Yes. Owner permission? No. Harris nodded. Then nobody enters until this is sorted.
Rebecca crossed her arms. You cannot stop valid easement work. I'm not deciding your civil rights. I'm preventing a confrontation. That was exactly what I wanted.
No shouting, no pushing, no one cutting locks, no one doing something stupid because they thought a clipboard gave them magical power. Michael Sloan looked toward Rachel. Can I see the dispute documents? Sure. She handed him copies.
The real recreational use agreement. My father's original signature. The later permanent easement. Same signature image. Notary denial.
My late control confirmation. Copied signature. Michael read quietly then looked at Rebecca. You said Daniel signed the control confirmation. He did.
No, he didn't, I said. Michael turned back to me. You're certain? I know what I signed. Rebecca snapped.
This is exactly what people do when development begins. They deny old agreements because land becomes valuable. Rachel answered. Or people challenge documents because they did not sign them. Michael looked uncomfortable now.
Then a black sedan arrived. Bank representative. I recognized the name when she introduced herself. Angela Morris, Cumberland State Bank. The same lender reviewing Pine Hollow's $4.8 million amenity loan.
She was not supposed to inspect until later in the week. Rebecca looked surprised. Angela, you're early. I changed the schedule. Why?
We received a property dispute notice. Rachel nodded. From me? Rebecca looked furious. You contacted the lender?
Yes. You had no right. Rachel stared at her. My client's property is in your loan package. That ended that argument.
Angela looked around. Lake locked gate. Blue water trucks. Pine hollow signs outside the fence. Then she asked, "Mr.
Brooks, do you own the western shore? " "Yes. " "The boat ramp? " "Yes. " "The dock? " Yes, the lake bed, most of it. Did you grant Pine Hollow permanent management authority? No. Did you sign the lake control confirmation 6 months ago? No.
Angela looked toward Rebecca. Miss Sloan. He disputes it now. No, I said I denied it the first time I saw it. That mattered.
Angela asked Rachel for the county records. She read. Then she called someone at the bank. 5 minutes later, she came back. The lake improvements are suspended from loan valuation pending title review.
Rebecca's face changed. You cannot exclude the lake. We can exclude disputed rights. The lake is our main amenity. Angela looked toward the water.
The lake may be your main amenity in marketing terms. That does not establish ownership. Michael Sloan stepped away from his truck. Does that mean blue water stops? Yes, Angela said, "As far as bank financed work is concerned. " Rebecca looked at him.
Our contract is separate. Michael did not answer right away. That was interesting. Then Angela asked, "Blue Water already received 1.1 million? " Michael nodded. "Mobilization and materials deposit for work on the western shore, among other areas. " Angela looked at me.
Did you authorize any bluewater work? No. Michael's expression changed again. He turned to Rebecca. You told me owner consent was complete.
It was no. Yes. No, Rachel said. Not from Daniel. Michael looked angry now.
Not at me. At his wife. That was the first crack I saw between them. Then Charles Bennett arrived. He was Pine Hollow's treasurer.
He walked quickly toward us, carrying a thick folder. Rebecca, she turned. What are you doing here? Board vote. Her face tightened.
What vote? Emergency vote at 6:30. You held a meeting without me. You were invited. I was here preparing contractors.
Exactly. Then Charles handed Angela a document. Pine Hollow is freezing all lake project payments. Michael looked shocked. Rebecca looked furious.
You cannot do that. We just did. Why? Charles opened his folder. Because we found Blue Water's full contract.
Silence. Michael said, "You had the contract? " "No, we had the summary. " Rebecca stared at Charles. He continued, "The summary listed Blue Water as an independent recreation contractor. It is. " Charles looked toward Michael. "It is owned by your husband. " Everybody went quiet.
Angela looked at Rebecca. Was that disclosed to the lender? Rebecca hesitated. Yes. Charles shook his head.
No. She turned toward him. Michael's ownership was known. Not to the board. Some members knew.
Which members? No answer. Charles opened another page. The conflict disclosure form says Blue Water has no direct relationship to Pine Hollow officers. Michael looked at Rebecca.
That's wrong. Exactly. He seemed genuinely surprised, Rebecca said quickly. It was administrative wording. Charles stared at her.
It asked whether any HOA officer or immediate family member had a financial interest in the vendor. No answer. Then Angela asked the question I wanted answered. What exactly did the 1.1 million cover? Michael turned toward her. equipment reservation, dock materials, engineering, shoreline stabilization, project mobilization, and initial labor.
How much work is complete, design work on Daniel's property? Partly. Did he approve surveys? Michael hesitated. We were given survey access through Pine Hollow.
I looked at him. You entered my land? His face changed. Surveyors did. when about 2 months ago. That explains something.
I remembered seeing orange flags near the western trail. Frank and I thought they belonged to a utility locator. They were not. I looked at Rebecca. You sent surveyors onto my land.
She crossed her arms under the easement. The easement filed three months ago. Silence. But the survey happened two months ago, Rachel said. Rebecca looked away.
Rachel continued. So, shortly after the permanent easement was filed, Pine Hollow started acting like it had development rights. That looked bad. Very bad. Charles then pulled out a second contract.
This is worse. Rebecca's face changed. What? Blue Water's performance bonus. Michael turned.
What performance bonus? Interesting. Even he did not know. Charles read. Upon successful inclusion of Brooks Lake as a permanent Pine Hollow controlled amenity in lender valuation, Bluewater Recreation Partners receives an additional development coordination fee of $400,000.
I stared at Rebecca. Your husband's company gets another 400,000 if the bank accepts my lake as your amenity. Charles nodded. Michael looked stunned. I've never seen that clause.