Chapter 8 - Raymond Sees the TomatoesRaymond Hale did not return because Elsie invited him.
He saw the test plot by accident.
A company pickup slowed along the work road bordering the Warren farm.
Raymond sat in the passenger seat.
He looked toward the field.
Then said:
“Stop.”
The driver braked.
Raymond got out.
Rows of tomato plants stood waist-high.
Dark green.
Loaded with fruit.
The soil beneath them was nearly black.
Elsie was crouched between rows.
She lifted a handful.
“It’s not trash…”
Raymond approached the fence.
He recognized her.
The girl.
Horse.
Waste pile.
Filthy beggar.
His expression tightened.
“You made all of this from that waste?”
Elsie stood.
Looked directly at him.
Then toward the massive dark pile beyond the factory land.
“All of it.”
Raymond followed her gaze.
For years, Blackwell had paid trucking fees.
Storage costs.
Land-management costs.
Regulatory costs.
For material the company considered worthless.
Now he looked at Elsie’s tomatoes.
Then the soil.
His face changed.
Not admiration.
Calculation.
Elsie recognized it immediately.
She walked closer.
“I want to make a business deal with you.”
Raymond looked at her.
She continued.
“If you refuse, I’ll tell everyone. Then you’ll have nothing.”
He froze.
Elsie had rehearsed the sentence.
It sounded stronger inside her head.
Now, standing there, she understood its weakness too.
Information did not belong to her forever.
Anyone could eventually discover the same thing.
Raymond looked toward the waste pile.
Then at the test field.
Then back at Elsie.
One corner of his mouth rose.
A small smile.
“You think you have leverage.”
Elsie’s heartbeat quickened.
“I do.”
“For today.”
He turned toward the truck.
Before leaving, he said:
“Have your father call my office.”
Elsie watched him drive away.
The power had shifted.
May you like
But not as completely as she imagined.
And the next stage would be harder than growing tomatoes.
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