“Those bushes are going to die without regular water,” I said.

“We can’t just walk up to the house and start uncoiling his garden hose,” Luke said.

“That’s trespassing.”

“I’ll promise the out-of-state owner I’ll water them myself,” I said.

Luke wiped a thick layer of sweat and dust from his forehead.

“You’re going to track down a rich stranger in Denver just to water some bushes?” he asked.

“I’m going to track him down so we have a documented reason to be standing on the property,” I said.

Luke stared at the dry lilac bushes for a long time.