"You think you're funny?"
"No."
"You have no idea who my mother is."
Marcus looked at me.
Then at Tyler.
Then at the Mercedes.
"I don't need to know who your mother is."
Tyler stepped closer.
"You touch that car and I'll sue you."
Marcus remained calm.
"You can speak with the towing company's office."
Tyler pulled out his phone.
He called someone.
"Mom."
A pause.
"He's towing the car."
Another pause.
Then Tyler smiled.
"She's coming."
Marcus sighed.
"That's usually how these things go."
Three minutes later, Meredith arrived.
She jumped out of her SUV.
"What are you doing?"
Marcus answered.
"Ma'am, this vehicle is parked on private property after multiple warnings."
She pointed at me.
"He's harassing my son."
I said nothing.
Marcus looked at her.
"Do you have proof?"
"Proof of what?"
"Harassment."
She opened her mouth.
Then closed it.
Tyler shouted:
"Mom, make them stop!"
Meredith walked toward me.
"You'll regret this."
I shook my head.
"I've given you twenty-three chances."
She looked at the sign.
Then at the tow truck.
Then at her son.
"You're going to pay for this."
"Probably."
She blinked.
She had expected fear.
She got honesty.
Marcus began positioning the equipment.
The Mercedes was about to leave my driveway.
None of us knew yet that the tow truck was about to uncover something much more important than a parking violation.
Marcus positioned the wheel-lift beneath the Mercedes.
He crouched.
Then stopped.
"Hold on."
Tyler's expression changed.
"What?"
Marcus didn't answer.
He looked underneath the vehicle again.
"What is that?"
I stepped closer.
Beneath the rear bumper was a thin black cable.
It disappeared into a small metal housing attached to the underside of the car.
Tyler immediately stepped forward.
"Don't touch that."
Marcus looked at him.
"Wasn't planning to."
Tyler's voice changed.
"Just leave it."
Meredith looked at her son.
"Tyler?"
He ignored her.
Marcus straightened.
"Sir, is that equipment yours?"
"Yes."
"What is it?"
"Nothing."
I looked at the box.
It was about the size of a paperback book.
Black metal.
Bolted underneath the vehicle.
"Nothing doesn't usually need bolts," Marcus said.
Tyler stepped toward him.
"Just tow the car."
Marcus shook his head.
"I'm not comfortable lifting it with that attached."
"Why?"
"Because I don't know what it is."
Meredith stepped forward.
"It's aftermarket equipment."
"What kind?"
She hesitated.
Tyler answered.
"GPS."
Marcus looked at me.
I looked at him.
Something wasn't right.
Then one of the mounting brackets snapped.
The box fell.
It hit the concrete.
A small panel popped open.
Inside were wires.
A memory card.
Several tiny electronic components.
And a plastic sleeve containing folded papers.
Tyler went pale.
"Don't touch that."
Marcus immediately stepped away.
I did too.
Meredith stopped moving.
Marcus pulled out his phone.
"I'm calling the police."
"No."
Tyler's voice was suddenly quiet.
"There's no need."
Marcus looked at him.
"There is now."
Tyler took a step toward the box.
Marcus raised a hand.
"Don't."
Tyler stopped.
The police arrived eight minutes later.
Officer Lena Carter approached first.
She examined the box without touching it.
"What happened?"
Marcus explained.
She looked at me.
"Did you authorize anyone to place equipment on your property?"
"No."
She looked at Tyler.
"Is the vehicle yours?"
"Yes."
"Is the equipment yours?"
Tyler didn't answer.
Meredith stepped forward.
"It's just a tracking device."
Officer Carter looked at her.
"Do you know that?"
"Yes."
"Why is it attached underneath the car?"
Meredith hesitated.
"I don't know."
Officer Carter looked toward the second officer.
"Let's photograph it."
The photographs took twenty minutes.
The box was carefully removed.
The memory card was secured.
The papers were examined.
Officer Carter opened the plastic sleeve.
Her expression changed.
She looked at Tyler.
"Where did you get these?"
He said nothing.
The papers appeared to be temporary vehicle documents.
Different names.
Different addresses.
Different vehicle identification numbers.
Officer Carter looked at the Mercedes.
Then at Tyler.
"Step over here."
Tyler shook his head.
"I didn't do anything."
"Then you can explain that."
Meredith stepped between them.
"My son is not being arrested over a parking dispute."
Officer Carter remained calm.
"This is no longer a parking dispute."
Meredith looked at me.
I said nothing.
Tyler stared at the box.
Then at the police.
Then at his mother.
For the first time since I had met him, he looked genuinely afraid.
The Mercedes was impounded.
Tyler was not arrested that morning.
Instead, officers took him downtown for questioning.
Meredith went with him.
I returned to work.
At noon, Marcus called.