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“Mindhearing a nugget of advice from an old geezer?”Louasked, licking the fork clean.
“You’reonly as old as you feel.”
“Goodto know.Thenthat makes me around five hundred.”
Theyboth laughed.Itsounded forced even toWyatt'sear.
Wyattglanced at the time on his phone.Heneeded to get back toLou’shouse, start the day's work, butLouseemed determined to stay put.
“Yearsago,Imet the love of my life,”Lousaid, turning serious.
Wyatthadn’t thought ofLouas a sentimental man.Hethought of him as an astute businessman with a kind disposition. “That'ssweet.”
“She’snot the womanImarried.”
“Oh.”
“Evenas my marriage was floundering,Irefrained from looking up my old girlfriend.Imay not have been the best husband butI’mno cheat.Iknew ifIever reached out to her, my life would spin out of control.Icouldn’t do that to my daughter,Francine, or quite frankly, to my business.Ascandal would have ruined me.Ihad too many employees to allow that to happen.”
“Soyou never reconnected?”
“Aftermy divorce, whenIsold the team,Idecided to look her up.Shewas married.Icouldn’t mess with that.”
“Wow.Whathappened back then to break you two up in the first place?”
“Thisis whereIneed you to pay very close attention.Considerit a cautionary tale.”
Thepreamble wasn’t necessary.Wyattwas riveted.
“Herfamily was poor.Backthen, much ofDenverwas farmland.Shortlyafter high school graduation,Iwas hired as an intern at the state’s department of transportation.I’llskip the details butIwas assigned to a job and got wind of important information.”
Wyattcouldn’t imagine what that could have to do with the love ofLou’slife.Heleaned forward. “Whatdid you learn?”
“Youhave to understandIwas sworn to secrecy.IfIhad shared my knowledgeI?—”
Loustopped and as if speaking to himself, he said, “Nomore excuses.”
Wyattwaited patiently for him to go on.
“Doyou know what eminent domain is?”
“Isn’tthat when the government can claim private land?”
“Exactly.”
Thepuzzle pieces weren’t yet in place but a bad feeling came over him.
“Backthen,Denverwas expanding by leaps and bounds.Thefederal government gave a lot of money to infrastructure including a massive expansion of the interstate.”
“Ohno.”Itwas becoming crystal clear. “Theytook her family’s farm?”
Lounodded, his eyes clouding up. “Ididn’t tell them.Iknew it was planned andIdidn’t tell them.”
“Howcould that have helped anyway?”
“Someonehad offered them a fine price for the land.Thatperson would have lost a bundle once the government got involved, but at least my girlfriend’s family would have had a nice sum to build a new home, a new life.”
“Doesn’tthe government pay the homeowner for the property?”
