On a second read-through, I'm not sure I get the whole "package of white powder" thing. In fact, I'm not sure why Bentley needs to be talking on the phone at all, either time. Why does he have a conspirator (Vern) in his quality corn-fertilizing?
It's not really necessary to show that something sinister is up, beyond the suspicious tale of Marge's death. If you cut VI and VII, and trim V a bit, it still flows properly into VIII.