Elijah Lockwood stalked from one end of his Auckland-based office to the other, tracking a path across the lush carpet. Outside the window, the pinnacle of the Sky Tower stood prominently against the skyline.

“You told me we’d have the go-ahead a month ago,” he barked to the foreman on the other end of the phone. The man was handling his latest development, in a hick town fast on its way to becoming a tourist hotspot. “I have a timeline to work to. Now I have to adjust it. I have tradesmen booked. Engineers and interior designers I’ll have to reschedule. Remind me why we’re having these problems.”

“A few of the locals aren’t cooperating,” the foreman explained. “They’re throwing up roadblocks wherever possible.”

“Why?” Eli asked, beginning to pace again, forward toward the window looking out over the central business district, then back to the dark mahogany desk. “And how many?”

“Just a handful. They’re campaigning to ‘keep it local’. Complaining that their businesses will lose customers.”

Eli groaned and rubbed his temples. “This will be good for them. They’re just too set in their ways to see it. What can I do to smooth things along?”

He wasn’t generally a diplomatic person. Not charming or good at handling people. But he did have a talent for frightening them into submission. It wasn’t his preferred tactic. He slept better at night when business was amicable, but he understood that scare tactics were sometimes necessary.

“Maybe you could come down here and deal with it yourself,” the foreman suggested. “Conflict isn’t really my thing.”

Eli glanced at his calendar, which was booked full of meetings and appointments for the foreseeable future. No personal time, no time off. He hadn’t dated in months, rarely saw his family, and had long since lost contact with all the friends who weren’t also colleagues. He simply didn’t have the time.

Massaging his temples again, he thought of the time and effort he’d put into this latest project. His decision to build in the small town was a first, but he’d done his research, and the tourism industry in Itirangi was growing exponentially. Dozens of wealthy men and women were purchasing holiday homes there, and the local accommodation was booked months in advance.

This investment would pay off in spades. The research said so, the numbers said so, and most importantly, his gut said so. Eli was a logical man, but he had a really good feeling about this, and he was willing to make sacrifices. Unfortunately, taking time away from his office in New Zealand’s largest city was nigh on impossible.

“I’ll think on it,” he said. “In the meantime, do what you can.”