“I understand.”
“But the similarities are worth examining.”
I took a breath.
“That's why I contacted you.”
Camila nodded.
Then looked toward the gate.
“Can we review your recordings and the incident timeline?”
“Yes.”
We went inside.
I led her toward my home office, where I'd kept the evidence organized.
Three folders sat beside the computer.
Each contained photographs, dates, repair invoices, correspondence, and security clips.
Camila examined them carefully.
The first incident happened on a Tuesday evening, six weeks earlier.
I came home to find part of the drip irrigation tubing cut near the white roses. The damage was small enough that it initially appeared accidental. But the cut was unusually clean, and no landscaping work had been scheduled.
The second incident happened eleven days later.
Someone damaged the moisture sensor connected to our irrigation controller. The system detected the abnormal reading and suspended the affected zone, preventing unnecessary watering, but the repair cost several hundred dollars.
The third incident was more troubling.
A path light beside the side gate had been smashed, and the camera facing that area was covered by a dark piece of fabric for several minutes. By the time the obstruction was removed, the person responsible was gone.
I reported the damage.
The initial responding officers documented the incidents.
But the available footage didn't establish a suspect.
Then I'd reviewed recordings from another camera near the garage.
On one of the nights, a vehicle associated with CanyonMark Landscape Solutions appeared near the property.
That wasn't proof its driver committed the damage.
Landscaping trucks regularly moved through Mesa Verde Estates.
But it was enough to justify asking whether the incidents were connected.
Camila studied the video.
Then looked toward me.
“Did CanyonMark have any legitimate work scheduled at your address that night?”
“No.”
“Did they service neighboring properties?”
“Yes.”
She nodded.
“That gives us a reason to look further, but not a conclusion.”
I appreciated that.