He looked directly at Diane.

“I found out why you've been trying to force me off this land.”

Chapter 3: The Secret Beneath the Fields

Five days earlier, Walter had been cleaning his old office.

The room was filled with dust and old wooden cabinets that had belonged to his father. Noah had offered to help, but Walter had sent him outside to repair the tractor.

While pulling open an old drawer, Walter discovered a brown envelope stuck behind it.

Written across the front were the words:

For Walter. If anything happens, keep this safe.

The handwriting belonged to Diane's father.

Walter hadn't seen him in more than twenty years.

Inside were copies of old county planning documents.

A development company had once planned to purchase land throughout the Millbrook area. They wanted to build a resort, shopping center, and luxury housing.

But there was one problem.

Walter's farm sat directly in the middle of the proposed development.

Walter had refused to sell.

Soon afterward, the project was cancelled.

At least, that was what everyone believed.

Inside the old files, Walter found another document.

A geological survey.

Beneath Millbrook Farm was a massive underground water source.

Large enough to provide water to the entire region for decades.

Walter stared at the document for a long time.

Suddenly, everything began to make sense.

A year earlier, Diane had started taking an unusual interest in the farm.

She had asked Walter whether he wanted to sell.

He refused.

Then representatives from several companies began appearing.

Walter still refused.

After that, the administrative problems started.

Environmental inspections.

Road notices.

Equipment permits.

And finally, the chain across the gate.

Diane didn't simply want the land.

At least, not because of the land itself.

She wanted control of the water beneath it.

Walter handed the documents to Sheriff Cole.

The sheriff's expression changed.

“Ms. Caldwell.”

Diane looked at him.

“I think we need to have a serious conversation.”

“My lawyer will—”

“No.”

Cole interrupted.

“First, you're going to answer some questions.”

Diane stared at Walter with hatred.

“You have no idea what you're destroying.”

Walter remained calm.

“Then explain it.”

Diane gave a bitter laugh.

“You think this little farm can survive forever? This town needs to grow.”

“How?”

“Jobs. Housing. Businesses.”

“And money.”

Diane looked at him.

Walter continued.

“How much money were you promised?”

She didn't answer.

Noah stepped closer.

“Were you going to take our water?”

Diane turned toward him.

“This isn't a child's concern.”

Noah raised his phone.

“But you made it everyone's concern when you livestreamed in front of our home.”

Diane looked down at her phone.

She had forgotten to end the livestream.

Thousands of people had been watching.

Her shouting.

Her claim that the farm “didn't belong here.”

Walter telling her to move the SUV.

The moment he showed her the order.

And the exact second her face changed when she saw the words COUNTY CALDWELL.

Everything had been broadcast live.

Comments flooded the screen.

Why does she have the key?

Why is a county official locking private property?

What is she hiding?

Diane quickly turned off the phone.

Too late.

Cole ordered the device taken as evidence.

“You can't take that.”

“We can secure it under the investigation.”

Diane stared at Walter.

The panic in her eyes disappeared.

Only anger remained.

“You think you've won?”

Walter looked toward the fields behind him.

“No.”

He said quietly.

“I just want you to stop destroying things that don't belong to you.”

Diane was taken away for questioning.

Before entering the police vehicle, she turned around.

“My father wasn't as good a man as you think.”

Walter didn't answer.

But he couldn't forget her words.

That night, he reopened the old envelope.

At the bottom of one of the letters, he found a sentence he had missed.