That morning he carried a clipboard and a roll of bright orange caution tape.
“Mara, this isn’t a good look,” he said.
“For the person who dumped it, I agree,” I replied.
Victor tried to laugh.
“I got a call about a maintenance emergency.”
Elaine asked who had called him.
He pointed at Gloria without speaking.
The older woman explained that Victor had the equipment to clean a contaminated pool and could provide an immediate estimate.
I asked who authorized work on my property.
Neither answered.
Victor examined the water and said a complete drain might be necessary.
He listed chemical treatment, pump inspection, disposal charges, and an emergency labor premium.
His estimate came to almost four thousand dollars.
My actual pool service charged a fraction of that for ordinary cleaning, and no qualified person could determine the necessary treatment from a glance.
“You’re not touching the pool,” I told him.
Victor placed his clipboard against his chest.
“If this spreads to a health complaint, it could cost a lot more.”
Elaine looked startled.
“There isn’t a health complaint,” she said.
Gloria interrupted with a speech about neighborhood standards and declining property values.
She said my refusal to cooperate proved that I didn’t care about the children living nearby.
For the first time, her eyes stopped following me and settled on Victor.
He glanced toward his watch.
“We should get something in writing before the county shows up,” he said.
I understood that they were not improvising.
They had rehearsed a problem and prepared its solution.
But I still didn’t know why Gloria wanted me to accept a fraudulent cleaning bill.
My phone buzzed with a message from Paige.
She had downloaded the birdhouse recording and sent a screenshot to my phone.
The image showed Victor standing outside Gloria’s garage at seven forty-three that morning.
He was loading three black bags into the trunk of her car.
I looked back up at him.
“What kind of emergency needs the contractor to supply the trash?” I asked.
Victor’s easy smile disappeared.
CHAPTER 5: THE CAR THAT STAYED TOO LONG
The first patrol car arrived while Victor was still deciding how to answer.
Deputy Lena Ortiz parked by my mailbox and entered through the side gate after I invited her inside.
She asked everyone to remain separated while she established who lived at the address.
Gloria announced that she was a concerned senior citizen reporting a health hazard.
Victor said he had been called for an estimate and didn’t want to get involved in an argument.
