I hugged her.
And for a moment, the neighborhood dispute felt very far away.
The next escalation came on a Thursday morning.
I was already at work when my wife called.
Her voice was tense.
"There's a tow truck in our driveway."
I stood immediately.
"What?"
"One of those flatbeds. Two men are standing beside the Mustang."
My stomach tightened.
"Is anybody touching the car?"
"Not yet."
"Are you inside?"
"Yes."
I took a slow breath.
"Stay inside and don't confront them. Call the nonemergency dispatch line and tell them a company appears to be attempting an unauthorized tow from private property."
She agreed.
I contacted the appropriate supervisor and explained that the matter involved my personal property. Then I remained at the office rather than rushing home in uniform.
I didn't want a confrontation between the county sheriff and private tow operators who might not understand the dispute.
My wife called again several minutes later.
"The driver is talking to the HOA president."
I closed my eyes.
Of course she was there.
The woman who had claimed the Mustang was a prohibited vehicle had now apparently decided to enforce that claim herself.
The security system sent an alert to my phone.
I opened the camera feed.
The HOA president stood beside a flatbed truck, wearing a white jacket and carrying her familiar black folder. Her son was nearby, dressed in another expensive hoodie and holding his phone.
The tow driver looked uncomfortable.
I couldn't hear every word, but the camera captured enough to establish that the woman was directing the attempt.
She pointed toward my Mustang.
The driver looked at the driveway.
Then he shook his head.
He seemed to be asking for documentation.
The HOA president opened her folder.
She waved a piece of paper toward him.
He read it.
Then he looked toward the house.
A few minutes later, the responding officer arrived.
The tow truck remained stationary.
The officer spoke with the driver, examined the documents, and contacted the relevant parties. After reviewing the available information, the driver declined to proceed without clear legal authority and began securing his equipment for departure.
The HOA president was furious.
She pointed toward the car.
Then toward the officer.
Her son began recording again.