Then she walked away.
That evening, my neighbor Jake sent me screenshots from the community app.
Someone had begun posting warnings about me.
DANGEROUS FUEL STORAGE IN WILLOWBROOK.
PROPERTY VALUES AT RISK.
WHY IS THE HOA ALLOWING THIS?
Most residents defended me.
But something caught my attention.
Three accounts were aggressively attacking me.
All three had been created within the same week.
Their profile photographs looked like stock images.
I saved everything.
Years of police work had taught me something simple:
Never argue with evidence.
Collect it.
The next morning, two strangers arrived at my house.
They didn't knock.
They began photographing my property.
I stepped outside.
"Can I help you?"
A woman holding a tablet said they were conducting an insurance assessment.
"My insurance company didn't schedule one."
She hesitated.
"Sir, we have legitimate business."
"Then show me identification."
The man beside her stepped forward.
"I strongly suggest you return inside."
I smiled.
"I strongly suggest you leave my property."
They left.
Two hours later, I received a phone call.
"Mr. Kellerman?"
"Yes."
"This is Rick Santos from Apex Investigations."
I knew the company.
"What can I do for you?"
"I think you need to know that Brenda Ashworth hired us to investigate you."
I leaned back.
"What kind of investigation?"
"She requested anything illegal, embarrassing, or compromising. She offered a $5,000 bonus for information that could result in your arrest or removal from Willowbrook."
I was silent.
Then Rick said something that made me laugh.
"When we ran your background, we discovered who you were."
"And?"
"She's trying to dig up criminal dirt on the local police chief."
I rubbed my forehead.
"She doesn't know?"
"Apparently not."
Rick told me Brenda had refused to believe him when he explained my position.
She had demanded that he keep investigating.
I thanked him.
That afternoon, dispatch called.
"Chief, we have a complaint against you."
"From?"
"Brenda Ashworth."
I closed my eyes.
"What does she claim?"
"Stalking. Intimidation. Abuse of authority."
I almost laughed again.
"Assign it to Lieutenant Martinez."
"You're recusing yourself?"
"Of course."
If Brenda wanted to accuse the police chief of misconduct, the investigation needed to be completely independent.
Two hours later, Lieutenant Maria Martinez sat across from me at my kitchen table.