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

a boat nearby? Can you change the governor’s mind? One of the things I’ve learned from mountain climbing is that when you’re in danger and you see an escape route, take it. Don’t wallow in self-recrimination. Save yourself.”

When she didn’t respond, he added, “These people won’t die. They’ll get wet, they’ll get hungry, they’ll stay on the upper floors, but help will come, and they’ll get out eventually. The real damage will be to the economy. I suspect this is the first act of a financial collapse.”

“What do you mean?” Baldwin asked.

“I’ll explain as we drive. We’re wasting time.” He gave Baldwin a meaningful look. “Are you going or not? Last chance.”

She hesitated only a moment before her final decision.

“I’m going.”

Chapter 11

Evarts reconciled himself to his wife’s evacuating. If the government had left the city, it was time for her to leave. After all, she was nothing but a remote extension of the government. He wasn’t comfortable with her going by car, but she had no choice. She was fleeing to safety, and that’s what mattered. Her phone call had been short, but he learned that their driver had plenty of backcountry experience and knew the terrain, and the woman from the USGS had expertise in extreme weather. Even Ashley might be helpful, since he knew which areas had flooded in 1862.

Evarts drove his new vehicle to Lake Cachuma, in the northern section of the county. Actually, he drove a used truck, a Ford Raptor, all dressed up for the mud and sand with a 6.2-liter V8 to pull it out of any trouble. When his assistant had come into his office, excited about the truck, Evarts asked if he hadn’t heard him correctly. He reminded him that he wanted an SUV designed for off-road driving. Instead of answering, Cunningham had come behind his desk, banged a few keys on his desktop computer, and brought up an evaluation of the Raptor. After scanning two paragraphs, Evarts was sold. Many critics rated it the best American-built off-road vehicle. The extended cab gave him room for five, and the bed could hold loads of gear.

After concluding the private-party transaction, Evarts wanted to test drive his truck, so he decided to cruise up US 101 to see the dam at Cachuma Lake for himself. The dark sky promised a downpour, but all he had seen was the same ol’ drizzle, accented periodically with light rain. Despite only sprinklings, the highway was wet enough to put the Raptor through its paces. The wide-track truck plowed along the wet surface as though it found the conditions insulting. He had never owned a pickup, but after only a half hour, he knew that from then on, he’d find his Police Interceptor disappointing.

He wondered if he should keep driving—all the way to Sacramento. He could intercept his wife and bring her home. He found the thought appealing, but she seemed to be in good hands, and he had a job to do that included an oath to protect the people of his city. He had second and third thoughts. He decided to call her again before he made the turnoff to Route 246 that led to the lake.

She answered without preamble. “Greg, I’m fine. Don’t call every fifteen minutes.”

“I’m about to get off 101. I had a thought. Should I keep going and bring you back home?”

“No. We’re making decent time. I don’t want you speeding up the coast trying to be the hero. You’d probably get killed in a fiery car crash.”

“How fast is mountain man driving?”

“Mountain climber. And you know that. Quit being a jerk.”

“Next week … this week, I’m a jerk. I’m worried about you.”

She laughed. “We’re going thirty-five. That’s all visibility allows, but we’re probably traveling ten miles an hour faster than the slow lane. Still, you’re six hours away from us in the best of conditions, and once you get inland, you’ll hit the same downpour we’re fighting.”

“Okay, tell mountain man to drive safe. He has precious cargo.”

“I love it,” she said. “All I needed was a little rain for you to tell me how much you care.”

“I was talking about Ashley. UCSB would be lost without him.”

He hung up before she could spout a rejoinder.

He knew she was right. She was traveling toward the coast with a climate expert and someone familiar with rough conditions. And Ashley … but he shouldn’t be too heavy an anchor. She also rode in an excellent vehicle for nasty weather. He told himself to quit worrying and concentrate on his job.

He wanted to evaluate whether the Lake Cachuma dam might fail before these storms abated. He knew nothing about civil engineering, but he knew how to ask questions and evaluate responses. Sheriff Lopez agreed to meet at the Red Viking Café in Solvang, a Danish village below the lake. The town offered Scandinavian food, regional wines, and themed architecture. When Evarts was in high school, the touristy locale had been a popular place to take a date, and Solvang became more popular after the movie Sideways. Thequirky film had used the quaint town as a backdrop for a civilized version of Hangover.

The Red Viking Café tried to live up to its name. The red cottage welcomed guests with two carved Viking warriors sporting horned headgear and lots of facial hair. He hoped they had time for aebleskiver and Danish sausage, his favorite at this café. Lopez and the local police chief sat in a front booth drinking coffee. Bob Prentice had held the chief’s position in Solvang since Evarts had joined the Santa Barbara force as a patrolman. Evarts wondered when the man would retire so a younger person could get an opportunity to run the small department.

“Do we have time to eat?” Evarts asked as he plopped on the bench seat beside Prentice.

“Sure. Why not?” Prentice said. “I’ll instruct the dam to hang fire until we’re ready for our inspection. Know what you want?”

“I do.”

They ordered. Both Evarts and Lopez visited Solvang