Daniel Mercer was notified.
The number was examined through lawful investigative procedures. Initial records associated it with a prepaid phone account, but the investigators were able to identify a connection to a contractor who had previously performed work for Victor Hale's development company.
The contractor was Daniel Price's associate.
The connection did not automatically establish who had made the call. Further verification was required.
However, the timing was difficult to ignore.
The threat had arrived shortly after the federal investigation began examining the traffic stop and the property complaints.
Daniel Mercer arranged additional security measures for Richard while the team assessed the threat.
Elena wanted to remain at the property, but her professional responsibilities required her to return to Washington for several meetings.
She did not want to leave her father alone.
Richard noticed her concern.
Richard Brooks: "You don't have to stay here every minute. I can take care of myself."
Elena: "I know you can. But someone just threatened you."
Richard Brooks: "I've lived through worse things than a phone call."
Elena: "That doesn't mean we ignore it."
Richard looked at her.
Richard Brooks: "Your mother used to say that you always wanted to carry every problem yourself."
Elena smiled faintly.
Elena: "She wasn't wrong."
Richard Brooks: "Then don't make the same mistake. Let the people whose job this is handle it. You have enough responsibilities already."
Elena sat beside him.
For a moment, the investigation seemed far away. They were simply a father and daughter sitting in the kitchen of the house where Elena had grown up.
Richard had taught her how to drive on the same rural roads where Grant had stopped them. He had helped her prepare for university, encouraged her to apply for opportunities she thought were beyond her reach, and never questioned her decision to work in public service.
Now he was telling her to trust the process.
Elena nodded.
Elena: "We'll handle it properly. I promise."
The following week, investigators interviewed several former employees of Victor Hale's development company.
One of them was Rachel Morgan, a former administrative manager who had worked in the company's property acquisition division.
Rachel had left the company months earlier after becoming uncomfortable with some of the methods used to pressure landowners.
She had initially been reluctant to speak.
She worried that the company might retaliate against her or attempt to damage her professional reputation.
After learning that the investigation involved threats and potentially manipulated police records, she agreed to provide documents she had retained from her time at the company.
The most important document was a spreadsheet.
It contained a list of property owners whose land was required for the proposed development corridor. Beside several names were notes describing their willingness to sell, their financial circumstances, and the level of resistance they had shown during negotiations.
Richard Brooks's name appeared on the list.
Next to it was a short note:
"Refuses all offers. County channels may be required."
Several other entries contained similar comments.
Rachel explained that the spreadsheet had been used internally to track difficult negotiations.
Investigator: "What did 'county channels' mean?"
Rachel Morgan: "I wasn't responsible for those conversations. But I understood that some people in management wanted the local authorities to make things difficult for owners who refused to cooperate."
Investigator: "Did you personally hear anyone say that?"
Rachel Morgan: "Yes. I heard Victor Hale discuss it during a meeting."
Investigator: "What exactly did he say?"
Rachel took a breath.
Rachel Morgan: "He said the company could not force people to sell, but there were other ways to make them reconsider. He mentioned inspections, complaints, and making sure that anyone who refused to cooperate understood how expensive it could become."
The investigator asked whether Rachel had any supporting records.
She produced several emails.
One message referred to Daniel Price as someone who could help establish a record of concern about certain property owners.
Another discussed the need to coordinate with people in the county before making further offers.
The messages did not prove that every complaint or incident had been arranged by the company. But they showed that the development team had discussed using local administrative processes to pressure unwilling sellers.
Rachel also identified a meeting that had taken place shortly before the traffic stop.
According to her recollection, Victor Hale had become frustrated because Richard Brooks continued refusing to sell.
Rachel Morgan: "He said the old man was becoming a problem. He wanted the property cleared before the next stage of the project."
Investigator: "Did he mention Elena Brooks?"
Rachel Morgan: "Yes. He knew she had returned from Washington. He said she could make things more complicated if she started asking questions."
The investigator waited.
Rachel Morgan: "He also said that people in the department knew how to handle situations like that."
This statement was important, but it still required corroboration.