“And the liquid floating on the pool says gasoline.”
Vivian pointed at me.
“He may have put something else inside.”
I raised my phone.
“The recording starts before I entered the terrace.”
Officer Ramirez watched it.
Twice.
Then she asked Vivian:
“How did you enter the property?”
“I used an emergency access credential.”
“Who issued it?”
“The management company.”
That answer was about to become very important.
The Black Access Fob
Officer Ramirez asked Vivian to surrender the electronic credential.
She refused.
“You have no right to take HOA property.”
“You identified it as an emergency credential,” Officer Ramirez replied. “Now we need to know why you had it.”
Vivian insisted she had left it at home.
My security system disagreed.
The device was still within twenty feet of the gate.
Officer Ramirez noticed a small rectangular shape in Vivian's pajama pocket.
“Place the access device on the table.”
Vivian reluctantly pulled out a black fob.
Officer Ramirez placed it into an evidence bag.
Then Detective Marcus Hill arrived.
He had spent years investigating insurance fraud, contractor schemes, and property crimes.
He studied the pool.
Then he looked at me.
“Has this woman entered before?”
“Not that I could prove.”