Episode 1, Scene 4
MOUNTAIN VIEW ESTATES CONSTRUCTION PROJECT, NORTHWEST OF DENVER
Richard Stone sat behind the wheel of his GMC Yukon and stared out the windshield at the unfinished houses that were supposed to have been the crowning achievement of his construction company, a dream he desperately wanted to become a reality.
But the housing crisis and a failing economy were destroying that dream.
500 luxury houses with beautiful landscaping, a gated community for the upper-middle class residents of the Denver metropolitan area.
When he had announced the plan two years earlier, he had had people lining up to buy the houses, most putting down large deposits for their plots and waiting for the houses to be finished so that they could move in.
It had taken over a year to get the land set up with the proper substructures like sewage, electricity, cable television and such. Another 3 months were taken to lay out the road beds, meaning construction of the houses had begun right at the time in which home sales had started to fall.
Richard had soon found that the people who had placed deposits for a home in Mountain View Estates were no longer willing to purchase the homes, And that he couldn’t find buyers for houses that were not yet built.
A week earlier, Richard had had no choice but to slow construction in Mountain View Estates to the bare minimum. This meant that only one small team was working on one house at a time in order to get the few houses that were still going to be occupied built.
He noticed another truck driving up, coming to a stop next to his Yukon. He stepped out and met with his brother, Franklin.
“Not a pretty sight,” Franklin said as he stepped out of the truck.
“No, it’s not,” Richard agreed with a sigh. “Maybe one day I can get it finished.”
“Maybe,” Franklin said. “But it will be without the North Quarter.”
“What happened?” Richard asked.
“We were outbid for the Overton Ranch,” Franklin replied. “It’s been bought by Kincaide Industries.”
Richard just shook his head and laughed. “Of course it has. Lorraine always manages to be the one to get what I am after.”
“To be honest, Richard, I don’t blame her on this one,” Franklin said. “Overton Ranch is right next to her own ranch, and you know how protective she is of her ranch. There would be no way she would let you build right up to her property line.”
“The irony of it is that Mountain View Estates runs right up to the Overton Ranch,” Richard said. “So I will still be right up against her property.”
“True, except that Overton means nothing to her,” Franklin replied. “It’s a buffer for her.”
Richard just nodded his head and started to slowly walk toward the construction trailer that sat near the finished park in the center of the construction area. Franklin walked next to him.
“It’s all over, isn’t it?” Richard asked as they walked.
“I’m hoping it’s not,” Franklin said. “But the writing seems to be on the wall, doesn’t it?”
Richard sighed. “Yes, it does.”
“What brings you out here today?” Franklin asked.
“A meeting with the Stone River Properties people,” Richard said.
Franklin shook his head. “I’d like to know how Harold managed to pull it off.”
Richard chuckled a bit. “He took a chance, and I will honestly admit that I didn’t read the contract I was signing when he decided to put up the money. I just signed it, thinking it would be the same deal as we have always done.”
“He pulled a fast one, that’s for sure,” Franklin said.
“He didn’t do anything I wouldn’t have done had I had the same opportunity,” Richard replied.
“Is that why he’s coming?” Franklin asked. “To take over the place?”
“Probably,” Richard replied. “We’ll find out when he shows up.”
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