Before he could open anything, the woman spoke again.
"Officer, please be careful."
The homeowner looked at her.
The officer did too.
She continued.
"He's been very aggressive."
The homeowner's face changed.
The Officer looked toward him.
"Have you threatened her?"
"No."
"He was sarcastic."
The officer looked back.
"That's not what I asked."
The woman crossed her arms.
"He told me to get off his lawn."
The officer nodded slowly.
"Was she on the lawn?"
The homeowner answered.
"One foot."
The woman laughed bitterly.
"See how ridiculous this is?"
The officer looked around.
The entire situation already felt strange.
No broken window.
No open door.
No damaged lock.
No signs of forced entry.
The homeowner had gloves.
Yard debris was collected neatly near the curb.
The hedge had clearly been trimmed intentionally.
The trimmer's extension cord ran toward an exterior outlet attached to the house.
That detail caught his attention.
He walked closer.
"Is this plugged into the residence?"
"Yes."
The homeowner nodded.
"My outlet."
The woman's confidence weakened slightly.
The Officer looked toward the side of the house.
The orange extension cable disappeared around the porch column and connected to a weatherproof socket.
He looked back.
"You have access to outside power."
"Yes."
The homeowner almost smiled.
"I live here."
The Officer nodded.
"Okay."
The woman shook her head.
"He could have found the outlet."
The Officer looked at her.
"Ma'am, I'm investigating."
"I'm helping."
"Please stop helping for thirty seconds."
The homeowner looked down to hide his expression.
The Officer turned toward him.
"Your name?"
The homeowner gave it.
The officer entered it into the small device in his hand.
The database returned driver's license information.
The address matched.
He looked at the screen.
Then at the homeowner.
"Your driver's license lists this address."
"Yes."
The woman immediately stepped closer.
"That doesn't prove ownership."
The Officer looked at her.
Now his patience was thinning.
"It proves residence."
"He could be renting."
The Black man looked at her.
"So now I live here?"
She stared.
"That's not what I said."
"You called police because I didn't belong here."
"I said you might not."
"No."
"You told dispatch I was trespassing."
The officer looked toward her.
"You told dispatch he was refusing to leave private property."
She hesitated.
"That's what I believed."
The homeowner shook his head.
The Officer looked toward the house.
"Who else lives here?"
"My wife."
"Is she home?"
The homeowner glanced toward the upstairs windows.
"Yes."
The woman's expression suddenly became smug again.
"There."
The homeowner noticed.