“You know where they are?”
“Obviously.”
Mason’s tone sharpened.
“Where?”
“Troy has them.”
“Where?”
She hesitated.
“Some storage facility.”
Wade said:
“You just offered to release them.”
Marissa stared at him.
“You stole our fleet.”
“No.”
He pointed toward the yard.
“You drove your fleet onto private property after being told to leave.”
She looked at Mason.
“You’re going to let him get away with this?”
Mason answered:
“I’m currently more interested in the twenty-two vehicles removed overnight using a county order I cannot locate.”
Marissa’s mouth tightened.
“Give me ten minutes.”
“To do what?”
“Get his vehicles back.”
Mason looked at Wade.
Then Marissa.
“That sounds less like a misunderstanding every time you talk.”
She said nothing.
By 6:41, twenty-three association vehicles were gone.
The remaining six were deeper in the yard.
At 6:48, Calvin began loading Marissa’s executive SUV.
She stood in front of it.
“Move away from the vehicle,” Mason said.
“This is mine.”
“It belongs to the association?”
“It’s assigned to me.”
“Move.”
She stepped aside.
The SUV went up.
As it tilted, Wade saw a leather portfolio slide from the passenger seat to the floorboard.
Large gold lettering on the cover.
HOLLISTER ACQUISITION – PHASE TWO.
Wade pointed.
“Mason.”
Mason saw it.
Nobody touched the folder.
The vehicle remained in place temporarily while Mason contacted an investigator and Rebecca discussed evidence preservation with him.
Marissa saw what they were looking at.
Her face changed.
“That is privileged association material.”
Mason said:
“Then don’t touch it.”
“I need my documents.”
“No.”
“You have no warrant.”
“I haven’t searched it.”
He pointed.
“I’m preserving what is visible until we determine next steps.”
Marissa reached for the passenger door.
Deputy Morgan stepped between them.
“Do not open the vehicle.”
Marissa stopped.
The final association vehicle left Wade’s gravel at 7:06.
Not before sunrise as Marissa later claimed.
Sunrise had already begun turning the horizon pale.
But by the time the sun cleared the trees, Blackridge’s yard operations had effectively collapsed.
Twenty-nine association vehicles now sat at Roark Towing’s licensed storage lot awaiting release procedures.
Wade’s twenty-two vehicles remained missing.
And the woman who had intended to take control of his property before breakfast was now standing beside an empty yard while investigators examined whether the order she used hours earlier had ever legally existed.
The next phase moved more slowly.
And that was worse for Marissa.
Fast conflict rewards confidence.
Investigations reward records.
Wade had records.
Camera footage.
Emails.
Deed.
Plat.
Prior offers.
Violation letters.
Rebecca’s preservation demand.
Marissa’s written confirmation.
The overnight paperwork.
The threat at the fence.
The old emergency key history.
Calvin’s tow logs.
Mason’s body camera.
Every piece fit another.
At 8:12, investigators located Wade’s vehicles.
Traffic camera review showed the Redline convoy traveling south on Route 18.
A Redline driver, questioned after being identified from video, gave the location rather quickly.
Industrial warehouse off Cooper Road.
Leased to Pemberton Asset Logistics LLC.
Wade had never heard of it.
Neither had Rebecca.
Mason obtained appropriate legal authorization before entering.
Wade waited outside until investigators cleared the location.
Troy Kessler was there.
He looked as though he had aged several years since 2:13.
“I was given an order.”
Mason asked:
“By who?”
“Blackridge.”
“Who specifically?”
Troy glanced at Wade.
“Marissa.”