“If we stopped construction to remediate the soil, the bank would have called the loan.”

“Victor told me he had a plan to clean it quietly while we built.”

“He said we would inject the clay barriers during the foundation pour.”

“And did you?” I asked.

Nathan let out a dry, bitter laugh.

“No,” he said. “The concrete was poured right over the hot spots. Victor said the chemical levels would naturally degrade over twenty years anyway.”

Evelyn was typing rapidly on her tablet.

“This is bank fraud, environmental endangerment, and conspiracy,” she said.

“I know what it is,” Nathan said quietly.

“If the board sees this, they will have no choice but to terminate you immediately and turn this over to the federal prosecutor,” Evelyn said.

“I know,” Nathan said.

My phone buzzed in my hand again.

It was a call from Victor.

I looked at Evelyn, then at Nathan.

“Answer it,” Evelyn said. “Put it on speaker.”

I tapped the screen and set the phone in the middle of the table.

“Victor,” I said.

“Did you show it to her?” Victor’s voice was loud, vibrating through the small speaker.