"I was studying these bonds. They're worth a lot, aren't they? " "More than a lot," Ethan confirmed, pouring himself coffee. Thomas converted his legitimate assets to bearer bonds before he disappeared. With compound interest over 45 years, we're looking at somewhere around $28 million. Noah's eyes widen.
28 million. That's enough to fix the mansion a 100 times and enough to do a lot more. Ethan agreed. But first, we need to make sure Reed doesn't force us out before we can implement our plan. Their strategy session was interrupted by the arrival of Martha's sedan, followed closely by Sheriff Davis's patrol car.
Martha carried a basket of fresh muffins while Davis brought news. "I bought you some time," he announced without preamble. "Parker's inspection is delayed until tomorrow afternoon. " "Something about emergency assessments in the county flood zone. " His smile was grim. Not entirely untrue given last night's storm. That gives us about 30 hours, Ethan calculated.
To do what exactly? Martha asked, setting out her muffins. Alexander Radia spent decades building his position in this town. Monarch Development owns half the commercial real estate and has the town council in his pocket. But he doesn't own the truth, Ethan replied.
And now neither does he control all the money. He outlined his plan developed during the sleepless night as rain pounded the mansion's roof. Using Thomas's hidden fortune, they would establish a foundation to revitalize Riverdale, starting with the purchase and restoration of the abandoned steel mill. "Not to reopen it as a mill," he clarified, seeing Martha's skeptical expression. "That economic model is gone, but the buildings are structurally sound, perfect for a conversion to a technical training center.
We'll teach modern construction skills, traditional craftsmanship, sustainable manufacturing, creating jobs while preserving traditional skills, Davis nodded approvingly. Thomas would have liked that. But what about Reed? Noah asked. He won't just let us do this.
That's where the evidence comes in, Ethan explained. We don't need to destroy Reed personally, but we do need to neutralize his influence. These documents prove that Monarch Development seed money came from funds William Grant embezzled from Blackwell Steel. That makes the company's foundation illegitimate. "Reed will fight this with everything he has," Davis warned.
"He's got powerful attorneys, political connections. So, we don't fight on his terms," Ethan countered. "We make this public in a way he can't control or suppress. " The plan took shape throughout the morning. Martha would contact former mill workers and their families, many of whom still lived in Riverdale. Davis would quietly gather support from local business owners who'd suffered under Monarch's monopolistic practices.
Meanwhile, Ethan and Noah would prepare the evidence for presentation at the town council meeting scheduled for that evening. Reed always attends, Davis explained, uses it to maintain his public image as Riverdale's benevolent developer. Perfect, Ethan smiled. A captive audience is just what we need. As they dispersed to their tasks, Noah tugged at Ethan's sleeve.