Then the homeowner.
"What happened?"
The HOA president rushed toward him.
"He attacked me."
The Officer immediately said:
"No."
The husband stopped.
The woman stared.
The Officer continued.
"That's not what the video shows."
The husband's eyes moved toward his wife.
"Video?"
The woman said quickly:
"It's complicated."
The homeowner folded his arms.
The husband looked toward the fence.
Then at his wife.
"Did you climb over?"
She said nothing.
His expression changed.
"Did you climb his fence?"
"I was trying to resolve the pool issue."
The husband closed his eyes.
The homeowner watched.
Something about the man's reaction suggested this was not the first time.
The Officer asked:
"Sir, were you aware she intended to enter this property?"
The husband looked at him.
"No."
The woman turned.
"Don't answer him."
The husband stared.
"Don't tell me what to do."
The woman went quiet.
The husband rubbed one hand over his face.
Then looked toward the homeowner.
"I'm sorry."
The HOA president snapped.
"Don't apologize to him."
Her husband turned.
"Enough."
That word changed her.
The homeowner saw it.
The loud confidence disappeared.
The husband looked tired.
Deeply tired.
He faced the Officer.
"She has a problem with this house."
The HOA president stared.
"What are you doing?"
The husband ignored her.
"Since before he bought it."
The homeowner's eyebrows rose.
The Officer asked:
"Why?"
The husband looked toward his wife.
Then toward the pool.
"Because she wanted it."
Silence.
The homeowner stared.
"What?"
The husband sighed.
"This property was supposed to be purchased by the association five years ago."
The homeowner looked at the HOA president.
She would not meet his eyes.
The husband continued.
"The board wanted to turn it into a clubhouse."
The homeowner said slowly:
"This house?"
"Yes."
"The previous owner refused."
"Yes."
The homeowner looked toward the pool.
Everything clicked.
The notices.
The landscaping complaints.
The gate complaints.
The strange insistence that the pool belonged to the community.
The HOA president finally shouted:
"Stop talking!"
Her husband looked at her.
"No."
The officer looked interested now.
The husband continued.
"When the developer couldn't get the parcel, she started pushing the idea that the new owner should voluntarily join the HOA."
The homeowner stared at her.
"That's why you've been sending me notices."