Her mother had bought it for her.
Caroline looked down at it.
Then back at us.
“You want to play games?”
I said nothing.
She lifted one expensive black heel.
And kicked the towel into the swimming pool.
The fabric landed in the water with a small splash.
Ava gasped.
“My towel!”
I tightened my arm around her.
For a second, I was too stunned to speak.
Then my daughter began crying.
Caroline smiled triumphantly.
“Maybe now you'll learn to respect the rules.”
My voice dropped.
“Get off my property.”
She held up her phone.
“Oh, no. I'm calling the police.”
I looked directly into her eyes.
“Go ahead.”
That seemed to surprise her.
She'd expected panic.
Apologies.
Perhaps a desperate promise that we'd leave before the officers arrived.
Instead, I stood in my own swimming pool holding my frightened daughter and waited.
Caroline dialed.
When the dispatcher answered, her voice changed immediately.
The fury disappeared.
In its place came the carefully frightened tone of someone presenting herself as a responsible citizen facing a dangerous situation.
“Yes, hello? I need officers at a private residential property in Canyon Crest Estates.”
She glanced at me.
“There are people here who aren't authorized to be using the facilities.”
I stared.
She continued.
“A man is behaving aggressively. He's refusing to leave, and there's a child involved.”
Naomi stepped closer.
“Tell them you entered through our gate!”
Caroline turned away.
“Yes, I'm the HOA president. I've asked them to leave, but the man is becoming confrontational.”
My sister looked toward me.
I could see the anger in her face.
I shook my head slightly.
Not because she was wrong.
Because I wanted every word of that call preserved without our voices being mistaken for threats.
Caroline ended the conversation.
Then smiled.
“Now we'll see who really belongs here.”
I looked toward the small security camera mounted beneath the patio roof.
Its blue status light was blinking.
Then I looked toward the camera above the gate.
That one was recording too.
Caroline had no idea.
But she'd just called the police to accuse me of trespassing while standing on property she had entered without permission.