Chapter 13 - THE COMPANY
Dawson Outdoor Works was not fake.
That mattered.
Real employees.
Real projects.
Good reviews.
Ryan had built it over twelve years.
Then expanded into larger municipal landscaping contracts.
Bought equipment.
Leased warehouse space.
One major client delayed payment.
Another project ran over budget.
Fuel costs rose.
Cash evaporated.
He took short-term loans.
Then another.
Bridge loan was supposed to consolidate.
Without it:
Potential insolvency.
I felt grief.
Not sympathy exactly.
Ryan had built something real.
Then endangered it through secrecy.
Brooke? Let's call office manager Melissa Grant? Too reused. Use Aaron Wells.
Aaron Wells, his controller, told investigators:
“I asked Ryan whether Rachel approved.”
“What did he say?”
“She will.”
Future tense.
No approval.
Aaron refused to submit final guarantee.
May you like
Ryan did it himself.
That helped prove intent.
