“Things like that can become expensive.”
The farmer remained silent.
The developer continued.
“My company has experience handling difficult property conditions.”
He opened the portfolio.
Then placed a document on the porch railing.
“We're prepared to renew our purchase offer.”
The father looked down.
The amount was higher than the previous proposal.
Substantially higher.
Enough to pay off the immediate farm debt.
Replace a failing tractor.
And leave money for household expenses.
For several seconds, the farmer couldn't speak.
The developer watched his reaction.
Then smiled.
“We can make this easy.”
The father slowly looked up.
“What do you want?”
“The northern acreage.”
“All of it?”
“Forty acres, subject to a final survey.”
The farmer looked toward the field.
The parcel included the old inlet.
The anchor.
The visible chain.
And the portion of the property nearest the cliff.
The developer continued.
“We'd assume responsibility for the complicated site conditions.”
The farmer frowned.
“Even the ship?”
The businessman gave a small laugh.
“If there is a ship.”
The boy stepped forward.
“There is.”
The developer looked toward him.
For a moment, his smile became stiff.
“Hello.”
The child held his gaze.
“You can see the timbers.”
The businessman nodded.
“Interesting find.”
Then he turned back toward the father.
“But let the specialists determine what it actually is.”
The farmer remained quiet.
The developer continued.
“You have a family to consider.”
That sentence struck harder than he realized.
The farmer looked toward the farmhouse.
His wife worked exhausting hospital shifts.
His daughter needed new school supplies.
His son had been wearing the same patched overalls for more than a year because he liked them and refused to replace them.
And the farm's financial problems were becoming impossible to ignore.
The offer represented something he hadn't felt in months.
Relief.
The developer noticed.
He lowered his voice.
“We can close quickly.”
The father looked toward the document.
Then asked, “Why the urgency?”
The businessman hesitated.
“Planning schedules.”
The farmer nodded slowly.
“What about the archaeological investigation?”
The developer gave a dismissive shrug.
“Those things can take years.”
The boy stepped closer.
“But they haven't even identified the ship yet.”
The businessman looked irritated.
“This is a business conversation.”
The father turned sharply.
“Don't speak to my son like that.”
The developer stopped.
The farmer looked toward the boy.
Then back at the offer.
For a moment, he struggled with the decision.