Several were red.
"How many?"
Daniel counted.
"Thirty-seven."
"Thirty-seven properties?"
"Thirty-seven homes with private amenities."
Marcus leaned back.
"That's not a party list."
"No."
"What is it?"
Daniel looked at him.
"I don't know yet."
The following Monday, the HOA board held an emergency meeting.
The room was packed.
Residents filled every chair.
Several stood against the walls.
Some held printed copies of the spreadsheet.
Patricia sat at the front.
She no longer wore the hot-pink blazer.
She wore a dark navy jacket.
Her hair was pulled back.
She looked tired.
Marcus sat near the rear.
Daniel sat beside him.
The HOA attorney sat on Patricia's other side.
The board president opened the meeting.
"First, we need to address Saturday."
A woman in the audience immediately stood.
"I want my money back."
Another voice followed.
"So do I."
"We all do."
"Why did we pay for a private pool?"
"Who approved it?"
Patricia raised a hand.
"I did."
The room erupted.
She waited.
"I believed the property was available for community use."
Marcus watched her carefully.
Then Evelyn Carter spoke.
"That isn't accurate."
Patricia turned.
"What?"
Evelyn looked toward the residents.
"The board never approved access to Mr. Reed's property."
A murmur spread.
Patricia's face hardened.
"You signed the event budget."
"I signed the budget for food and entertainment."
"You knew about the event."
"Yes."
"Then you approved it."
"I approved a budget."
"Which included the pool."
"I assumed the pool was authorized."
"You never verified."
Evelyn shook her head.
"No."
Patricia looked furious.
"Nobody questioned it."
Marcus finally spoke.
"I did."
The room went quiet.
He stood.
"I questioned it."
Patricia looked at him.
"You've been trying to make me look incompetent since the beginning."
Marcus shook his head.
"I didn't have to."
Several residents reacted.
Patricia's eyes narrowed.
Daniel touched Marcus's arm.
Marcus sat back down.
The HOA attorney stepped forward.
"There is another matter."
He held up a copy of the spreadsheet.
"We have reason to believe this document was used by an outside vendor."
A resident asked, "What vendor?"
The attorney hesitated.
"Community security services."
Another voice shouted.
"What does security have to do with our pools?"
"We don't know yet."
Marcus looked at Daniel.
Daniel was already taking notes.
The attorney continued.
"The spreadsheet appears to contain information that was not intended for distribution."