We followed the channel.

About seventy yards from my property, we found a newly installed decorative berm.

It looked harmless.

But it redirected runoff toward the street.

And from there, the street sloped directly toward my property.

My wall had been compensating for a drainage problem I hadn't created.

Tom shook his head.

"They're trying to make your wall the problem."

"Why?"

He didn't answer immediately.

Then he pointed toward a row of expensive homes.

"Those houses."

I followed his finger.

The houses sat on slightly higher ground.

But their backyards were closest to the retention basin.

If the basin overflowed, those properties would be hit first.

Unless the water was redirected.

Toward my side of the neighborhood.

I felt my stomach tighten.

"How long?"

"Hard to say."

I stared at the landscaping.

"Could they have done this before I built the wall?"

Tom nodded.

"Possibly."

"And the wall stopped it."

"Probably."

I looked back at my house.

Suddenly, the HOA's obsession with removing the wall made sense.

The wall wasn't an eyesore.

It was evidence.

As long as it stood, everyone could see exactly where the water was being redirected.

The Board Comes Back

Two days later, Arthur returned.

This time, he brought Linda and a uniformed security contractor.

I was sitting on my porch.

Arthur didn't bother with small talk.

"Frank, this is your final warning."

I held up my coffee.

"About?"

"The wall."

"I told you my answer."

"We're prepared to enforce the violation."

"Based on what?"

"The covenants."

"Show me."

He handed me another document.

I read it.

Then I laughed.

Arthur frowned.

"What's funny?"

"This doesn't say you can remove a flood-control structure."

"It says the association can correct unauthorized structures."