The female officer looked around.
“Then explain.”
Vanessa gestured broadly.
“This is a carefully managed residential community.”
“All moves must be coordinated.”
The officer nodded toward Marcus.
“He coordinated it.”
“With management.”
“Yes.”
“But not with me.”
The officer stared at her for a moment.
Then asked:
“Is there a separate written requirement that says residents need your personal permission?”
Vanessa hesitated.
That was enough.
Marcus noticed.
The neighbors noticed.
The officers definitely noticed.
Vanessa recovered.
“There are established procedures.”
“Written?”
“Some.”
The male officer folded his arms.
“Which written procedure is he violating right now?”
Vanessa looked at the truck.
At Marcus.
At the rule packet.
Then toward the houses.
Nothing appeared.
Her voice sharpened.
“This is exactly why communities deteriorate.”
Marcus laughed once.
He could not help it.
Vanessa spun toward him.
“You think this is funny?”
“I think you called the police because I followed the instructions.”
“You have an attitude.”
The female officer stepped slightly between them.
“Let’s keep this simple.”
She pointed toward Marcus.
“He owns the property.”
Then toward the truck.
“The truck is legally parked.”
Then toward the rule sheet.
“The paperwork appears consistent with the rule you provided.”
Vanessa stared.
“So you’re refusing to enforce community standards?”
The officer’s expression became almost sympathetic.
“We don’t enforce private neighborhood preferences unless there’s a law involved.”
“This is a violation.”
“Then document it through your normal civil process.”
Vanessa opened her mouth.
The male officer suddenly looked beyond her.
His eyes narrowed.
Marcus followed his gaze.
The bright red SUV.
Vanessa’s vehicle sat diagonally along the opposite curb.
It was not merely close to the fire hydrant.
Its rear half was directly in front of it.
Worse, the front of the SUV extended into the temporary emergency-access zone marked by red paint.
The male officer pointed.
“Is that your vehicle?”
Vanessa turned.
Her expression changed.
For the first time since arriving, confidence disappeared completely.
“That?”
“Yes.”
She hesitated.
“It’s mine.”
The female officer looked toward it.
Then toward the hydrant.
Then back.
Vanessa stepped quickly.
“I only parked there because of the truck.”
Marcus stared.
The male officer asked:
“How long?”
“Ten minutes.”
Greg quietly said:
“More like thirty.”
Vanessa whipped around.
“Nobody asked you.”
The officer did.
“Sir?”
Greg shrugged.
“She was parked there when we arrived.”
Marcus nodded.
“She was.”
Vanessa’s face flushed.
“I was monitoring the situation.”
The female officer walked toward the SUV.
She crouched slightly.
Looked at the curb.
Then the hydrant.
The distance was obvious.