And she'd treated a cherished memory as though it were garbage.
The trouble with Canyon Crest Estates began long before Caroline reached the pool.
At first, it was easy to dismiss.
About six months after we moved in, an envelope appeared in our mailbox.
The letterhead read:
CANYON CREST ESTATES HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION
Inside was a notice welcoming us to the community and requesting payment of an annual assessment.
I assumed it was an administrative mistake.
So I called the number.
A woman in the association office answered.
I explained that my property wasn't subject to the HOA declaration.
She asked for my address.
I provided it.
There was a pause.
Then she said, “Oh. The estate parcel.”
“Yes.”
“Sorry about that, Mr. Reed. It appears somebody imported the address into the association mailing system.”
“No problem.”
She promised to correct the record.
I forgot about it.
Three months later, another notice arrived.
This one concerned landscaping.
It claimed our trees needed trimming to comply with community standards.
I looked toward the front courtyard.
The landscaping was maintained professionally.
But even if it hadn't been, the HOA had no authority to issue violations concerning my parcel.
I called again.
This time, the office administrator sounded embarrassed.
“Mr. Reed, I'm sorry. Your address shouldn't be in our enforcement list.”
I thanked her.
She promised to remove it.
Two weeks later, I received a letter signed by Caroline Whitmore.
It stated that all properties within the visual boundaries of Canyon Crest Estates were expected to comply with the association's architectural standards.
The phrase struck me as strange.
Visual boundaries.
I'd never encountered that term as a legitimate substitute for recorded property restrictions.
So I forwarded the letter to my attorney, Elena Price.
Elena was forty-six, an experienced Arizona real estate attorney with a reputation for being patient until somebody tried to make documents say something they plainly didn't.
She reviewed the notice.
Then called me.
“Malcolm, this is nonsense.”
I laughed.
“That's what I thought.”
She continued.
“Your parcel isn't subject to their declaration. The association's branding or the appearance of the buildings doesn't change that.”
I nodded.
“Should I respond?”