The boot came off.
Rebecca inspected the wheel.
No visible damage.
She photographed it anyway.
Officer Park took down the details.
Wrong plate.
Private driveway.
Incorrect classification.
Contractor authorization.
Security footage.
Patricia's statements.
When the officer left, Rebecca turned to Marcus.
"Do not argue with her anymore."
Marcus looked surprised.
"Why?"
"Because you're angry."
"I am."
"And angry people talk."
Marcus smiled.
"So what should I do?"
Rebecca picked up her coffee.
"Collect records."
"That's it?"
"That's everything."
She looked toward Patricia.
"Let her explain herself in writing."
Patricia's face tightened.
Rebecca smiled politely.
"People are often more honest when they have time to edit."
The Paper Trail
At 1:14 that afternoon, Marcus sat at his kitchen island and searched his email archive.
He typed one word:
Parking.
Thirty-eight messages appeared.
The oldest warning was eight months earlier.
UNREGISTERED GUEST VEHICLE — SILVER HONDA ACCORD
Marcus remembered the car.
His mother had visited for four hours.
He had immediately replied to the HOA, explaining that guests were permitted.
Patricia had responded:
Future unregistered guest vehicles may result in enforcement.
Marcus had asked which rule required a four-hour guest to register.
She never answered.
Two months later:
REPEAT VEHICLE VIOLATION — BLUE FORD PICKUP
That had been a plumber.
He was there for ninety minutes.
Marcus had disputed the violation.
The fine was eventually removed.
Then came a white van.
Appliance repair.
Again, the notice was withdrawn.
Marcus kept scrolling.
Finally, he found the photograph associated with the current case.
A dark SUV.
Plate ending in 742.
Marcus opened it.
The image was grainy.
He enlarged it.
The vehicle was parked near a curb two houses away.
It wasn't even in his driveway.
Different wheels.
Different rear lights.
Different body style.
Marcus leaned back.
Someone had taken a photograph of one vehicle and attached it to his property.
Then the license plate had been entered incorrectly.
Two separate errors.
He opened the image again.
The address associated with the violation was 4189 Sonoran Ridge Drive.
Marcus's address.
But the vehicle appeared closer to 4198.
He searched the HOA records.
4198 belonged to a man named Aaron Mills.
Marcus knew him vaguely.
He continued searching.
Then he found something worse.
An email from Desert Compliance Services.
Property classification updated by client request.
Marcus's pulse increased.
He searched the vendor's name.
Nothing.
So he called.
A man named Jason Feld answered.
"Desert Compliance Services."
"My name is Marcus Bell. You handled a booting order at my address this morning."
There was a pause.
"Yes, sir."
"I have a question."
"Go ahead."
"Why was my property classified as HOA-controlled parking?"
Jason hesitated.
"Our system had the address marked as private residential."
Marcus sat upright.