“He left notes.”
For the first time, Clayton looked genuinely alarmed.
“What notes?”
Hannah smiled.
“Careful people ask too many questions.”
He recovered quickly.
“You should sell.”
“No.”
“Two million.”
Wade stopped working.
Hannah stared at Clayton.
“Yesterday one-seven.”
“Conditions changed.”
“Water changed.”
“Yes.”
“So you’re buying water.”
“I’m buying land.”
“With water.”
Clayton exhaled.
“Two-point-two.”
Frank slowly stood.
Hannah laughed.
“You drove here planning two-point-two?”
“Think about what that means.”
“I am.”
“Your debt disappears.”
“I know.”
“You can walk away with more money than this farm has generated in twenty years.”
“Probably.”
“Then why are you smiling?”
“Because you’re scared.”
Clayton’s jaw tightened.
“You are gambling with something you don’t understand.”
“Then help me understand.”
He looked toward Wade.
Frank.
Water.
“Hannah, this valley cannot manage that spring collectively.”
“Why?”
“Because farmers fight.”
Wade called, “We can hear you.”
Clayton ignored him.
“You need capital.”
“We have farms.”
“You need engineers.”
“We know engineers.”
“Treatment.”
“Louise is working on it.”
“Distribution infrastructure.”
“Already mapped.”
That surprised him.
Hannah saw it.
She stepped closer.
“You really thought nobody would find the old channels.”
Clayton’s face hardened.
“I’m done with this conversation.”
“No.”
He turned.
Hannah called after him.
“Your father signed the 1974 collapse report.”
Clayton stopped.
Wade walked closer.
Frank too.
Clayton turned slowly.
Hannah continued.
“He also bought water waivers after telling farmers the spring was dead.”
“That accusation is reckless.”
“It’s a fact.”
“You have no idea what circumstances existed then.”
“Tell me.”
“My father is dead.”
“So is mine.”
Silence.
Clayton looked at Wade.
“Your father signed willingly.”
Wade stepped forward.
“For dead water.”
Clayton said nothing.
Wade continued.
“You boys paid him for something you told him didn’t exist.”
Clayton turned toward his truck.
Hannah called:
“We’re finding the charter.”
He stopped once more.
Then got into the vehicle and drove away.
That night, someone came to the pond.
Hannah woke at 2:17 because the cattle were moving.
Not bawling.
Moving.
A low restless shuffle.
She sat up.
Then heard an engine.
No lights.
South road.
Hannah pulled on boots.
Grabbed a flashlight.
Called Wade.
No answer.
Frank.
No answer.
She walked outside.
The truck engine stopped.
Hannah did not go directly toward it.
Instead she climbed into her own pickup and drove across the upper pasture with headlights off.
At the ridge, she stopped.
Below, a figure moved near the gate mechanism.