She wore a yellow sundress and pink sandals.
Her face was pale.
“Daddy?”
Andre turned immediately.
“Maya, stay inside!”
The little girl stopped.
He pointed toward the kitchen.
“Go find Mom. Don't come near the pool.”
She nodded and disappeared.
Andre turned back toward Cynthia.
“Lady, there are children living here!”
Cynthia rolled her eyes.
“Then perhaps you should have considered that before refusing my compliance orders.”
He stared.
“Compliance orders?”
She gestured toward the pool.
“Your property has been under review for months. I've repeatedly told you that your private recreational facilities are creating unacceptable neighborhood concerns.”
Andre looked toward the hose.
The wastewater continued pouring into the pool.
Then he noticed something near Cynthia's feet.
A clipboard.
Several printed pages.
And a phone mounted on a small tripod, aimed directly toward the swimming pool.
She wasn't simply dumping sewage.
She was recording the result.
Andre felt a chill move through his chest.
“You planned this.”
Cynthia smiled.
“I planned to document your failure to maintain sanitary conditions.”
He stared at her.
For several seconds, the only sound was the rush of water through the hose.
Then Andre reached for his phone.
Cynthia's expression hardened.
“Who are you calling?”
He didn't answer.
She stood slowly, still holding the hose.
“Mr. Walker, I strongly advise you not to involve outside authorities in an internal HOA matter.”
Andre looked toward her.
His voice became quiet.
“Outside authorities?”
She nodded confidently.
“Yes. This is an association compliance procedure.”
He looked toward the contaminated water.
Then toward the hose stretching through his gate.
“Lady, you're pumping toilet waste into my swimming pool.”
Cynthia folded her arms.
“And I'm prepared to explain exactly why your continued refusal to cooperate forced this intervention.”
Andre raised his phone.
“Good.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“What?”
He looked directly at her.
“Because somebody's going to want that explanation.”
Before she could answer, a siren sounded beyond the tall front hedges.
Cynthia turned sharply.
A black police Dodge Charger approached the mansion's front gate.
Red-and-blue lights flashed across the white stone entrance pillars.
The cruiser slowed.
Then stopped.
For the first time since entering Andre's property, Cynthia looked genuinely surprised.
“What is that?”
Andre didn't answer.
The police vehicle moved through the open gate.
A uniformed officer stepped out.
Behind him arrived a white municipal utility truck carrying the city water-services department's insignia.
Cynthia's smile disappeared.
The officer approached the pool area.
He looked toward Andre.
Then toward the gray hose.
Finally, his eyes settled on Cynthia.
“Mrs. Vale?”
She straightened immediately.
“Yes, Officer. I'm the HOA president. Thank goodness you've arrived. This homeowner has repeatedly violated our community drainage requirements.”