Frank didn't flinch. He leaned calmly against the mower's vibration dampener, holding a manila folder in his calloused hand.
"Funny," Frank said in a slow, steady drawl that carried across the stalks. "My family owns this whole valley."
Chapter II: The Judge's Seal
Victoria tossed her blonde hair with contemptuous arrogance, letting out a sharp scoff.
"You're trespassing on zoned residential expansion buffer land! The developer deeded this corridor to the HOA last month, and your noisy agricultural machines violate our community nuisance bylaws!"
Deputy Rodriguez took the manila folder from Frank's hand, opening the crisp parchment inside. As his eyes scanned the embossed gold notary stamp and the bold black ink, the deputy's posture immediately straightened into formal attention.
"Ma'am," Deputy Rodriguez said, his voice dropping into a serious, measured tone. "This document is a certified Federal Land Patent and Perpetual Agricultural Preservation Charter... signed directly by Chief Senior District Judge Harrison Miller."