Marcus looked directly at Emily.
“Don't delete anything.”
Brenda's face reddened.
“You cannot tell a minor what to do with her phone.”
Marcus said:
“Neither can you.”
“She is on my property.”
Marcus looked around.
“No.”
“She is standing on the public sidewalk.”
The neighbors were openly watching now.
Martin Hale stood across the street.
Susan Keller beside him.
George Levin near his mailbox.
Brenda hated audiences when they stopped belonging to her.
She pointed at Marcus.
“This is exactly why the board has concerns about you.”
Marcus stared.
“Because cameras caught your son damaging property?”
“Because you create hostile environments.”
Marcus looked at Tyler.
The teenager stared at the scratch.
Marcus noticed his hands trembling slightly.
The anger drained from Marcus by one degree.
He addressed Tyler, not Brenda.
“Where did you get the knife?”
Tyler did not answer.
Brenda said:
“Don't.”
Marcus waited.
Tyler whispered:
“My garage.”
“Did your mother tell you to come here?”
Brenda's head snapped toward him.
“Tyler.”
Marcus heard it.
Warning.
The boy heard it too.
Marcus looked between them.
Something deeper existed.
Tyler's eyes filled with panic.
Marcus stopped pushing.
Not because the question did not matter.
Because the boy needed space to answer without a crowd.
A low electronic tone sounded from the Lamborghini.
Everyone turned.
The vehicle's security lights flashed twice.
Then a second tone.
Marcus looked at his phone.
SECURITY RESPONSE EN ROUTE
Tyler's eyes widened.
“What is that?”
Marcus sighed.
“The part I was trying to tell you about.”
Brenda stepped closer.
“What response?”
“The car's vandalism system automatically uploaded the event.”
“To who?”
“Meridian Security.”
“What is Meridian Security?”
“My dealership.”
Brenda frowned.
Marcus continued:
“Which also happens to own the car.”
Tyler looked up.
“You own the dealership?”
Marcus nodded.
“Most of it.”
The boy's face changed.
He had probably expected a salesman.
Maybe executive.
Not owner.
Brenda recovered first.
“That doesn't matter.”
Marcus stared.
“It matters to the person filing the damage report.”
“You cannot use your company to terrorize a child.”
Marcus almost laughed.
“Nobody is terrorizing him.”
A dark blue SUV turned onto the street.
Meridian Security.
Not police.
Marcus recognized the vehicle.
Brenda did not.
It stopped near the driveway.
A tall Black man in a black polo stepped out.
Darius Cole.
Former insurance investigator.
Now Meridian's director of physical security.
He saw Marcus.
Then the Lamborghini.
Then Brenda.
Then Tyler.
His expression flattened.
“Morning.”
Marcus nodded.
“Darius.”
Darius walked toward the car.
He did not address Tyler.
He crouched near the scratch.
Did not touch.
Photographed.
Checked the fender.
Door.
Rear quarter.
Then stood.
“Continuous?”
Marcus nodded.