Can I file a mechanic's lien?

I'm a general contractor who provides tree services to my customers. I was contracted by the occupant/owner (at least he said he owned the property and residence) of a residence located in St. Louis county, MO. After completing 90% of the job the occupant/owner sent a text message telling me not to come back and that he had moved the Bobcat I had rented to complete his job from his backyard out into the street in front of his residence and that I had better hurry if I wanted to retrieve said property. He also kept my climbing rope and carabineer as I had left them on the base of the tree I was planning on dropping that day (the day he sent the text telling me not to come back). He knew going into the job that it was a $3,500 contract of which he paid $200 cash on day 2 of the job. The day he said not to return would have been day 4 (and the final day) of the job. He will not acknowledge any invoices and ignores all attempts to call/speak with him. Since he refuses to communicate I began the process of putting a lien on his property during which I discovered he is not the owner of the property, his sister is. I am unsure how this effects my right to file a lien. So, can I put a lien on the property despite the fact that my contract was with the occupant, not the owner? And if I can, what do I need to do and how do I do it? If I can't put a lien on the property since the contract was made with the occupant not the owner what recourse do I have? Is there anything I can do to try to get him to honor our contract and pay his bill?