“Because I'm your dad.”
Sophie sighed, but the tension in her face eased.
He walked her to the school bus stop and watched until she climbed aboard. Only then did he return to the house.
At 8:36 a.m., a white utility vehicle appeared at the eastern end of the street.
It did not turn into Daniel's driveway. Instead, it stopped near the service road, where two men stepped out and began unloading equipment.
Daniel stood behind the front window, observing without leaving the house.
One man wore a reflective vest over a dark jacket. The other carried a tablet and a folded set of plans. They spoke briefly, then walked along the rear boundaries of the neighboring properties.
A third vehicle arrived ten minutes later.
This one bore the logo of a private surveying company.
Daniel took out his phone and called Laura.
“They're here,” he said.
“Who?”
“Two men with equipment, and now a survey vehicle. They're near the eastern service road.”
“Are they on your property?”
“Not yet. They're on the road, as far as I can tell.”
“Stay where you are. Do not approach them. I'm contacting the county and the police to ask whether anyone has authorization to enter the properties.”
Daniel watched as the men placed a tripod near the roadside.
The one with the tablet pointed toward the back of Margaret's property. The other unfolded a plan and held it against the side of the vehicle to keep it from blowing in the wind.
Then a dark SUV pulled up behind them.
Richard Harlan stepped out.
Even from a distance, Daniel recognized the rigid set of his shoulders and the impatient way he moved his hands when speaking. Richard walked directly to the surveyors and began talking. One of them listened, then pointed toward the row of houses. Richard shook his head and pointed again, this time toward Daniel's property.
Daniel felt his jaw tighten.
He called Laura again, but she was already on the line with someone else. He sent her a short message describing what he could see and attached a photograph taken from inside his home.
The survey crew remained near the road.
At 9:02 a.m., one of the men approached the rear fence separating Daniel's property from the service corridor. He carried a small measuring device and glanced down at the tablet.
Daniel went to the back door but did not open it.
From there, he could see the shelter, the fence, and the narrow strip of grass beyond it. The man walked parallel to the fence, stopped near the shelter's rear support beam, and examined the ground.
He did not cross the boundary.
Richard followed several yards behind him.
The surveyor pointed to a spot on the other side of the fence, then looked at Richard. Richard spoke rapidly, making a short chopping motion with his hand.
The surveyor shook his head.
Whatever Richard had asked for, the man did not immediately agree.
A moment later, Richard turned toward Daniel's house.
Their eyes met through the glass.
Richard lifted his chin, as though the sight of Daniel watching from inside confirmed something he had expected. He said a few words to the surveyor, then walked toward the gate.
Daniel remained still.
The doorbell rang.
He did not answer immediately. Instead, he checked the camera feed and saw Richard standing on the front porch, hands clasped behind his back. The surveyor remained near the rear fence, and the other workers were still by the road.
Daniel opened the door but kept the security chain engaged.
“What do you want, Richard?”
Richard's expression was composed, almost pleasant.
“Good morning, Daniel. We're conducting a preliminary review of the drainage corridor.”
“Do you have authorization to enter my property?”
“We're not entering your property.”
“Then there's no reason to be at my gate.”
Richard's smile tightened.
“The association has a responsibility to maintain community infrastructure.”
“The association has not shown me any document authorizing excavation or access to municipal infrastructure. My attorney has requested the relevant records.”
“And we have acknowledged that request.”
“Then please direct any further communication to her.”
Richard leaned slightly toward the opening.
“You're making this more difficult than it needs to be.”
“No. I'm asking for documentation before anyone enters my property.”
“There's an old system beneath this neighborhood. The county may need access. If you obstruct a legitimate inspection, you could expose yourself to legal consequences.”
“If the county needs access, it can contact me through the proper channels. If Westbridge has a valid easement, it can produce the document. Until then, I do not consent to entry.”