Rivera listened.
Then asked whether Nora had witnessed the entire morning confrontation.
Nora shook her head.
"No. I was inside for part of it."
The officer nodded.
"Thank you for clarifying."
Nora continued.
"But I saw Mrs. Whitcomb crouching behind the car before the homeowner spoke to her."
Pamela threw up her hands.
"That is ridiculous!"
Nora turned toward her.
For a moment, the older woman looked tired.
"Pamela, I watched you walk into the garage."
The president opened her mouth.
Nora continued.
"You were wearing hot pink. It wasn't difficult to notice."
For one unexpected second, Isaiah almost laughed.
Even Rivera's expression softened slightly.
But the officer returned to the matter at hand.
She asked Pamela whether she'd entered the garage without the homeowner's permission.
Pamela hesitated.
Then said the association had inspection authority.
Rivera nodded.
"That's a legal question we'll document. But entering someone's garage isn't automatically justified by holding an HOA office."
Pamela looked toward Dylan.
He was staring at the ground.
The officers separated the participants to obtain clearer accounts.
Rivera spoke with Isaiah near the workbench.
Price spoke with Pamela and Dylan near the sidewalk.
The officers didn't treat the HOA dispute as something that automatically required arrest.
There were civil issues involving association authority.
Potential property offenses involving unauthorized vehicle removal.
And factual questions about physical contact and statements made to dispatch.
They needed evidence.
Not assumptions.
Price asked Pamela whether she'd signed or submitted any authorization to the towing company.
She said she'd initiated preliminary discussions.
He asked whether those discussions described the Mustang as a vehicle the HOA could remove.
Pamela hesitated.
Then answered.
"I don't recall the exact wording."
Dylan shifted beside her.
Price looked toward him.
"Did you ask anyone to transport the Mustang?"
Dylan swallowed.
"I was arranging a car show."
"Did you own the vehicle?"
"No."
"Did the owner authorize you to take it?"
The young man looked toward the garage.
Then shook his head.
Price continued.
"Did you tell a business partner that you had access to it?"
Dylan stared.
For a moment, he seemed unable to speak.
Then said.
"I thought the HOA was going to make it happen."
Pamela snapped.
"Dylan, stop talking."
Price looked toward her.
"Ma'am, please let him answer."
Pamela's face flushed.
For the first time, she appeared to understand that commanding the room wasn't going to work.