"Not that I noticed."
She asked him to stop cleaning the next bag personally.
"If another one appears, call me."
The homeowner agreed.
The next morning, nothing.
Then nothing for three days.
The HOA President became unusually friendly.
He saw her near the pool supply store.
She waved.
He ignored her.
She approached anyway.
"Heard your problem stopped."
The homeowner looked at her.
"Temporarily."
She smiled.
"Maybe whoever it was got bored."
"Maybe."
"People lose interest when they don't get reactions."
The homeowner stared.
"How would they know my reaction?"
Her smile tightened.
"Everybody sees you calling police."
"At two in the morning?"
She laughed too quickly.
"I didn't mean literally."
He nodded.
"Right."
Then she said something else.
"You should just drain the pool for a while."
The homeowner's eyes narrowed.
"Why?"
"Remove the temptation."
"Trash dumpers are tempted by water?"
She shrugged.
"If there's no pool, there's nowhere to throw bags."
He studied her.
"Or nowhere for bags to hide."
Her face changed.
For half a second.
Then she smiled.
"You really are becoming paranoid."
The homeowner watched her leave.
That evening, he called the detective.
"I think she knows something."
"Who?"
"HOA President."
"Why?"
He repeated the conversation.
The detective listened.
Then asked:
"Has she ever had access to your yard?"
"Not that I know."
"HOA master key?"
"For common facilities, yes."
"Private residences?"
"Shouldn't."
"Shouldn't isn't no."
The detective asked for HOA key policies.
The homeowner sent them.
The association held emergency access keys for certain homes whose owners had voluntarily opted into a disaster-response program.
The homeowner had not.
His house should not have been included.
But the previous owner had.
That mattered.
A key might still exist.
The homeowner changed the rear gate lock that afternoon.
Two nights later, somebody tried it.
The hidden camera recorded the figure inserting a key.
It did not work.
The figure froze.
Then looked directly toward the house.
Walked away.
No trash.
The homeowner called the detective immediately.
She requested the footage.
Then asked:
"Can you stay somewhere else tonight?"
He stared at the phone.
"Why?"
"Precaution."
"This is my house."
"I know."
"Do you think I'm in danger?"
The detective paused.
"I think someone expected continued access."