"Deputy," Thomas said calmly. "Could you please read the name on that county land deed?"
The deputy unfolded the paper, his eyes scanning the official county seal and the property boundaries highlighted in bold ink. His eyes widened. He looked at the paper, then at the lake, then at Brenda, and finally back to Thomas.
"According to this deed, filed twenty-five years ago," the deputy said, his voice carrying a newfound tone of absolute certainty, "Mr. Thomas Hayes is the sole owner of all forty acres of this woodland. That includes the entire shoreline, the dirt access road, and the entirety of Blackwood Lake itself."
Brenda froze. The color instantly drained from her face. Her jaw went slack, and the clipboard slipped slightly in her grip. "That... that is impossible! The real estate agent said the lake was the crown jewel of our community!"
"The real estate agent lied to sell you overpriced houses," Thomas replied, stepping forward and reclaiming his deed. "Your subdivision ends at the ridge, a quarter-mile up that hill. My family has owned this valley since the sixties."