CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY THREE - Racing Against Time

As she dug deeper, a name kept coming up: Victor Reeves, a rival developer who had been in a bitter dispute with Thornton over a prime piece of real estate in the center of town. "Lucas," Ella said one night, spreading out the notes she had gathered on the kitchen table. "I think I might be onto something here." Lucas looked at the scattered papers with a mix of concern and curiosity. "What have you found?" Ella explained her discoveries about the rivalry between Thornton and Reeves. "It's not much," she admitted, "but it's a potential motive. More than we had before, anyway." Lucas nodded slowly, but his expression remained troubled. "Ella, I'm worried about you getting too involved in this. It could be dangerous." Ella reached out, taking his hand. "I know you're worried, but I can't just sit back and do nothing. This is our life, our business. I have to do something to protect it." Despite Lucas's concerns, Ella continued her investigation. She reached out to contacts in the b