Jonah told them Basin Crown planned to purchase six more farms on Thursday.
The meeting would happen at town hall.
If all six families signed, Conrad would control nearly every parcel surrounding the valley’s central water corridor.
Sarah asked whether the old cooperative deed could stop the purchases.
“Not directly.”
“Then what does it do?”
“It gives the families standing to challenge the diversions.”
Daniel looked toward the maps.
“And if the tunnels are shut?”
“The wells recover.”
“How fast?”
Jonah shook his head.
“Nobody knows.”
Sarah folded Adelaide’s letter.
“Then we keep those families from signing long enough to find out.”
That became the plan.
Sarah copied every document that night.
One packet went to a lawyer in the next county.
Another went to the territorial water office.
Jonah supplied internal diversion records.
Daniel contacted families named on the original cooperative deed.
Nobody was told more than necessary.
Not because Sarah enjoyed secrecy.
Because Conrad Vale had spent decades buying information before other people could use it.
This time, she wanted him to learn last.
On Thursday morning, Conrad stood behind the town hall table convinced he was closing another set of distressed purchases.
Then Sarah arrived carrying Adelaide’s box.
Daniel followed.
Jonah entered last.
Conrad recognized him immediately.
“Mr. Mercer.”
“Conrad.”
“What are you doing here?”
Jonah removed his company badge.
“Finishing something.”
Sarah placed the cooperative deed beside the sale contracts.
Six farmers leaned closer.
She told them the hills contained enough underground water to support much of Sun Hollow. She explained that Basin Crown had diverted part of that network onto its northern property.
Conrad laughed.
“Mrs. Whitcomb has spent too much time eating plants.”
Several people laughed nervously.
Sarah expected it.
Then Jonah placed Basin Crown engineering records beside the deed.
The laughter stopped.
Tunnel numbers matched Adelaide’s map.
Diversion dates matched years when specific wells began dropping.
Company reports estimated how quickly farms would lose productivity.
One phrase appeared repeatedly.
Acquisition opportunity following water stress.
An old farmer read it aloud.
Nobody laughed after that.
Conrad called the records stolen.
Jonah answered that originals had already been delivered to investigators.
Then Sarah held up the cooperative deed.
Families began recognizing names.
Fathers.
Grandfathers.
Great-grandparents.
They had not inherited failing farms from foolish people.
They had inherited shared water rights nobody remembered existed.
One woman began crying.
Another pushed the sale contract away.
Then Daniel stepped forward.
“My father helped them find the first spring.”
The room turned toward him.
Sarah squeezed his hand.
Daniel continued.