Deluge (The Best Thrillers Book 2) by James Best (top romance novels txt) 📗

suggest that you clear that briar patch before a Coastal Commission inspection? Now, step away from the podium and give another citizen an opportunity to speak.”

The room broke into loud and prolonged applause. Vargas appeared at first dumbfounded, then angry, and finally resigned. He sheepishly abandoned the podium. Evarts glanced at the ever-present videographer in the corner. The next election was several years away, but he wondered if he had just witnessed the recording of a campaign commercial. Whether intentional or not, Walsh had just gone a long way toward assuring her reelection.

Evarts hoped that Vargas’s comeuppance would improve the mood of the council chamber, but the remaining speakers seemed overly irritated about inconsequential nuisances. Thankfully, the police escaped any further wrath from the citizenry.

After the public meeting, Evarts talked informally with lingerers. He felt more comfortable fielding questions from townspeople who were reluctant to speak publicly. After a few conversations, the mayor signaled him to follow her into the committee room.

He closed the door to the small conference room.

“Thank you for your support,” he said.

“You’re welcome.” She smiled. “But in truth, I couldn’t let a threat like that hang in the air. He gave me no choice.”

“Convenient you had that letter in reserve,” Evarts said.

“What letter? There’s no letter. One of his neighbors whispered the assertion at a party, but gossip would never have scared him.” She chuckled. “He’s a pain. I enjoyed putting him in his place. Vargas has money, but few friends. Now he’ll try to find out who tattled on him and cause even more ill will between himself and his neighbors. Isolated, he’s just a cranky old man. Speaking of cranky, what has got into people tonight?”

“Weather, I suppose. Our fair citizens believe they have an ordained right to sunshine. I think they believe it’s in the city charter.” He assumed that she had brought him to this private room to brag about her little coup, so he added, “Nicely done with the letter ruse, by the way.”

“Thanks … but more important, did you see the weather report?”

“Yes, another big storm heading our way.”

“They say it’s a different type of storm. More dangerous.”

He nodded. “Atmospheric river. Trish is in Sacramento with one of her UCSB colleagues, consulting on that exact issue. Evidently, they hit California once in a blue moon. This could be the real thing. If it is, it will hit us hard.”

“Should we pull your men back?”

So she wanted to discuss real business. He told himself to quit underestimating her. “They left a few hours ago. We got a lot of credit for the loan, but we’d go into negative territory if we pulled them back before they even arrive.”

“My thinking as well.” She pulled out a chair and sat to signal that this was not going to be brief. “Watch this storm. If we get plastered, bring them back Wednesday night unless the governor declares an inland emergency.”

That ought to be doable, he thought. A two-day loan of five officers should buy leeway in the next fracas with the CHP. If an emergency was declared, it would be out of his hands anyway. Suddenly, he wondered if the mayor knew the extent of state powers in an emergency.

“Has anyone briefed you on our obligations under the governor’s Emergency Plan?” he asked.

“That’s what you’re going to do right now. The city attorney suggested it. Just the highlights. I want to get out of here.”

As did Evarts. It was near ten in the evening and he would have a full day tomorrow, but he sat to signal that he would take the time to answer the mayor’s questions properly.

“I can’t explain every aspect of the Emergency Plan, but the Emergency Operation Center is the hub of all authority in a crisis. I’m not fully informed about the full breadth of EOC powers, but I can tell you about the Law Enforcement Branch. If the governor declares a state emergency, it will activate the state emergency response plan and, specifically the Law Enforcement Mutual Aid Plan. This plan describes the procedures in ungodly detail, but basically, I must respond to any directive from the incident manager, who can commandeer whatever resources are deemed necessary, including police, coroner, search and rescue, sheriff, and fire. All unreimbursed, in case you’re wondering. The state is divided into regions, and we’re in Region I, which includes the coastal area from San Luis Obispo to Orange County. Unless there’s a statewide emergency, we have an official obligation only within our region. Once the governor has made the declaration, the director of EOC has enormous authority. There are lots of protocols, procedures, and laws, but that’s the picture from thirty thousand feet.”

“Doesn’t sound too bad. So far, the storms have passed over the coastal regions before dropping their load.”

“Well … here’s the thing. TheOroville Dam has already burst wide open. More could go. If the governor wants our resources, he can declare a statewide emergency. He’s got enormous latitude. In that case, even if we’re in an unaffected region, it won’t protect us.”

“What should we do?” she asked.

“Plan for the worst.”

Chapter 8

As Baldwin stepped through the door to the conference room, she immediately saw that no one was anticipating a serious meeting. The Seismic Safety Commission had been relegated to a cheaply furnished conference room in a commercial building nearly a mile from the capitol, and the meeting would be chaired by an underling of the lieutenant governor. Plus, piled-high pastry platters ran the length of a laminate conference table. The food was meant to placate them. Crisis meetings included beverages, but little food. People were supposed to talk, not eat. This commission studied and advised on dam ruptures, among other things, but events had gone well beyond the preventative measures they could recommend.

She led Ashley to coffee on a side table. After pouring herself a cup and adding one sugar, she surveyed the room. She had previously attended two meetings so was only somewhat acquainted with the permanent members.