They approached.
The lead surveyor raised a document.
“We’re authorized.”
Elias did not touch it.
“By whom?”
“Caldwell.”
“That is not authority.”
“Pending claim.”
“This land is occupied.”
“Disputed.”
Martha stepped forward.
The surveyor looked at her.
Then openly stared at her size.
Elias saw.
His jaw hardened.
Martha saw Elias seeing.
She almost smiled.
The surveyor said:
“Ma’am, best stand aside.”
Martha answered:
“Why?”
“We’re working.”
“So am I.”
He frowned.
“With what?”
“Preventing three men from pretending a private company’s letter is a court order.”
The second surveyor laughed.
Elias looked at him.
He stopped.
Martha continued.
“You may survey from the public trail.”
“You may not drive stakes beside the spring until the hearing.”
The lead man stared.
“You a lawyer?”
“No.”
“Then move.”
Elias stepped beside her.
Not in front.
Beside.
That distinction mattered.
The surveyor noticed.
“We’ll be back with the sheriff.”
Martha smiled.
“Bring the judge too.”
They left.
Elias watched.
Then looked at her.
“What?”
“You enjoy this.”
“A little.”
He laughed.
The hearing came faster than expected.
Town courthouse.
Small room.
Judge Warren sat at the front.
Martha immediately understood Elias’s distrust.
The judge barely looked at their documents before asking:
“Why wasn’t the original boundary certified?”
Halbrook answered:
“Administrative failure.”
“Whose?”
“Territorial office.”
Judge Warren shrugged.
“That does not create title.”
Martha whispered to Elias:
“He decided before we arrived.”
Elias whispered:
“I told you.”
Caldwell’s attorney presented clean papers.
Professional maps.
Experts.
Money buys organization.
Elias had tax receipts.
Witnesses.
History.
Graves.
Martha watched the judge.
Not the lawyers.
Every time Caldwell spoke, Warren listened.
Every time Halbrook spoke, Warren looked at the clock.
Then Martha saw something.
A map.
Caldwell’s survey.
North boundary.
She leaned toward Halbrook.
“The creek.”
“What?”
“Look.”
He did.
The map showed Mill Creek entering the parcel from northwest.
But current creek flowed east.
Halbrook frowned.