“The commercial firm that executed the initial land surveys for George decades ago was a fraudulent corporate tool," Anna revealed, her voice hard and cold. "They were notorious throughout America for coming into historic zones and intentionally refuting legitimate historical claims to clear the path for wealthy developers. Your uncle commissioned two independent surveys back then, but unfortunately, the second firm he hired was simply a cleverly disguised corporate subsidiary of the first company. They lied to him, they manufactured the rejections, and because of the massive political clout behind their parent organization, the state board accepted their word without a single question."
"So they fabricated the entire hoax to ruin your reputation and force George to build the pool," Linda said, her face going pale at the realization.
"Yes," Anna said flatly. "They needed the historical claim erased so the land registry could remain open for future commercial acquisition."
Owen leaned back in his chair, his dark eyes flashing with a sudden, sharp calculation. "Who exactly was the surveying company that ran those fraudulent reports forty years ago?"
Anna fixed her gaze squarely on their shocked faces, delivering the final piece of the corporate puzzle. "It was Wineberg Surveying and Mapping Consultants. And yes, that specific firm is owned exclusively by Dr. Debbi Wineberg's uncle."
LINDA
The heavy mid-morning humidity hung thick over the hotel driveway, but inside the lobby, the air conditioning kept the air crisp and clean. Linda checked her wristwatch, noting the numbers ticking ruthlessly toward her appointment. She reached into her canvas bag, pulling out a faded navy baseball cap and tugging the brim low over her eyes before she stepped through the side exit doors.
She was dressed in a manner that felt completely foreign to her daily routine. Instead of her usual immaculate, tailored linen shorts or her elegant summery blouses, she was wearing plain denim jeans, a simple cotton T-shirt, and old, worn-out sneakers. Even when she spent hours working down at the pool excavation site, she always managed to maintain a touch of classic sophistication in her wardrobe choices. Today, however, she was intentionally aiming for total invisibility. She had a high-stakes, secret rendezvous to catch on the other side of the island, and the last thing she needed was to draw the attention of the local townspeople.
Her plans for a quiet escape vanished the moment she rounded the corner of the shaded veranda and ran straight into Lily, Emma, and Sophia.
"Gran!" Sophia called out, halting her stride on the concrete path. She frowned, her bright eyes narrowing as she took a thorough look at the outfit. "Hey, where are you going?" She looked down, her eyebrows shooting up as she spotted the footwear. "I've never seen you wearing jeans, a t-shirt, and a baseball cap before. Are you actually wearing old sneakers?"
Linda let out a quiet, inward sigh, adjusting the canvas strap on her shoulder. She had to invent a plausible cover story before the girls started digging any further into her sudden stylistic transformation.
"I'm heading out to help Penny look over a few structural details at her new mansion," she lied smoothly.
"Oh!" the three girls said in unison, nodding as they accepted the reasoning without a second thought.
"Can we come with you?" Sophia asked, her expression turning eager. "I love the architecture of that old Mediterranean estate, and I've been dying to look inside the main rooms before the renovations start."
"Uh..." Linda paused, caught off guard by the unexpected request. Her mind raced to find a gentle deflection. "Aren't you girls supposed to be on your way to find Dr. Reed? I thought you were scheduled to assist him and Aunt Anna with the artifact cataloging grids today."
Sophia let out a heavy sigh, her shoulders dropping. "Oh, right. I forgot about the morning shift."
"Maybe you can tag along with me another time, I promise," Linda offered, reaching out to ease the disappointment.
"Okay," the three of them chorused together, their youthful compliance returning.
Linda leaned down, pressing a gentle kiss against the top of her granddaughter's head. "You three go have fun down at the basin," she said, offering them a warm smile. "I really like this kind of fun for you."
Sophia snorted softly, a playful glint in her eyes. "Only because it's educational."
"It's still fun, though." Linda gave a sly grin, tilting her head. "Especially now that a lot of the local high school students are taking part alongside the varsity ones."
Lily let out a deep, dramatic sigh, her posture relaxing. "Oh, yes. Like Colt Harris."
"Oh gosh, yes, and Simon Grady," Sophia added, her eyes instantly taking on a dreamy expression as she adjusted her canvas tote.
"I like Thomas Simpson," Emma chimed in, her cheeks warming with a faint pink flush. "He's so incredibly intelligent, but he's still dreamy."
Linda shook her head with a soft chuckle, her amused gaze drifting over the trio.
*I wasn't going for that...* She gave them a serious, protective look. "Just make sure you stay focused on the safety protocols and be careful out there, okay?"
"Yes, we will," they called back, waving over their shoulders as they turned down the path heading toward the rear pool enclosure.
The moment they were out of sight, Linda bolted toward her vehicle. She checked her wristwatch yet again, her heart quickening its beat. She had to make it to the quiet diner located on the dusty outskirts of town within a matter of minutes, and she was running seriously late.
She navigated the winding coastal roads with practiced efficiency, pulling her sedan into the gravel parking lot of the diner a short while later. Dust billowed behind her tires as she killed the engine, adjusted the brim of her cap, and hurried through the screened front door. Pete, the longtime owner of the establishment, greeted her from behind the laminate counter with a slow, knowing nod. Linda moved closer to the counter, asking in a low whisper if the person she was scheduled to meet had arrived yet.
Pete nodded toward the rear corridor, his voice quiet. "Yes, they're waiting for you in my private office."
