probably only one person in the world had been interested in whether the old man lived or died , and he 'd been the first to know . already his hands were at the snap of her jeans , working that open and then tugging at the zipper . he talked to the tractor as he shut down the main valve . before she 'd been angry , but now she looked crazy and fully capable of murder . `` you have helped , '' he said as he sat beside her . 