About you? Reed's laugh was bitter. I suspected as soon as Thomas's will was finally fulfilled, the mysterious heir who matched the coded description, the carpenter from Chicago with the Brook's name. It wasn't hard to connect the dots. Then you know why Thomas chose me to find what he left behind.
Because your blood, Reed spat the word like a curse. As if that matters more than loyalty, more than the years I spent helping my father rebuild after Thomas destroyed everything. Ethan saw the pain beneath Reed's anger, the lifetime of resentment and loss that had shaped him. "I'm sorry about your mother, about what you went through. But Thomas wasn't responsible for that.
The evidence I found, I don't care about your evidence," Reed shouted, his careful facade finally crumbling completely. "For 45 years, I've lived with the consequences of what Thomas Blackwell did. I've watched this town decay, watched families struggle, all because one man couldn't accept that he'd lost the company. Fair and square. Fair and square?
Ethan challenged. Is that what you call embezzlement and fraud? Because that's what William Grant was doing. Stealing from the company, planning to close the mill, destroying livelihoods for profit. Reed's hand moved toward his jacket, and for a terrifying moment, Ethan thought he might be reaching for a weapon.
Instead, he pulled out a cell phone. "This conversation is pointless," Reed said, his voice suddenly cold and controlled again. "I've tried reason. I've tried generosity. Now, we'll do this the hard way. " He dialed a number, his eyes never leaving Ethan's face.
"Jim, it's Reed. Proceed with the inspection tomorrow. Full code enforcement, no exceptions. " He paused, listening. "Yes, I understand the property is historic. " "No, no exemptions. If it's not up to code, I want it condemned.
He ended the call with a smug smile. Jim Parker is the county building inspector. He owes me several favors. By this time tomorrow, that mansion will be declared uninhabitable, and you and your son will be looking for a new place to live. You can't do that, Ethan protested.
There are legal processes, appeals, which take time and money, neither of which you have. Reed straightened his jacket. Unless, of course, you reconsider my offer. $200,000. You can be out of Riverdale by the weekend. Start fresh somewhere else.
Ethan felt a surge of anger, but controlled it. Getting into a physical confrontation with Reed would solve nothing and might jeopardize everything Thomas had worked to preserve. I'll think about it, when he said, forcing a neutral tone. Reed smiled thinly. Good.