Chapter 7 - The Rushing Water
"Twelve million dollars," Georgia read aloud for the entire room to hear.
Scott rushed forward and stared at the screen in disbelief.
"That is the entire construction loan for the phase two expansion," Scott stammered.
Georgia looked up at her husband with a mixture of pity and disgust.
"She wasn't sleeping with you because you were charming, Scott."
"She was sleeping with you to steal your access codes."
Scott backed away, running his hands through his wet hair in a panic.
"She needed to get off the mountain to complete the final biometric verification," Scott realized.
That was why Elise had faked a panic attack to steal Georgia's seat on the helicopter.
Elise had to reach a secure banking terminal in Denver before the theft was discovered.
Suddenly, a loud, groaning rumble shook the concrete foundation of the maintenance barn.
It was not the sound of sliding mud.
It was the deep, terrifying roar of thousands of gallons of rushing water.
Georgia snapped her laptop shut.
"The upper reservoir," Georgia whispered.
The record rainfall had finally overwhelmed the earthen dam holding back the resort's private lake.
Water began seeping rapidly beneath the heavy steel doors of the barn.
"The dam has breached," Georgia yelled.
"We have to get higher."
Dean Mercer looked around wildly.
"There is nowhere higher!" Dean screamed. "The barn is the highest building on the ridge!"
Georgia pointed toward the steel maintenance ladder bolted to the back wall.
The ladder led to an access hatch on the reinforced steel roof.
"Get everyone on the roof," Georgia commanded.
Water was now pouring into the barn, rising past their knees in a matter of seconds.
Scott scrambled toward the ladder, shoving guests aside to save himself.
He did not look back at his injured wife.
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Ruth and the two kitchen workers lifted Georgia onto their shoulders, struggling against the freezing, rising flood.
The heavy steel doors buckled inward, and the river exploded into the room.
