Drought Read Online Free

what the situation is so that you can keep them calm – explain to them that the San Bernardino Municipal Water Department is doing everything it can to share out water fairly, and that protesting about it is not going to do them any good – in fact it’s going to be severely counterproductive. You have to persuade them that this drought is an act of God, and not the fault of the county, or the state, or the federal government for that matter.’
    â€˜And this is your remit, is it?’ Martin asked her. ‘You’re here to tell us that we have to keep a thirsty sweaty resentful underclass from running riot?’
    Saskia raised her eyes again and looked at Martin steadily. ‘It’s in everybody’s best interests, Martin. Especially all of those children you care for.’
    â€˜So what do we say to them? “Let them drink cola?” As well as wash in it, cook in it, and spray it on their lawns?’
    â€˜Not even that, Martin. All soda manufacturers have been ordered to stop production until further notice.’
    Arlene tilted her chair forward and gave Martin her most serious frown. ‘Saskia tells me that Governor Smiley has been keeping a very tight lid on this, Martin, and now you can understand why.’
    â€˜Oh, for sure. It’s coming dangerously close to inhumanity.’
    Arlene ignored that. ‘I’m not sharing what Saskia has told us with everybody in the office, Martin, believe me, and I’m only sharing it with
you
because you’re in charge of some of the city’s most deprived districts, which have a much higher risk of social disorder. We’re right on the front line, here at CFS, you know that. We have to do our best to keep at-risk families from boiling over and falling apart, with all the damage that could do to their children.’
    Martin shrugged. ‘All right, Arlene, if you say so. I don’t quite understand how you can boil over and fall apart both at the same time, especially if you don’t have any water. But at least I know what’s going on now. I’ll call my wife and tell her.’
    He stood up, but Saskia reached up and caught hold of his tan leather watch strap. ‘I’d rather you didn’t, Martin.’
    â€˜You’d rather I didn’t what? Tell my wife? It’s OK. She’s only my
ex
-wife, as it happens.’
    â€˜I’d prefer it if we kept this information on a need-to-know basis only, if you don’t mind. Like I say, we could be right on the brink of a national panic. It only takes one spark to start a forest fire.’
    â€˜With respect, Saskia, I think my ex-wife has a need to know. My daughter has a high temperature and she has no water.’
    â€˜Martin, please. Just tell her that the water is coming back on again very soon, if she can just hold on. I’m not supposed to advise anybody to do this, because supplies are so low, but tell her to go to her nearest supermarket and stock up on as much bottled water as she can, if she hasn’t done that already – and if there’s any left.’
    Martin looked down at Saskia’s hand, still holding his watch strap. Her fingernails were polished red to match her suit and her lips. She was wearing a single large ring with a red agate in it, but no wedding band. He was prepared to admit that he didn’t always understand women, but they never frightened him. All the same, there was something about Saskia Vane that put him off balance, although he couldn’t understand exactly what it was. Maybe it was that pungent post-coital perfume; or the way that she looked at him with eyes as bright and hard as nail-heads. He may not have been frightened of her, but then it was obvious that
she
wasn’t frightened of
him
, either.
    â€˜OK,’ he said. ‘But you’ll need to give us a schedule. Which neighborhoods you’re planning to cut off, and when. Then – if we do get any trouble