I nodded.
“That sounds reasonable.”
Miriam looked toward me.
For a moment, she seemed close to tears.
Then whispered, “I wish I'd asked more questions earlier.”
I studied her.
She hadn't smashed my sprinkler.
Hadn't issued the fines.
Hadn't entered my backyard.
But she'd been part of a board that allowed Patricia enormous discretion.
I could see the guilt in her face.
I took a breath.
“You can ask them now.”
She looked up.
I continued.
“And if something is wrong, you can help make sure it gets corrected.”
Miriam nodded slowly.
For several seconds, she remained quiet.
Then she smiled faintly.
“That's what I'm trying to do.”
When she left, Adrian looked toward the documents.
“This is becoming more complicated.”
I nodded.
“Much.”
He leaned backward.
“The association may have financial losses. Individual homeowners may have separate claims. And law enforcement will need to determine whether any deliberate misconduct occurred.”
I stared toward the window.
Then said quietly, “Patricia didn't break the sprinkler because she believed it was dangerous.”
Adrian looked toward me.
“What do you think her objective was?”
I took a breath.
“I think she wanted me to pay CanyonMark.”
He nodded slowly.
“That's a theory supported by some circumstances. The records will have to establish the motive.”
I looked toward the invoice.
Eight thousand seven hundred fifty dollars.
Then toward Miriam's spreadsheet.
Payments far beyond ordinary neighborhood education programs.
For a moment, I wondered how many people had already paid because they believed the HOA could force them.
I thought about Evelyn borrowing money from her daughter.
Luis spending weekends repairing damage that shouldn't have happened.
And all the other homeowners who might have accepted CanyonMark's offers simply because an official-looking letter frightened them.
I closed the folder.
“This isn't just about my sprinkler anymore.”
Adrian nodded.
“No.”
The next development came from CanyonMark itself.
A technician named Mateo Silva contacted Detective Ortega.
He was twenty-eight, a licensed irrigation specialist who had worked for the company for three years.