That was enough to tell him that he had touched something important.
"I would prefer to discuss the matter inside," she said. "But if you don't want me to enter, we can speak here."
Daniel considered the request.
He had learned from the previous day's confrontation that a person who appeared official did not necessarily possess unlimited authority. He also understood that refusing to cooperate with a legitimate investigation could complicate matters unnecessarily.
"May I see your identification again?"
Rebecca held it closer to the opening.
He examined the badge number, the county seal, and the identification card. Everything appeared consistent, although he knew that appearances alone proved very little.
"Do you have a case number?"
"Yes."
She wrote it on a small card and passed it through the opening.
Daniel removed the chain.
"All right. Come in."
Rebecca stepped into the entrance hall and immediately noticed the damage.
"Was this reported to the police?"
"Yesterday afternoon. I have the incident number and the security footage."
"Good. Keep both."
Daniel led her into the kitchen, where he had already prepared coffee. He offered her a cup, but she declined.
Instead, she opened her briefcase and removed a folder containing several maps.
"I need to establish whether you have observed any unusual activity near the suspected access point," she explained. "Have you noticed construction crews, excavation, unusual odors, discolored soil, or standing water?"
"Not recently. I discovered an old metal pipe while building a small shelter several months ago. It appeared to be part of the original drainage system."
"Did you photograph it?"
"Yes."
"May I see the photograph?"
Daniel brought his laptop to the table and opened the relevant folder.
Rebecca studied the image carefully.
Then she placed one of her maps beside the screen.
The two images were not identical, but the pipe's apparent direction matched the line shown on the map.
"Where exactly was this taken?" she asked.
Daniel indicated the location.
Rebecca marked it with a pencil.
For the first time since arriving, she looked genuinely concerned.
"Mr. Mercer, I need to explain something. The pumping station was decommissioned more than twenty years ago, but the records concerning its closure are incomplete. Some of the underground infrastructure was documented as sealed. Other sections were never conclusively inspected."
"Why?"
"The original contractor dissolved before the final verification report was submitted. The municipality subsequently transferred the maintenance responsibility, but the transfer documents did not include a complete inventory of the underground system."
Daniel stared at the map.
"So nobody knows what's down there?"
"Not exactly. We know what was supposed to be there. We don't know whether the system was fully sealed, whether every connection was accounted for, or whether subsequent work altered its condition."
"What happens if it wasn't sealed?"
Rebecca folded her hands.
"That depends on what remains inside the system and whether it has any connection to surrounding soil, groundwater, or active utilities."
Daniel thought of the seven properties marked on Westbridge's acquisition map.
"Is that why the development company wants these houses?"
Rebecca looked up sharply.
"What development company?"
"Westbridge Development Group. They're trying to purchase seven properties along the eastern boundary. Their community liaison is also the president of our homeowners association."
Daniel showed her the purchase offer, the consulting agreement, and the engineering diagram Kevin had photographed.
Rebecca examined each document without speaking.
When she reached the notation about keeping Phase One undisclosed until acquisition was complete, she stopped.
"Where did you get this?"
"A contractor who was present during the confrontation gave me a photograph."
"Has this been provided to the county?"
"Not yet. I sent a copy to my attorney."
Rebecca took out her phone and photographed the printed pages.
"I can't tell you whether Westbridge has violated any laws based on these documents alone. However, the combination of a planned acquisition, an incompletely documented underground system, and an apparent effort to locate an access point warrants further review."
"Can you stop them from digging?"
"If they're conducting work that requires permits, the county can inspect those permits and determine whether a stop-work order is justified. If there's evidence of an immediate environmental threat, additional emergency measures may be available."
She closed the folder.
"But I need to ask you something else."
Daniel waited.
"Has anyone attempted to enter the area near the pipe without your permission?"
"Richard Harlan was examining the shelter yesterday. I have footage of him crouching beside the rear support beam."
"Did he dig?"
"Not that I could see."
"Did he remove anything?"
"I don't know."
Rebecca looked toward the window.
"Would you be willing to show me the location from a safe distance?"
"Yes."