That was why Hadley's first offer had offended him.
She had appeared at his door with a pound cake.
She introduced herself as the HOA president.
Then she saw the Mustang.
Her eyes widened.
“How much?”
Sterling smiled politely.
“It's not for sale.”
She laughed.
“Everything has a price.”
“Not this.”
Hadley had smiled.
“We'll see.”
Sterling should have recognized the warning.
Instead, he dismissed it.
He wouldn't make that mistake again.
The First Fine
Three weeks later, Sterling received his first HOA violation.
The Mustang was supposedly harming neighborhood appearance.
The attached photograph showed the car sitting inside his garage.
The fine was $200.
Sterling stared at the notice for several seconds.
Then he laughed.
Tate looked over from the kitchen.
“What?”
“Your mother would have loved this.”
“What happened?”
“Apparently my car is ugly.”
Tate walked over and read the notice.
“It's literally inside the garage.”
“I noticed.”
Sterling paid the fine.
Tate frowned.
“You're actually paying it?”
“For now.”
“Why?”
“Because I want to see what happens next.”
A second violation arrived three weeks later.
Excessive engine noise after quiet hours.
Sterling checked his security system.
The Mustang hadn't been started once during the alleged period.
He paid again.
Then came a third complaint.
Oil stains on the driveway.
Sterling walked outside.
There was indeed a dark puddle near the garage.
But the Mustang hadn't moved for nine days.
He checked his cameras.
The spill occurred just outside the strongest camera angle.
Near the air-conditioning unit, Sterling found an empty red oil container.
He photographed it.
Placed it in a plastic bag.
Wrote the date.
Then filed it away.