Then asked quietly, "Do you think that's why he refused to sell?"
The attorney considered.
"Possibly."
She paused.
"But there may be several reasons."
The daughter nodded.
Then the older woman added something unexpected.
"Your father once told me he wasn't just trying to bring back the fish."
The young woman frowned.
"What did he mean?"
The attorney's voice softened.
"He said he was trying to make sure the next person who owned the farm could trust the water."
For a moment, the daughter couldn't speak.
Then she looked toward the gray ponds.
The water had killed thousands of fish six years earlier.
Her father had spent the rest of his life finding out why.
And now, even after his death, that work was beginning to speak for itself.
The next three weeks were filled with paperwork.
The daughter met the estate attorney twice.
Spoke with an agricultural drainage specialist.
Contacted the hatchery.
And arranged for an independent appraiser to assess the property's value under several possible uses.
She also learned that commercial fish production required more planning than simply purchasing fingerlings and releasing them into water.
The hatchery technician explained the stocking schedule.
The need to monitor oxygen and temperature.
The importance of species compatibility.
And the financial risks of growing fish to marketable sizes.
The daughter listened.
She took notes.
Then asked questions.
Lots of them.
The technician seemed pleased.
He explained that her father had planned a phased program rather than immediately trying to return the ponds to full commercial production.
The first stage would establish suitable forage and panfish populations under professional supervision.
Later stages would depend on monitoring results, fish growth, and the intended markets.
The daughter frowned.
"Then we wouldn't be selling fish this year?"
"Not much, if any, from the new stocking."
She looked toward her expenses.
"That's a problem."
The technician nodded.
"I know."
She took a breath.
"Why would Dad spend so much money on fish if there wouldn't be immediate income?"
The technician hesitated.
"Because there was another part of the plan."
The daughter straightened.
"What part?"
"A proposed management agreement with the hatchery."
She frowned.
"What kind?"
The technician explained that the hatchery had been looking for suitable grow-out ponds within a reasonable transport distance of its existing operation.
The agreement under discussion would allow the company to use selected ponds under specified conditions while the farm provided site access and certain management services.
That could create income sooner than waiting for the farm to raise and sell its own fish independently.
But the arrangement wasn't final.
It depended on water testing, legal review, operating plans, and the property owner's approval.
The daughter looked toward the paperwork.
"Did Dad sign it?"
"He signed the preliminary framework."
She swallowed.