Summary

Rich approaches Bobby Frame, who sits in a booth at the Commercial. Although Bobby tries to exchange dismissive pleasantries and leave quickly, Rich confronts him and asks why Dark Elephant has not drilled on his land yet. The company has drilled other land in town, and those men who signed leases have made money, lots of money. Bobby explains that not enough of Rich’s neighbors have signed leases: drilling his 60 acres would not be profitable, so they need to convince another neighbor to sign. The choices are Cob Krug, a curmudgeonly hermit who pulled a shotgun when Bobby visited or the Mackeys, who operate Friend-Lea Acres, an organic dairy farm and creamery.

Mack is ankle-deep in the cold creek water when Carl Neugebaur and Rich Devlin pull up in an old Chevy pickup. Carl is an old friend of Mack’s father...