"Mrs. Vance," Attorney Greene said, his voice carrying effortlessly across the silent room. "We are here to serve you and the Homeowners Association with a multitude of legal notices."

Greene opened his briefcase and began laying thick stacks of paper on the table in front of Eleanor.

"First," Greene said, "is a lawsuit for trespassing and the illegal destruction of private property. Attached are twenty-one time-stamped photographs proving that you ordered and supervised the demolition."

Eleanor scoffed. "The bridge was an abandoned structure!"

"It was a registered historical landmark on private property," Greene corrected smoothly. "Second, you are being served by the telecommunications company. By destroying the bridge, your excavator severed a major fiber-optic trunk line. They are suing the HOA for the cost of emergency repairs, loss of service, and damages, estimated currently at 1.2 million dollars."

The room gasped. Eleanor’s face went pale.

"But wait, there's more," Greene continued, a predatory smile forming. "These gentlemen from the EPA are here to issue severe citations. By collapsing the bridge into Silver Run, you have obstructed a federally protected waterway and polluted a protected trout spawning habitat. The fines are $25,000 per day. It has been three days. You currently owe $75,000, and the meter is running until the creek is fully restored to their exact specifications."

Eleanor was shaking now. "We... we didn't know! The contractor was supposed to check!"