17. Finding Additional Notes
During the restoration, the mechanic found an envelope tucked deep under the driver’s seat. Inside were more sketches, detailing a “power source” Lionel envisioned that could recharge on its own. He hadn’t completed it, but it resembled today’s regenerative braking systems. This revelation left everyone in awe. Lionel had conceived designs that were only now being manufactured—decades after he’d disappeared.
18. Revisiting Rhodes’ Disappearance
As the restoration continued, the town’s curiosity about Lionel’s fate grew. Mr. Langston recalled that Lionel had been under considerable pressure from investors, many of whom dismissed his ideas as unrealistic. His financial troubles had forced him into seclusion. Some believed he’d left to start over; others thought he’d gone into hiding. But one thing was clear—Lionel Rhodes wasn’t just an eccentric dreamer. He was a visionary too advanced for his time.