Then he saw it.
The new route would pass through the three properties.
But there was still one problem.
His property.
The route would terminate at his boundary.
The investigator continued.
“They still need you.”
Marcus nodded.
“That's why they're back.”
“Yes.”
Someone in the room asked:
“What do they want?”
The investigator answered.
“An easement.”
Marcus leaned back.
“Again.”
“Again.”
Marcus laughed quietly.
Nobody else did.
“They really don't learn.”
The investigator looked at him.
“They're counting on you getting tired.”
Marcus stared at the map.
That was exactly what Patricia had done.
She had counted on him becoming exhausted.
She had counted on him deciding that fighting was too expensive.
She had counted on him saying yes just to make the problem disappear.
But Marcus had spent his entire career investigating people who relied on exhaustion.
He knew how that strategy worked.
Pressure.
Delay.
Confusion.
Money.
Social embarrassment.
Threats.
Then a final offer.
A person who didn't know the pattern might surrender.
Marcus knew it.
And now he knew something else.
They had underestimated him again.
The investigator pointed toward another document.
“This came in yesterday.”
Marcus took it.
It was a letter.
An official-looking notice from a private property management company.
It claimed Marcus's property was subject to a historical access agreement.
Marcus read the document.
Then laughed.
“What?”
The investigator looked at him.
“This easement doesn't exist.”
“How do you know?”
Marcus pointed to the legal description.
“Because they copied the wrong parcel number.”
The room went quiet.
Marcus continued.
“This parcel is two streets away.”
The investigator stared.
“You're sure?”
Marcus smiled.
“I know my property.”
He placed the paper on the table.
“They're trying to scare me with a fake document.”
A lawyer in the room picked it up.
“That's significant.”
Marcus nodded.
“Very.”
The investigation accelerated.
The document was traced.
It had been created by an employee of the shell company.
That employee had received instructions from a consultant.
The consultant had connections to Patricia.
The circle closed again.
But this time, Marcus wasn't surprised.
He was ready.
A week later, someone came to his house.
It was late afternoon.
Marcus was in his garage when he heard a knock.
He opened the side door.
A man stood on the driveway.
Late forties.
Gray suit.
Calm expression.
No visible anger.