第18部分(第4/7 頁)

osed　the　office　door。

The　telephone　jangled；　a　merciful　reminder　of　the　workday　ahead。　It　was

Alabama。　Had　she　made　a　decision　on　handling　the　study　for　the　citizens'

group　in　Mobile？　No。　She　hadn't　even　thought　about　it　once　during　the

weekend。　It　would　mean　a　week　on　location　taking　samples　of　Gulf　water

and　testing　the　ocean　floor　position。　It　was　a　potentially

fascinating　project；　since　the　toxic　waste　burning　plan　was　so　new。

〃Yes；　Ms。　Farwell。　I'll　take　the　job。　What's　the　exact　status　of　the

waste　burning　now？〃

A　gentle　voice　responded　with　concern。　〃The　tanker　will　be　leaving

Mobile　two　weeks　from　tomorrow　loaded　with　oil　contaminated　with　PCBS。

Those　PCBS　are　cancer…causing。　The　pany　that　owns　the　freighter

claims　that　by　the　time　the　oil　is　pletely　burned；　any　toxic　acid

emitted　in　the　smoke　will　have　been　neutralized　by　the　seawater。　We

doubt　that。〃

Chloe　made　notes　as　the　woman　talked。　〃Where　do　they　plan　to　do　the

burning？〃

The　woman　knew　her　facts　and　offered　them　up；　along　with　a　detailed　list

of　the　equipment　Chloe　would　need。　She　also　advised　Chloe　on　making

arrangements　with　the　local　university　for　the　use　of　their　lab。

Hanging　up　the　phone；　Chloe　was　pleased。　With　the　use　of　a　lab；　she

would　be　able　to　spend　evenings　analyzing　the　samples　she　collected。

Four　or　five　days　out；　and　the　job　would　be　done。

The　project　was　exciting。　More　than　that；　the　escape　from　Little　pton

was　just　what　she　needed。　It　would　give　her　a　head　start　at　putting　Ross

out　of　her　mind。

Her　pencil　moved　over　the　paper；　making　further　notes　on　the　Alabama

project。　She　would　fly　down　in　three　w