She stared.
Dean shifted.
"Fine."
"Maybe show me that fixture."
"There it is."
"No."
"The new one."
"Why?"
"Curious."
Clara handed him Prototype 16.
He inspected it.
"Smart."
She waited.
Dean looked up.
"What?"
"I want to enjoy this."
"Enjoy what?"
"You calling me smart."
"I called the fixture smart."
"Close enough."
Dean rolled his eyes.
The real turning point came in August.
A regional tractor repair shop in Marshalltown called.
Not a farmer.
A business.
The owner, Frank Delaney, had heard about Clara through a customer.
He drove to Eldora.
Walked into the shop.
Ignored Clara at first.
People did that occasionally.
He saw Thomas.
"Mr. Kessler?"
Thomas pointed.
"Her."
Frank frowned.
Clara wiped her hands.
"You called about a repair fixture?"
He looked surprised.
"You're Clara?"
"Yes."
"I thought—"
She waited.
Frank wisely stopped.
"Never mind."
He inspected the latest fixture.
Asked technical questions.
Good questions.
Clamp force.
Material.
Guide tolerances.
Bushing wear.
Adjustment range.
Setup time.
Clara answered.
Then Frank said:
"I don't want you to repair anything."
"All right."
"I want three of these."
Clara stared.
"Three what?"
"Fixtures."
"They're prototypes."
"Build me production versions."
"I don't manufacture tools."
"You do now."
Clara laughed.
Frank did not.
"I'm serious."
"Why?"
"I have six mechanics."
"We turn away cast repairs or subcontract them."
"If this cuts setup variability, I want it."
Clara looked at the fixture.
"You've never used it."
"I'll test one."
"Then maybe three."
She shook her head.
Frank removed a checkbook.
"How much?"
Clara froze.
This was different.
Repairing parts was one thing.
Selling tools placed responsibility somewhere else.
What if somebody misused it?
What if the fixture slipped?
What if the guide was wrong?
What if failure damaged an expensive block?
Clara thought like a farmer.
Frank thought like a buyer.
"You need instructions."
"Fine."
"Training."
"Fine."
"Liability."
"Talk to a lawyer."
Clara frowned.
"I don't have a lawyer."
"You will."
That turned out to be accurate.
By September, Clara had orders for six fixtures.
Not from six farmers.
Six professional repair shops.
Earl heard before Clara told him.