Chapter 120 The Pressure Points
Alex: POV
I hung up with Mark, his words echoing in my head. "Dig deeper. Find out what's really driving him. Everyone has pressure points."
Pressure points. The phrase conjured images of martial arts movies where the hero takes down opponents with a single well-placed finger jab. But in this case, I needed to find Frank Donovan's metaphorical weak spot—whatever was really driving his opposition to the Riverwalk project.
I paced the small inn room, my mind racing.
Grabbing my phone, I scrolled through my contacts until I found Neco, Blake's former security guy who now ran his own PI firm in San Francisco. He answered on the second ring.
"Alex Hamilton. Long time no hear. Blake in trouble again?"
I laughed. "Not this time. I need some background research on someone. Discreetly."
"That's what I do best. Who's the mark?"
"Frank Donovan. Environmental scientist in Marin Village. Leading the opposition to a development project I'm working on."
"Timeline?"
"Yesterday would be nice."
Neco chuckled. "I'll see what I can do. Basic background check or deep dive?"
"Deep dive. Something's off about his reactions, especially when I mentioned certain villagers. I need to know what's really driving him."
"Got it. I'll call when I have something."
After hanging up, I tried to focus on refining my redesign, but my mind kept circling back to Frank. Something wasn't adding up. His protest seemed too personal, too raw to be purely about environmental principles.
My phone buzzed around midnight—Neco, much sooner than I'd expected.
"You're not going to believe this," he said, skipping pleasantries. "Your Frank Donovan is on the payroll of Nexus Development."
"What?" I sat bolt upright. "Nexus is our main competitor for this project. They lost the bid to us six months ago."
"Exactly. And they've been paying Donovan ten grand a month since then. Regular transfers to an offshore account."
My mind raced. "So he's stirring up opposition to tank our project so Nexus can swoop in?"
"Looks that way. But there's more. Frank's a single dad with a seven-year-old daughter named Anna."
"That's not unusual."
"No, but his financial situation is. He's drowning in debt—mostly medical bills from when Anna was born with a heart condition. And get this—he's been fighting to get her into Westlake Academy in the city. It's one of the best schools for kids with special needs, but tuition is astronomical."
"And Nexus is helping foot the bill," I guessed.
"Bingo. After Anna was rejected due to 'financial considerations, Frank suddenly had enough for the deposit and first semester's tuition."
"Shit." Now his intensity made sense. "So he's not just a corporate shill. He's a desperate father."
"Exactly. And there's one more thing. Frank's environmental credentials? They're legit—he used to work for the local EPA office right there in the village until budget cuts three years ago. He's been struggling to find steady work since then, cobbling together consulting gigs while raising Anna alone."
"What happened to her mother?"
"Died during childbirth. Complications related to a pre-existing condition. Insurance wouldn't cover all the costs, hence the medical debt."
I whistled low. "You're worth every penny, Neco. Can you send me all this?"
"Already on its way to your email. Encrypted file. Password is 'pressure points.'"
After thanking him, I spent the next hour combing through the documents Neco had sent. Bank statements showing the payments from a Nexus shell company. Medical bills with staggering totals. The rejection letter from Westlake Academy, followed by an acceptance letter dated just two weeks after the first Nexus payment.
By morning, I had a plan. I showered, dressed in my sharpest suit, and headed straight for Frank's cabin.
He was chopping wood again when I arrived, as if it were his morning ritual. His expression darkened when he saw me.
"I told you we're done talking," he called, embedding his axe in the chopping block with unnecessary force.
"I think you'll want to hear what I have to say," I replied calmly, approaching with an envelope in hand. "Unless you'd prefer I share it with the village council first."
Something flickered in his eyes—wariness, maybe fear.
"What are you talking about?"
I handed him the envelope. "Proof that you've been taking money from Nexus Development to sabotage our project."
His face went pale as he scanned the contents. When he looked up, his expression had shifted from defiance to resignation.
"Come inside," he said quietly. "Anna's at school."
Once seated at his kitchen table, I looked around the modest cabin. Photos of a smiling little girl with Frank's eyes covered the refrigerator.
A pile of children's books sat on the counter next to what looked like medication bottles. A colorful backpack hung by the door, covered in unicorn stickers.
"You want coffee?" Frank asked mechanically.
"Sure."
As he busied himself with the coffee maker, I noticed his hands were shaking slightly.
"What are you going to do with this information?" he asked, his back still to me.
"That depends on you."
Frank placed a steaming mug in front of me and sat down heavily. "I guess you want me to explain."
"I think I understand most of it. Anna needs Westlake Academy. Nexus offered a way to make that happen."
He looked surprised, then wary. "You've been thorough."
"I like to know who I'm dealing with."
Frank ran a hand through his hair. "Look, I'm not proud of what I've done. But when your kid needs something—something that could change her whole life—you do what you have to do."
"Tell me about Anna."
The question seemed to catch him off guard. He studied me for a moment, as if trying to determine if this was some kind of trap.
"She was born with a congenital heart defect. Had three surgeries before she was two." His voice softened. "She's smart as a whip, but she struggles with physical activity and gets tired easily. The local school doesn't have the resources to accommodate her properly."
"And Westlake does."
He nodded. "They have an adaptive physical education program, a full-time nurse, smaller class sizes. It's perfect for her. But it costs more than I make in a year."
"So when Nexus came calling..."
"Yeah." Frank stared into his coffee. "They knew exactly what buttons to push. Said they'd cover Anna's tuition through high school if I helped tank your project. Made it sound like I'd be protecting the environment anyway, so what was the harm?"
"And the ten grand a month?"
He had the decency to look ashamed. "That was for... extras. Private therapy sessions, specialists not covered by insurance. And yeah, some of it was just for me. Do you know how exhausting it is being a single parent to a kid with special needs? I haven't had a vacation in seven years."
I sipped my coffee, letting silence fill the space between us. Frank wasn't a villain—just a desperate father who'd made a bad choice.
"The villagers trust you," I said finally. "They believe you're fighting for their best interests. How do you think they'll feel when they learn you've been manipulating them for cash?"
"Are you threatening to expose me?"
"I'm offering you a way out." I pulled out my redesigned plans. "This version addresses all the legitimate environmental concerns. It preserves the forest, protects the creek, and creates opportunities for local businesses."
I flipped to a page showing the community benefits package. "It also includes funding for a scholarship program at the local school—specifically for children with special needs or medical conditions."
Frank's head snapped up. "What?"
"Full funding for specialized teachers, equipment, transportation to medical appointments if needed. Basically, everything Anna would get at Westlake, but right here in Marin Village."
"Why would you do that?"
"Because it's the right thing to do. And because I think you're not the only parent here struggling with these issues."
Frank stared at the plans for a long moment. "And what about Nexus?"