To show my appreciation, I even paid her double. She agreed, and when I left, the kids were happily splashing in the pool while she lounged nearby. I drove off feeling confident they were in safe hands. But when I returned the next day, my heart sank. The pool, once crystal blue, was now a disgusting pit of mud. The smell was awful, thick and earthy. My kids were safe inside, but their sad faces broke me. “A man dumped sand in the pool,” they whispered. “Aunt Claire’s friend.”
