A Deal With God

Chapter 11: The Notebook

Hopper's week was being taken over by two very distinct preoccupations: Will Byers' episodes occurring at a daily rate and the pumpkin poisoning case. He preferred the rhythm where one occupied a day each, not both overlapping before lunch, but here he was. He had pulled into the station — after stopping by the Byers House at Joyce's request — to find Eugene McCorkle already there waiting for him, truck bed full of rotten pumpkins.

"So you're telling me that Merrill poisoned your farm because he thinks you poisoned his, which, of course, you didn't?" Hopper spoke, trying to get the story straight.

"No sir, and I got an alibi the night he accuses me. My Jenny and her boys were in town. I was with them all night," Eugene explained.

"Did you actually see Merrill?" Hopper asked.

"No need. That man done lost his mind. Went around slandering me, threatening all sorts of madness," Eugene replied in a huff.

"A pumpkin conspiracy, Chief," Powell chuckled.

"Hawkins' very own Chinatown," Callahan joked.

"Listen, Merrill threatening to do something and him actually doing something are two very different things," Hopper said, leaning forward on the desk.

"You got a better explanation?" Eugene challenged.

"Cold weather," Hopper shrugged.

"It's October," the farmer replied.

"Yeah, it's a cold one," Hopper tried to rationalise.

"You see these hands?" Eugene asked, raising his hands up.

"Yeah," Hopper replied, wondering where this was going.

"You know why they look like that?" Eugene questioned.

"Because you're old?" Hopper replied, Callahan laughing.

"You're damn straight," he said putting his hands back down. "And I've been doing this a long time, Chief. A long time. And I ain't never seen anything the likes of this. None of us have."

"'None of us'?" Hopper inquired, that statement standing out to him.

"Oh, Merrill didn't just hit me last night. He hit damn near everyone," Eugene responded.

"What are you talking about?" Hopper asked.

"Jack O'Dell, Pete Freeling, Rick Neary, the Christensens. All of their crops, dead," Eugene replied, indignation building up again.

"Merrill couldn't have done all of that by himself," Hopper tried to rationalise, fishing out a notepad from the desk drawer.

"No, but he probably had associates. What about that Byers' girl that's always lurking in the woods?" Eugene suggested.

"Young lady, aren't you supposed to be in school?" Hopper heard Flo ask from the front desk. He glanced over his shoulder to see the very girl in question then looked down at his watch. Yes, she is supposed to be in school right now, Hopper rolled his eyes.

"Well, would you look at that. When you speak of the Devil," Eugene muttered under his breath.

"I have a free period," Quinn shrugged. "May I speak to the Chief please?"

"Quinn, come here," Hopper called, motioning her over with his hand. She glanced at the four men in turn before crossing the precinct over to them.

"Can you share with Eugene here what it is you do out in the woods?" Hopper asked, standing up and motioning for her to take the open seat. She looked up at Hopper questioningly. He nodded at her, trying to be reassuring. She unzipped the top of her backpack and pulled a notebook out.