She tapped the screen of her phone with a trembling thumb.

She kept her head down as she authorized the second transaction.

After a moment, she held the screen up to me again.

The green checkmark indicated the transfer to Marcus’s contractor was complete.

I took the phone from her hand, took a photo of the confirmation screen with my own phone, and handed it back.

“Marcus, please check your phone,” I said.

Marcus pulled his phone from his shirt pocket.

He squinted at the screen for a few seconds, then nodded to the deputy.

“It’s there,” Marcus said.

“The deposit is pending.”

“Are we settled then?” Deputy Miller asked.

“We are settled,” I said.

“Thank you for your time, Deputy.”

The deputy nodded to Dan, then to me, and turned to leave.

Marcus lingered for a second, looking at Dan.

“I’m sorry it came to this, Dan,” Marcus said.

“But I couldn’t let my pasture drown.”

“I understand,” Dan said, his voice barely audible.

Marcus turned and followed the deputy down the hall.

The front door clicked shut, and the red and blue lights outside finally stopped spinning against the trees.