Page 12 of More Than Anything

“Eleven thirty? Shouldn’t take more than a few minutes.”

Avery nodded to himself. “Yes, sir. I can be down there at eleven thirty, no problem. But this is kind of unconventional…”

“Yeah, well, as you know, Sirus was kind of unconventional,” Mr.Martin said with a laugh. “See you then.”

They hung up and Avery sat down with a cup of coffee. What in the hell was LydiaKinsey up to? When his coffee was finished, he headed to the shower. After giving it a little thought, he dressed in something other than jeans?a pair of gray slacks and a green polo shirt?and left early to go to the post office before he went to Mr.Martin’s office.

His post office box held a couple of bills and a letter from the extension agent outlining programs he could get involved in and farmers who’d agreed to be his mentors. That was good news. But that was about it. No one knew where he was, so they couldn’t send him anything, and he was fine with that.

He arrived at the law offices at about eleven fifteen and as soon as the secretary announced his arrival, Mr.Martin came right out and ushered him into the office. “So before the judge gets here, just tell me: This transaction was all legal and above-board, correct?”

“Yes, sir. I paid him for the farm and he had me draw up the title. He came here to sign it, didn’t he?”

Mr.Martin laughed. “Yes, and he seemed right happy about it too. Said he was going to the Bahamas!”

“That’s what he told me, but his great-granddaughter said he didn’t make it before he died.”

“Pity. He was really excited about it too. She told you that?”

Avery nodded. “Yes, sir. I asked when she told me he’d died.”

“She told you he’d died?”

“Yes, sir, when she came out to the house.”

“Wait.” Mr.Martin leaned forward over the desk. “She’s been out there?”

Avery’s eyebrows popped up. “Yes, sir. I thought you knew that.”

“No. I knew she sent you that letter, but she actually came out there?” Mr.Martin seemed astonished, and Avery couldn’t figure out what the big deal was.

“Yes, sir. She came out and told me that whatever lease agreement I’d had with Sirus was null and void and they’d reimburse me after the sale of the land.”

Mr.Martin shook his head. “You know that constitutes harassment, right?”

Suddenly, Avery heard Walter’s words in his head:Everything isn’t always as it seems.“I-I-I-I don’t want to charge her with anything. I just want to be able to live in peace, that’s all. I bought that farm honestly and I don’t want it taken away from me just because some woman thinks she still owns it.”

There was a soft rap at the door and Mr.Martin called out, “Come in.”

“Frank!” An older gentleman crossed the room and the attorney rose to shake his hand. “Good to see you!”

“And you too, Ernie. This is my client, AveryHolcomb. Avery, JudgeErnest Bennett.”

Avery stood and took the hand the judge extended. “Good to meet you, your honor.”

“Likewise, young man. Have a seat.” Everyone took seats and the judge turned to Avery. “Okay, I’m catching a lot of flak from that Kinsey woman. Could you tell me exactly what took place when you bought that farm from Sirus?”

Avery told the judge how he’d found out about the farm and everything that had been said as well as he could remember, especially the part where he kept trying to give Sirus more money and Sirus kept asking for less. “And I told him it was the first time I’d ever had a seller negotiate the price down.”

The judge looked at the attorney. “You know he did this to thumb his nose at his family, right?”

“Yes, I do, but it was a legal transaction.”

The judge nodded. “That’s true.” He turned to Avery. “Did he tell you why he wanted so little for the land?” Avery shook his head. “Because he was furious with his family. He’d been mad at them forever.”

Avery didn’t understand. “Why?”

“Because they didn’t want to work the farm,” JudgeBennett explained. “He wanted his kids to live out there with him and work the farm. And they all got married and wanted to live in town. One of his sons, Lydia’s uncle, tried to work it, but Sirus gave him such fits that he finally just quit and got a job down at the radiator plant building car radiators.”

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