Children wore swimming goggles.
Everyone expected a celebration.
At 9:58, Mallory's news van arrived.
At 9:59, a sheriff's cruiser stopped two streets away.
At exactly 10:00—
Evan pressed the remote.
The system responded.
Every unauthorized rental code died.
The gate locked.
CLUNK.
Linda stared at the keypad.
She entered her code.
Rejected.
Again.
Rejected.
The crowd began murmuring.
Linda tried a third time.
The screen changed.
USER LINDA CALDWELL — ADMINISTRATIVE PRIVILEGES REVOKED.
Linda's face turned red.
Then she saw Evan.
He stood behind the gate.
"Open it!"
"No."
"These guests paid!"
"They paid you."
"This is an HOA facility!"
Evan raised the remote.
"Not according to the deed."
Linda grabbed the gate.
"Unlock it before I call the police."
"Call them."
She did.
The Witnesses
The renters were confused.
A father holding two children's towels stepped forward.
"You told us this was a private resort amenity."
"It is," Linda said.
"Then why can't we enter?"
"Technical problem."
The red screen told a different story.
PRIVATE PROPERTY OF EVAN BROOKS.
ALL COMMERCIAL ACCESS REVOKED.
A woman pulled out her phone.
"I paid $400."
Another renter checked her receipt.
"I paid separately for a VIP pass."
Linda's control over the crowd began to disappear.
They weren't her customers anymore.
They were witnesses.
Mallory stepped out of her news van.
"Mrs. Caldwell."
Linda turned.
"Did your company collect fees for access to this pool?"
"No comment."
The renter holding the receipt looked at her.
"Then what did we pay for?"
No one answered.
Minutes later, Deputy Ellery Landry arrived.
Linda hurried toward him.
"Officer, this homeowner has locked paying guests out of a community amenity."
Deputy Landry looked through the gate.
"Did he threaten you?"
"He said I'd leave in cuffs."
"Did you attempt to enter his property?"
Linda's eyes narrowed.