By morning, the story had already spread.
Not accurately.
Stories rarely did.
According to one version, Adah had pulled the entire cattle trailer from a river by herself.
According to another, the antique winch had saved the county.
One man claimed Walt Sedge had appeared out of nowhere “like Moses with an oil can.”
Adah hated all versions.
At the diner, people stared when she entered.
Vernon sat in his usual booth.
Nobody laughed.
Adah ordered coffee.
The waitress placed it down.
Then said, “No charge.”
“Why?”
“Because apparently you saved town.”
Adah sighed.
“I closed a gate.”
“With eleven dollars.”
“Eleven forty.”
The waitress laughed.
Vernon stood.
He walked over.
Adah looked at him.
“What?”
He placed something on the counter.
A check.
Adah frowned.
Amount: $3,500.
Payee: Adah Ferris.
“What is this?”
“District wants to buy the winch.”
She stared at him.
“Three thousand five hundred?”
“Yes.”
“You sold it to me for eleven dollars.”
“I’m aware.”
She smiled.
“That’s a terrible return for you.”
Vernon did not smile.
“We need backup equipment.”
“Buy another.”
“There isn’t another.”
“Then build one.”
“Modern suppliers don’t make that design for canal service.”
Adah folded the check.
Then tore it in half.
Vernon stared.
“What are you doing?”
“Not selling.”
“Adah.”
“No.”
“Name a price.”
“It’s not for sale.”
His face reddened.
“The district originally owned it.”
“Then the district sold it.”
“For scrap.”
“Yes.”
“You knew we made a mistake.”
“I suspected you did.”
“That’s not the same thing.”
“It is now.”
Vernon leaned closer.
“That machine belongs at North Canal.”
Adah looked at him.
“Then rent it.”
He froze.
“What?”
“You need backup equipment?”
“Yes.”
“Rent mine.”
“How much?”
She drank coffee.
“Eleven forty.”
He blinked.
“A day?”
“A year.”
The waitress burst out laughing.
Vernon stared.
Adah continued.
“One condition.”
“What?”
“You restore the manual mount at North Canal and keep the electric system.”
He frowned.
“Both?”
“Both.”
“That’s redundant.”
“That’s the point.”
She looked at him.
“Fast system for normal operation. Manual self-locking system if power fails.”
Vernon considered.
“And the winch stays yours?”
“Yes.”