Some looked angry.
Others looked anxious.
A few seemed genuinely confused about why a vehicle-removal contractor had become the center of the neighborhood's attention.
I arrived with Priya.
We had no intention of disrupting the meeting.
The association's attorney had permitted us to attend the portion concerning my property and provide factual information when requested.
I wore a navy-blue polo shirt and dark trousers.
No federal badge.
No official credentials.
I was there as Marcus Vale, homeowner.
Nothing more.
As we approached the entrance, Ruth Adler waved from near the doors.
“Marcus!”
I smiled.
“Ruth.”
She looked toward Priya.
“Is this your attorney?”
“Yes. Priya Shah.”
The two women shook hands.
Ruth smiled nervously.
“I hope somebody finally explains where all that money went.”
Priya nodded.
“That's what the audit is examining.”
Ruth looked toward the crowded room.
Then whispered, “I've never seen this many people at an HOA meeting.”
I glanced around.
“Maybe they finally realized the rules belong to everyone.”
She smiled.
Then we entered.
Walter Mays sat at the head of the board table.
He looked older than he had the last time I'd seen him.
But his expression was determined.
Harold Fenwick sat beside him with a stack of meeting records.
Felicia Grant had a laptop open and several folders arranged in front of her.
Margaret Ellis, the association's independent attorney, sat near the end.
Then Sandra arrived.
She wore another expensive white pantsuit.
Her blonde hair was perfectly styled.
Her gold jewelry gleamed beneath the clubhouse lights.
And she carried the same black leather folder she'd held when three men tried to take my Porsche.
For a moment, I wondered whether she genuinely believed nothing had changed.
She walked toward the board table.
Looked at the crowd.
Then smiled as though she were about to announce another landscaping improvement.
Walter opened the meeting.
He thanked the residents for attending.
Acknowledged the seriousness of the concerns.
Then explained that the board would address the financial audit, the disputed enforcement program, and the procedures required for decisions concerning Sandra's officer responsibilities.
He was careful.
No accusations that hadn't been established.
No dramatic promises.
Just the agenda.
Sandra interrupted almost immediately.
“Walter, before we begin, I think it's important everyone understands that this entire controversy was created by a disgruntled homeowner who refuses to follow our standards.”