More wheat. More money.

Chapter-one part-two   

 I could make out they were talking about something, and it didn't seem very aggressive. I tucked the gun in my underwear. Then I turned around and put my pants on, my boots, my shirt. I walked in to the living room, and I said, “Good evening, sir. My name is Doug.” He said, “I'm sorry to bother you and your wife. My name is Mr. Dunlap.” “Sir, it is very late at night. You have disturbed me and my wife. What is it that you need?” “Sir, I am under the understanding that you can find things.” “Well... what?”
  I went around and sat in the chair next to the potbelly stove. Our chairs faced him. He was facing toward us, with the back of his chair toward the front door. I was trying to think whether it would be rude or not to start a fire while he was talking. Obviously he needed something. I looked over at Margaret, and she seemed like it was some serious business. So I sat down and lit a night lamp, and I thought, I gotta trim these lamps tomorrow. I said, “Mr. Dunlap, how can I help you?”
  Mr. Dunlap said, “Sir, I am under the impression that you helped my mother find out what happened to her chickens.” I said, “Sir, I'm not sure who your mother is.” He said, “My mother is Betty Dunlap.” Now, Betty Dunlap was my next-door neighbor, but I didn't know that Betty Dunlap had a son. I knew she had a son, but he was always gone. And I said, “Well, it's nice to meet you.”
  Mr. Dunlap said, “I own the bank in town.” I'm like, “Okay.” “And I need you to look into something for me.” I said, “Well, sir, I don't know what you mean.” He said, “I think that two men were murdered in my bank.” I'm like, “What does that have to do with me?”
  “Well, my mother said when you came over to her house to find out what happened to her chickens, you were clever. She said she had looked and looked. You found things that she just couldn't see, and then you ultimately led her to the pasture to reveal that the coyote had been getting her chickens, and there was a hole in the corner of her chicken coop.”
  And I said, “Well, yes, sir, but I don't know how to find things. I don't know about murder.” He said, “I don't need you to find anything. I just need you to look around.” “Look around for what?” “Just meet me at the bank when you get a chance. I'll pay you.” “Pay me for what?” “Sir, I need you just to look around, see if you can see anything.” “Sir, I don't understand why you would pay me to look around.”
  Just then Margaret slowly reached her foot over and started to tap my foot and squeeze. I looked over at Margaret, and she shot me a look that said, This man's gonna pay us for something. Just do it. I looked at him. I said, “Sir, I will meet you in town as soon as I can. I have stuff here to do, and then I can come into town.”
  Mr. Dunlap said, “Yes, I came in the middle of the night because this needs to be discreet, so absolutely discreet. I did not tell you this. Do you understand?” “Yes, sir.”
  When Mr. Dunlap stood up, I saw him in the full light. He had a dark gray wool suit, gold watch chain, some polished Oxfords, and his felt hat was clean as a whistle. If I knew anything by looking at this guy, he was money. He was about six two. He was handsome. He was a little older. He looked like he'd seen a lot. He looked honest, which was strange for a banker. I thought, Well, I don't know. Seems okay. I was very tired, and I just wanted to go back to sleep.
  Then Mr. Dunlap stood up quickly, and he said, “I must be going. I must be going. I'll catch y'all later. Y'all have a good night.” And he left, saying, “Must keep under the most secrecy. This is the most secret.” The door slammed. I heard him drive off.
  I looked over and said, “Margaret, wake me up. Don't just let some man in here.” Margaret looked at me and said, “Don't tell me what to do, Doug.” I said, “Okay, Margaret.”
  Margaret said, “Don't you think we ought to do whatever this banker wants?” I said to Margaret, “I don't know. I don't think so. I mean, look, I'll just tickle his fancy and he can go on.” Margaret said, “You don't understand. The crops, they're just not growing like they used to, and we're in all this debt for these tractors.”
  I told Margaret, “Just hold on. I'm going to get another tractor and some more land, and we're going to make up this money.” Margaret said, “You can't make it up. There isn't as much as there used to be.” “Look, I understand there isn't as much, but that's why I need more land.” Margaret said, “No, something's happening.” “I don't have time to think about this. I've got to go to bed.” Margaret said, “Fine.”