A police cruiser arrived before she made it halfway over.
The officer entered through the side gate after the homeowner remotely unlocked it.
A second cruiser stopped behind.
The HOA president froze with one leg lifted against the fence.
The first officer stared.
Then at the homeowner standing in swim trunks.
Then at the scattered leaves.
Then the woman halfway up the fence.
“What’s going on?”
The HOA president dropped back into the yard.
Immediately:
“Officer, thank God.”
She pointed toward the homeowner.
“He locked me in.”
The homeowner actually laughed.
The officer looked toward him.
“Sir?”
The homeowner raised both hands.
“I was swimming when she climbed over that fence.”
The HOA president interrupted.
“He refused an HOA safety inspection.”
The officer looked toward her swimsuit.
“Why are you conducting an HOA inspection dressed like that?”
Silence.
The second officer coughed to hide something close to a laugh.
The HOA president’s face reddened.
“I live nearby.”
The first officer nodded toward the fence.
“Why did you climb it?”
“The gate was locked.”
“Yes.”
The officer waited.
“That generally means you’re not supposed to enter.”
The homeowner almost smiled.
The HOA president pointed toward the pool.
“I had reason to believe he was concealing hazardous conditions.”
“Are you a county inspector?”
“I’m HOA president.”
“That wasn’t my question.”
The woman’s confidence began slipping.
The homeowner said:
“She brought a syringe.”
The officer turned.
“What syringe?”
“She threw it into those bushes when she heard you coming.”
The HOA president snapped:
“He is lying.”
The homeowner lifted his phone.
“No.”
The officer looked at the screen.
Security footage.
The homeowner played from the moment the camera detected movement.
The image showed the blonde woman appearing over the fence.
The black bag.
The gloved hand.
The syringe.
Clear.
The officer’s expression changed.
The HOA president stepped forward.
“That video is illegal.”
The officer held one hand up.
“Stay there.”
“I have rights.”
“So does he.”
The homeowner replayed the moment she threw the syringe.
The camera angle caught that too.
The first officer looked toward the shrubs.
Then at his partner.
“Don’t touch it.”