Bag.
Pool.
Fence.
Planter used to climb.
Footprints.
Margaret’s slippers.
Reynolds looked at the robe.
Then at the fence.
“You climbed over dressed like that?”
Margaret glared.
“That is irrelevant.”
“Probably.”
Brooks asked:
“How did you enter the property?”
Margaret pointed toward Daniel.
“He refused inspection access.”
“That was not my question.”
Silence.
Brooks repeated.
“How did you enter?”
Margaret sighed.
“Over the fence.”
“Did Mr. Carter give permission?”
“No.”
“Do you have a warrant?”
Margaret stared as if insulted.
“HOAs don't need warrants.”
“For private entry, they need some lawful authority.”
“Our covenants allow inspections.”
Daniel said:
“Exterior visible inspections from common property.”
Margaret snapped:
“Stay out of this.”
Brooks looked at Daniel.
“Do you have the covenants?”
“Inside.”
“Later.”
Then she looked at the pool.
“Where did the syringes come from?”
Margaret's answer changed.
She no longer said Keller found them near the walking path.
Now:
“I discovered them already near the pool.”
Sophie whispered:
“No, you didn't.”
Margaret looked toward her.
Brooks noticed.
“Mrs. Whitmore.”
“Yes?”
“You just said you found these near the pool.”
“Correct.”
“Did you bring the black bag?”
Margaret hesitated.
“Yes.”
Brooks stared.
“So the syringes were already here, but you brought an empty black bag?”
Margaret's face tightened.
“I used it for collection.”
“Collection?”
“Yes.”
“You collected them?”
Margaret nodded.
“Then how did they end up back in the pool?”
Silence.
Daniel looked down.
He almost felt embarrassed for her.
Brooks waited.
Margaret finally said:
“I may have dropped the bag.”
“All of it?”
“It tore.”
Daniel’s daughter looked at her phone.
Brooks followed the glance.
“What is on that recording?”
Daniel played it.
Nobody spoke during the video.
After it ended, Brooks asked:
“Can you replay the part where Mr. Keller hands her the bag?”
Daniel did.
Reynolds leaned closer.
“That's Douglas Keller?”
Daniel nodded.
“HOA vice president.”
Brooks looked at Margaret.
“You told us you collected the items near the pool.”
Margaret said nothing.
“But the video appears to show you receiving the bag outside the property before climbing the fence.”
No answer.
“You also told Mr. Carter the board would condemn his pool?”
Margaret’s eyes flickered.
Daniel said:
“She did.”
Brooks looked at Sophie.
“Did you hear that?”
“Yes.”
Brooks turned toward the neighbors watching from beyond the yard.
A woman named Lisa Monroe raised her hand.
“I heard part of it.”
“You were here?”
“I came after I heard yelling.”
“What did you hear?”
“Margaret said something about getting the pool condemned.”
Margaret snapped:
“You have always hated me.”
Lisa laughed.
“That's not evidence that I'm deaf.”