Bill walked into Dove's Pub. There were a couple residents at the bar, who greeted him as he walked in, but his attention was drawn to a man sitting in the far corner.
He was sipping on a beer and looking over some papers that were on the table.
"Who is that?" Bill asked Lindsay Pike, the Pub manager, as she put a beer in front of him.
Lindsay Pike
"Dat feller bes from da environment agency. His name bes Frank Pittman."
Bill thought back to a couple weeks or so earlier when he had left the Bay for a week or so. He remembered seeing a car with the name 'Pittman Environmental Services' on the door.
"He was here a couple weeks ago."
Lindsay nodded.
"So, where's bes Matty?"
"She took Joyce Dove to Corner Brook for a doctor's appointment. They are going to do some shopping as well and stay the night."
Lindsay laughed.
"And youse didn't goes?"
Bill stared at Lindsay.
"Seriously? Would you want to be trapped in a car for over two hours with Joyce?"
He looked across the bar at John Dove, Joyce's husband.
"No offence John."
John laughed.
"None taken me son. Can't says Ise blames ya. Whys do youse tinks Ise didn't take 'er."
Lindsay patted Bill's shoulder.
"Dat bes a good move on your part, Bill."
She started to walk away but stopped, turning back to Bill.
"Has youse ate supper yet?"
Bill shook his head.
"No. Too lazy to get anything."
"Dats what Ise figured. How 'bouts Ise rustles youse up some steak and fries?"
"Sounds good Lindsay. Thank you."
"No problem, Bill. And youse is payin' fer it."
Bill laughed, as he walked away from the bar, toward the table that Frank Pittman was sitting at.
"Mr. Pittman?"
The man looked up.
"Yes. Can I help you?"
Frank Pittman
Bill offered his hand.
"My name is Bill Williams."
Frank stood and shook Bill's hand.
"Yes, Mr. Williams. I have heard your name tossed around here quite a bit. You bought the lighthouse, right?"
"That I did. Mind if I join you?"
Frank sat down, gathering his papers.
"Not at all. Have a seat."
"Didn't mean to interrupt your work."
"I was just about finished anyway."
"Have you eaten?" Bill wondered.
"No. Not yet."
"How about a steak and fries? My treat."
"I couldn't ..."
Bill cut him off.
"Nonsense."
He turned to the bar.
"Lindsay? Could you double that order for me. Mr. Pittman is going to join me for supper."
Lindsay nodded and headed into the small kitchen off the bar.
"That is very kind of you," Frank smiled, "but it has been my experience that nothing comes free in this world."
He finished his beer and raised the bottle, so Lindsay could see.
She quickly brought two more beer to the table.
"Bes 'bout thirty minutes or so for supper."
"That's fine," Bill told her.
He raised his bottle to Frank.
"To ... possibilities."
Frank smiled and drank.
"So, Mr. Williams, how can I help you?"
"Please call me Bill."
"And I'm Frank."
"So Frank. I noticed you were here a couple weeks ago and now you have returned. I can only assume it has something to do with the government's plans for relocation."
Frank sat back in his chair.
"Can I be honest with you, Bill? Without fear of repercussions?"
Bill nodded.
"Noting leaves this table."
"The Minister of Environment contracted me to come here and check out any possible environmental impacts that the filtration systems here in the Bay may be having."
"You are referring to the sewer treatment system and the water filtration."
Frank nodded.
"That and any other discrepancies that I can find. The fish plant for instance and the gas station."
"This is pertaining to the cost of cleaning up the environment once the Bay is closed down, I would assume?"
"One would think," Frank answered.
"But there just seems to be something else there."
Bill was intrigued.
"Like what?"
"I don't really know. I took readings the last time I was here, at both the sewer and the water facilities and I submitted them directly to the Minister.
I guess he isn't satisfied with them, so he asked me to come back here and do some more tests and a little more digging."
"Are the results within government guidelines?"
Frank nodded.
"Barely, but it is my opinion that both systems are more than capable of continuing to operate within government standards, until the Bay is shut down."
"And if they weren't?"
Frank shrugged.
"If they weren't then there would be an environmental impact study done, very quickly and the closure of Tuckamore Bay could be fast tracked."
"How so?"
"Bill, they could walk in here and shut down the sewer treatment facility and the water treatment facility and then the village would be deemed unfit for human occupation."
"And the residents would be forced to leave."
Frank nodded.
"More or less."
"Is this usual? I mean, is the same thing happening in any of the other places slotted for relocation?"
Frank shook his head.
"There are three more spots here on the Great Northern Peninsula. There has been no one asked to go into any of those places. And this I know is fact, because I am the only certified environmental scientist on the west coast and I have been doing these tests for over thirty years in practically every little community on the west coast."
"Then why the interest in Tuckamore Bay?"
"I have no idea, Bill. And the other strange thing about all of this, is that usually the government sends in their own people when relocation is imminent. And they only come in a couple months before the community is shut down, so they can do a study to determine the cost of clean up. If there is a clean up necessary."
Bill sat back in his chair.
"I don't know much about this whole process Frank, other than what I have dug up on the internet, but it seems that the interest in Tuckamore Bay is a little unusual."
"What is even stranger," Frank continued, "is that I am dealing directly with the Minister of Environment, Calvin Parsons."
"So usually you would just deal with some assistant?"
"Precisely. But all my correspondence has been directly from Parsons and from a non government email. And my payments have been directly from Parsons as well."
"Do you have any ideas why?"
Frank shook his head.
"Nope and usually I wouldn't give a shit. Pardon my French, but the truth be known, I love this little place. My wife and I come here often, in the summer and fall and share a picnic and bottle of wine over in Sandy Cove.
I hate to see this place shut down."
Bill nodded.
"Me too."
Frank laughed.
"I would imagine you do. You stand to lose a fair chunk of money of the government declares this place unfit for human occupancy."
"Its not just that, Frank. There are a growing group of people here who are planning to stay."
Frank shook his head.
"Can't see that happening Bill."
"Why?"
"How are they going to survive here without electricity to run the two plants. They would have to revert back to the way things were. That means upgrades on septic tanks and distribution ditches. The rules for a septic tank and its system have really changed. We're looking at a 25 or 30 thousand dollar bill just for the septic system and wells cost about 10 grand to drill, if they can even get water.
And then what. They go back to wood stoves and generators. Oil lamps and such. The winters up here can be pretty vicious at times and this community would be completely cut off."
Bill sat back in his chair and let out a long sigh.
"Fuck."
Frank laughed.
"Fuck is right, Bill."
Bill finished his beer, just as Lindsay brought their steaks and fries.
Both men smiled.
"Looks delicious," Frank commented.
"Another beer?"
Bill nodded.
"Yea. Keep them coming, Lindsay."
As Lindsay left, Bill looked at Frank.
"Enjoy your supper Frank and whats say after supper we go somewhere and have a private chat."
"I have a room here at the motel and a 12 year old Glenlivet. That is if you like scotch."
"Can I smoke?"
"As long as I can."
Bill smiled.
"Enjoy your supper Frank."