At 11:45, the first porch light came on.
Then another.
Then another.
The Hendersons restarted their fog machine at half power.
Mrs. Bell placed her caramel apples outside.
The Ortegas put out a bowl with a sign:
TAKE TWO BECAUSE KAREN CAN'T COUNT.
Rachel made them remove it.
Luis replaced it with:
TAKE TWO.
At 11:52, the confiscation bin was still beside the mailbox.
One guard watched it.
He looked young, bored, and deeply regretful.
Priya, Julie, Luis, and I approached with our phones recording.
The guard stood.
“I was told no one can take that.”
Priya said calmly:
“That bin contains property taken from children without parental consent.”
The guard glanced toward Karen's dark house.
“She said it was HOA evidence.”
Luis raised an eyebrow.
“Evidence of what?”
The guard said nothing.
Julie stepped forward.
“My daughter's bucket is in there.”
The guard looked at her.
Then at the cameras.
Then at the bin.
“I’m not touching anybody.”
He stepped back.
Julie opened the bin.
Candy wrappers rustled.
Children nearby leaned forward.
Then Emma's bucket appeared.
Julie pulled it out.
She held it against her chest.
And began crying.
That was when the cheering started.