THIS HOUSE IS NOT YOURS

The payment list identified dozens of officials, inspectors, attorneys, and shell companies.

Above every transaction appeared the same authorization code.

HC-01.

Priya traced the code to Helena Crown, founder and controlling owner of Meridian Crown Development.

Helena was one of the state’s most influential business leaders. She donated to hospitals, universities, and housing charities. Her photograph appeared regularly beside governors and celebrities.

Publicly, she had retired five years earlier.

Privately, she still approved every major acquisition.

Ethan’s notes showed that Helena had built Meridian by targeting land above underground water reserves. She purchased the land cheaply through intimidation, then sold water access to municipalities for enormous profits.

The development projects were merely camouflage.

Helena released a public statement denying any knowledge of criminal activity.

She blamed Mason, Councilman Vale, and several “unsupervised junior employees.”

Then Nora received an invitation.

Helena wanted to meet privately.

Priya advised against it, but investigators suggested Nora attend while wearing a recording device.

The meeting took place in a glass conference room on the highest floor of Meridian’s headquarters.

Helena was nearly seventy, elegant and perfectly calm.

“You look younger than I expected,” she told Nora.

“You knew who I was?”

“I knew who Ethan was.”

Helena offered Nora twenty million dollars for the farmhouse and the water rights.