he’s going to be all right. Still a little early to tell. Like I said, he’s in the hospital and they’re in the process of warming him up.” Amy shook her head at the memory. “I thought he was dead when I saw him.”
Edna came back in with her chair, then poured her more coffee and put a hand on her shoulder. “Something happen to Dan?”
“He almost frozen to death,” John told her.
“He’s not a very nice man,” Edna remarked.
“I don’t really know him,” Amy said. “What is he like? Obviously, you don’t care for him too much.”
“You got that right. I’d like to wring his thick neck, but that doesn’t mean I’d actually do anything about it. I did some work for him but I sure wouldn’t work for him again. Dan, well, let’s just say, he takes advantage of people.” John seemed oblivious to the fact that he might be a suspect.
Amy took a sip of coffee and then said, “When I was over at the house, looking around I found the purchase agreement. I hadn’t realized that you were thinking about selling the farm.”
John’s shoulders sank.
Edna stood up straight by the stove. “That was all my fault, Amy. I thought I was doing the right thing. I’ve been such a burden to John lately. Can’t keep up my end of things anymore. In this weather I’m stuck out here, can’t even drive. I thought if we sold the place, John could get on with his life, not worry about farming anymore, not worry about me or this place. I could move to Pepin, one of those little apartments. It’d be easier for him.”
“Mom, for once and for all, you’re not a burden. Plus, you’d go crazy in Pepin. You know it.” John sighed. “Yeah, while I was gone this fall, Dan made an offer for the farm and my mom signed it away.”
“You sure there’s nothing you can do to get it back?” Amy asked.
“I’ve got a lawyer checking into it.”
Edna said, “Maybe you could have me declared mentally incompetent and that would null and void the contract.”
John gave a sharp bark of a laugh. “Mom, you’ve not only got all your marbles, you’re still winning the game with them. Don’t think anyone would buy that.”
Edna looked happy. “How nice of you to say.”
Amy wished she could sit for the rest of the afternoon in this cozy kitchen, drinking coffee and shooting the bull with Edna and John, but duty called. “Well, I just wondered if you noticed anything strange last night. Anyone driving down the Walkers’ driveway.”
“I was in bed by nine per usual. What about you, John? You stayed up to watch the news, didn’t you?”
“Yeah, but then I tucked in right after that. I don’t recall seeing anyone over to their place. We can only see the start of the driveway, by the time it drops down close to the house, we don’t see it anymore.”
“Well, if you think of anything, let me know.”
John rubbed his forehead. “So you’re actually thinking someone did this to him? That someone was responsible for what happened to Dan?”
“We’re not sure. Just checking all possibilities.”
“Can’t he tell you himself?”
“He’s not come around yet. Maybe later today we’ll know what went on.” Amy finished her coffee and stood up. “Thanks for the joe.”
“You keep us posted on what’s going on with Mr. Walker,” Edna said. “Maybe he’ll forget he even wants the farm.”
5:30 pm
Claire stood in the hospital room doorway, watching Sherri Walker approach the bed where her husband lay stretched out,wires pasted to his chest and a tube going into his lower abdomen. As his wife leaned over him, Dan Walker stirred, mouthing something, then faded back into slumber, or something deeper, coma.
Sherri stood still, a hand on his forehead, then turned back and looked at Claire. “Did you see that?”
Claire nodded.
Sherri’s eyes widened and her voice sounded hopeful. “I think he’s coming out of it.”
“Looks like it.” Claire couldn’t help but wonder when he would be in good
Edna came back in with her chair, then poured her more coffee and put a hand on her shoulder. “Something happen to Dan?”
“He almost frozen to death,” John told her.
“He’s not a very nice man,” Edna remarked.
“I don’t really know him,” Amy said. “What is he like? Obviously, you don’t care for him too much.”
“You got that right. I’d like to wring his thick neck, but that doesn’t mean I’d actually do anything about it. I did some work for him but I sure wouldn’t work for him again. Dan, well, let’s just say, he takes advantage of people.” John seemed oblivious to the fact that he might be a suspect.
Amy took a sip of coffee and then said, “When I was over at the house, looking around I found the purchase agreement. I hadn’t realized that you were thinking about selling the farm.”
John’s shoulders sank.
Edna stood up straight by the stove. “That was all my fault, Amy. I thought I was doing the right thing. I’ve been such a burden to John lately. Can’t keep up my end of things anymore. In this weather I’m stuck out here, can’t even drive. I thought if we sold the place, John could get on with his life, not worry about farming anymore, not worry about me or this place. I could move to Pepin, one of those little apartments. It’d be easier for him.”
“Mom, for once and for all, you’re not a burden. Plus, you’d go crazy in Pepin. You know it.” John sighed. “Yeah, while I was gone this fall, Dan made an offer for the farm and my mom signed it away.”
“You sure there’s nothing you can do to get it back?” Amy asked.
“I’ve got a lawyer checking into it.”
Edna said, “Maybe you could have me declared mentally incompetent and that would null and void the contract.”
John gave a sharp bark of a laugh. “Mom, you’ve not only got all your marbles, you’re still winning the game with them. Don’t think anyone would buy that.”
Edna looked happy. “How nice of you to say.”
Amy wished she could sit for the rest of the afternoon in this cozy kitchen, drinking coffee and shooting the bull with Edna and John, but duty called. “Well, I just wondered if you noticed anything strange last night. Anyone driving down the Walkers’ driveway.”
“I was in bed by nine per usual. What about you, John? You stayed up to watch the news, didn’t you?”
“Yeah, but then I tucked in right after that. I don’t recall seeing anyone over to their place. We can only see the start of the driveway, by the time it drops down close to the house, we don’t see it anymore.”
“Well, if you think of anything, let me know.”
John rubbed his forehead. “So you’re actually thinking someone did this to him? That someone was responsible for what happened to Dan?”
“We’re not sure. Just checking all possibilities.”
“Can’t he tell you himself?”
“He’s not come around yet. Maybe later today we’ll know what went on.” Amy finished her coffee and stood up. “Thanks for the joe.”
“You keep us posted on what’s going on with Mr. Walker,” Edna said. “Maybe he’ll forget he even wants the farm.”
5:30 pm
Claire stood in the hospital room doorway, watching Sherri Walker approach the bed where her husband lay stretched out,wires pasted to his chest and a tube going into his lower abdomen. As his wife leaned over him, Dan Walker stirred, mouthing something, then faded back into slumber, or something deeper, coma.
Sherri stood still, a hand on his forehead, then turned back and looked at Claire. “Did you see that?”
Claire nodded.
Sherri’s eyes widened and her voice sounded hopeful. “I think he’s coming out of it.”
“Looks like it.” Claire couldn’t help but wonder when he would be in good
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