Haley called immediately.
"She's trying to make me think you're unstable."
"That's the point."
"What are you going to do?"
"Nothing."
"Dad—"
"She's trying to move the argument away from the deed."
Haley was silent.
"I'm coming down."
"Stay home."
"No."
Evan smiled despite himself.
Haley had inherited her mother's stubbornness.
"Come July third," he finally said.
"Not before."
Then came Linda's Sunset Pool Mixer.
She advertised it as an exclusive evening event.
Music.
Drinks.
Private pool access.
More than forty renters arrived.
Evan watched from his darkened kitchen.
The backyard filled with strangers.
Music echoed across the water.
Someone climbed onto the bronze turtle.
Evan started toward the door.
Then the man jumped.
His heel struck the fountain.
The bronze turtle broke loose.
It crashed into the pool.
The sound seemed to stop the entire world.
Evan stared as the fountain sank beneath the underwater lights.
Mary Ann's initials disappeared into the blue.
Linda walked toward him holding a plastic cup.
"Come have a drink."
Evan looked at her.
"That fountain is my wife's memorial."
Linda glanced toward the water.
Her expression showed annoyance.
"These things happen at community events."
"This is not a community event."
"It was an unauthorized modification anyway."
Evan wanted to scream.
He wanted to throw everyone out.
He wanted to demand that Linda understand what she had destroyed.
Instead, he turned around.
Pete followed him inside.
Evan sat at the kitchen table.
Outside, strangers continued laughing.
Water sprayed from the broken fountain line.
Pete waited.
Finally he said:
"You've been patient."
Evan stared at the table.
"Patience finished its job tonight."
Procedural
Before sunrise, Evan entered the pool.
The water was cold.
He recovered the broken bronze turtle.
Then he wrapped it in one of Mary Ann's old beach towels.
He carried it to his workbench.
For years, Evan had treated the conflict with Linda as a neighborhood nuisance.
That ended that morning.
He opened his computer.
Created a new folder.
And typed one word.