

Raymond looked him over, and Will did his best to flatten the anger on his face. He wasn’t the kind of person who got involved or had outward opinions. Most of the time Will did his best to fly under the radar.

Raymond hummed thoughtfully. Then, “You been to the Town Hall meetin’s?”

“No,” Will said. He wanted to offer an excuse, but he didn’t have one.

Raymond didn’t seem to judge him for it though. He just nodded as if that was the expected answer. “Well you should think about comin’. We could use some more young folks there. This is your land too.”

Will opened his mouth to say that he lived in a trailer, he didn’t own land, but the words didn’t materialize. He understood what Raymond meant. Maybe he didn’t own land, but this was still his home. It was still a place he should be able to speak up for. He couldn’t undo what had been done before him, but maybe he could help stop what was happening right now in front of him.

Will nodded. “Okay, I’ll think about it.”

Raymond gave him a half smile. “There’s a meetin’ next Friday night at eight. Some government officials are supposta be in attendance, so it should be a real good time.”

“I’ll be there,” Will said, more sure now. Maybe gathering more information could help Itori.

Raymond tipped his hat at him, “Alright. I’ll save ya a seat then. Fuckin’ suits think they can fuck with us,” he gave a finger in the direction of the construction site. “We won’t let them win.”

“Yeah,” Will said, even though he felt like the suits were already winning.

Raymond gave him a curt wave and turned back to the tree. “See ya later kid,” he gruffed.

“See you,” Will said and resumed his walk to work.

There was little Will could do by himself, but maybe… maybe by being a part of the protestors, he could help. It was better than doing nothing.

Will had never been one to stand up for himself or make waves, but for Itori he had to try.

###

“Somebody messed with the construction site equipment,” Becky hissed under her breath after the third officer had come through the grocery line.

Their county had less than a handful of police officers, but most of them spent their days parked out by the highway to catch speeders. To have three cop cars in the grocery store lot was unprecedented. It was probably the entire force.

“What?” Will asked, his eyes on one of the officers crossing the cracked parking lot toward the men in suits.

“I don’t know the details. They came in this morning and asked Adrián if we have any security footage,” she chuckled. “Like this place is fancy enough for cameras and shit.”

“Oh,” Will said.

Becky snapped her gum. “Even if we did, not like we’re gonna go out of our way to help pigs. Everyone’s pissed about the water.” She made a derisive sound, reaching up to fiddle with her necklace. It was puka shells, and one she always wore.

Will thought of his conversation with Raymond that morning. “Have you been to the Town Hall meetings?” Will asked.

“Yeah,” Becky said. “My uncle owns a piece of land on the other side. The water is starting to kill his crops.” She frowned, thumbing over the shells at her throat. “If–if they die, I don’t know what he’s gonna do without a yield this year.”

“Oranges?” Will asked.

“Blueberries and strawberries.”

Will nodded. This was usually about where Will would end the conversation. Where he’d come up with some store task he needed to go and take care of. He had nothing against Becky, they were just inherently different people, and Will had always been wary about getting too close.

In high school Becky had been the pretty, popular cheerleader, all blond hair and blue eyes. Will had done his best, in contrast, to attract as little attention as possible. He’d also always assumed, until he’d started here, that she was meaner than a striped snake.