The Amish Clockmaker Read Online Free PDF Page A

rifling through a thick row of hanging file folders.
    He found the document he sought and pulled it out. “Take a look at this.”
    I took the page from him and studied it, Daed and Amanda flanking me to get a look as well.
    It was identical to the map I’d produced with one critical difference. This map was missing a small portion of our homestead, a long, narrow rectangle that ran between the tack store and our westernmost property line. The rectangle on this page marked the space as being separate from rest of our property, and in its center was the numeral “23.”
    Kenny scratched his head. “I don’t know what to say. All I’ve been told is that we’re planning to buy that portion of land to use in Phase II of our development project.”
    â€œBut it’s not a separate portion,” Daed explained. “Our map clearly shows that it’s part of our farm.”
    â€œAnd my map shows that it isn’t. Look, I’m just as confused as you. Like I said, you’re gonna have to talk to our lawyer. In the meantime, you can’t do any more work over there until this matter gets cleared up. Understand?”
    â€œWhat I understand,” I replied, anger pulsing through my veins, “is that this whole thing is ridiculous. Zooks have been living on that land for the past sixty years—and will still be living here sixty years from now. Including lot twenty-three, which we have every intention of expanding on.”
    Leaning back in his chair, Kenny offered an exaggerated shrug. “Hey, go ahead. Build all you want. But in the end, when I’m proven right, you’re just going to have to take it all back down.”
    â€œProven right?” I demanded. “Are you kidding me?”
    Sitting forward again, he slid open the desk drawer, rifled through its contents, and pulled out a business card that he handed over. “Like I said, talk to the lawyer. I hope he can straighten out this ownership issue nice and quick.”
    â€œThere is no ownership issue!” I shouted in a voice that reverberated around the trailer’s metal walls. At my side, Daed let out a soft grunt, which was his way of telling me to calm down. I took a deep breath and blew it out. “ We’re the owners,” I continued at a lower volume. “It says so on our deed. Wherever this map of yours came from, it’s obviously old and out of date.”
    â€œSorry,” he said, taking the page back from me and setting it on the desk, “but this map came from the city clerk’s office within the last year or two. It was acquired when Starbrite was scouting properties for a hotel.”
    â€œStarbrite?” I asked, the name sounding vaguely familiar.
    â€œThe resort’s management group, Starbrite International. Anyway, the people there liked this spot but wanted a little more acreage, so they lookedinto purchasing the various neighboring properties—including yours, I imagine. Though obviously you declined to sell.”
    I nodded, realizing now why the name sounded familiar. I remembered when the hotel people made an offer for our homestead. Daed had very clearly turned them down, though we’d been surprised to learn that our next door neighbors had not. Instead, they had chosen to sell and move away. Since then, not only had we missed them as friends and fellow church members, we’d also been suffering from the fact that their land could have separated our homestead from the new resort. By selling out, our former neighbors had left us with no buffer at all—except, of course, for the portion of our own property we were debating about now.
    â€œAnyway,” Kenny continued, “we were able to acquire enough of the neighboring properties to proceed as planned. The only step we lack is the acquisition of lot twenty-three as well. But that is in the works.”
    I narrowed my eyes. “You said you’re in negotiations to