Then hired CanyonMark.
I read the invoice.
For several seconds, I couldn't speak.
Evelyn watched me.
Then whispered, “Did I do something wrong?”
I looked up immediately.
“No.”
She seemed relieved.
I continued.
“You responded to what you believed was an official requirement.”
Her eyes filled.
“I didn't know what else to do.”
I nodded.
For a moment, I thought about Nadia.
How angry she would've been to hear that an elderly neighbor felt frightened of the people supposedly managing the community.
I looked toward Evelyn.
“Have you kept the damaged parts?”
She shook her head.
“The contractor took them.”
I nodded.
“Okay.”
Then I asked whether she would be willing to speak with Detective Ortega or another appropriate investigator if they contacted her.
Evelyn hesitated.
“Would Patricia find out?”
I took a breath.
“I can't promise what information might become part of a formal investigation. But the detective can explain the process and any available protections.”
She stared toward the table.
For several seconds, she didn't answer.
Then she looked up.
“Yes.”
Her voice was quiet.
“I don't want anybody else going through this.”
I smiled gently.
“Thank you.”
Before I left, Evelyn touched my arm.
“Daniel?”
“Yes?”
“Is your little girl okay?”
I looked toward the doorway.
“She was upset. We're working through it.”
Evelyn's eyes filled.
“That sweet child.”
I nodded.
She continued.
“Tell her I've got some purple flowers for her.”
For a moment, I smiled.
“She'll love that.”
When I stepped outside, the morning sun was already bright.
Birds moved through the trees.
An ordinary landscaping truck passed slowly along the street.
I watched it go.
For the first time, I wondered how many homeowners had seen similar trucks without imagining they might be connected to anything dishonest.
Then I walked three houses farther down to speak with Luis Moreno.
Luis was thirty-five, a construction estimator with two children and a wife who worked as a physical therapist.
He answered the door wearing a faded football jersey and holding a toddler.