The insult-ridden fence burned in my mind. Arthur’s relentless assault on our lives demanded a counter-attack. Chloe’s quiet observation about Wayne Finch gave us a path.
“Finch is the weak link, Mom,” Chloe said, her jaw set. “And he’s careless.”
Chloe, with her university credentials and a sharp mind, logged onto the county’s public land records database. Hours passed in quiet intensity. The only sounds were the tap of her keyboard and the rustle of papers.
“Here it is,” she whispered, her finger tracing a line on the screen. “Eleanor’s estate. The official tax valuation from two years ago? Finch appraised it at just over a million dollars.”
My eyes widened. “$150 acres of prime waterfront in Oakhaven for a million? It’s worth four times that!”
“Exactly,” Chloe confirmed. “He undervalued it by over $3 million. That lowered the property taxes for Eleanor just before Arthur swooped in. It made the ‘sale’ price seem more legitimate.”
She continued scrolling. “And look at this. These aren’t official filings, but they’re listed as ‘personal valuation workbooks’ associated with Finch’s notary license. Says he keeps a set in his ‘work vehicle’ for quick reference.”
“Blackmail,” I breathed. “He kept his own records as insurance against Arthur.”
The next day, Arthur Pendelton held a community rally at the Oakhaven town hall, advocating for his new resort project. The air buzzed with excitement as residents listened to his promises of jobs and prosperity.
While Arthur distracted the crowd, Chloe slipped away. She walked past Finch’s beat-up sedan, parked carelessly near the back entrance. She saw the familiar binder on the passenger seat.
Quickly, she opened her phone. I watched from a distance as she pretended to tie her shoe, her fingers working swiftly. She activated a recording app.
Finch emerged from the town hall, his face flushed, talking heatedly into his phone. He slammed the car door, then started to pace.
“Arthur, you promised!” Finch’s voice was high-pitched, frantic. “Fifty thousand! You owe me! You told me it was ‘pre-sold’ to those investors. You made me falsify that appraisal, dammit!”
Chloe’s phone captured every word. Finch’s desperate pleas, his accidental confession. He was begging Arthur for his unpaid bribed share. Arthur’s greed was unraveling his own conspiracy.
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