Brianna looked toward her.
"What survey?"
Judith smiled.
"A community infrastructure project."
I felt my stomach tighten.
She continued.
"He's been moving boundary markers, trespassing on association property, and stealing documents."
I stared at her.
That last accusation was new.
"Stealing what documents?"
Judith looked directly at me.
Then smiled.
"Interesting that you'd ask."
Brianna turned toward her.
"Ma'am, what property do you believe was stolen?"
Judith opened her folder.
She removed a printed report.
Then said the words that made the blue canvas case suddenly important.
"An association archive package disappeared from our clubhouse Thursday night."
I felt a cold sensation move through my chest.
She continued.
"The contents relate to the exact boundary dispute he's been causing."
I looked toward the shed.
Then toward Judith.
For a moment, I couldn't speak.
She smiled again.
"And we have reason to believe he may have taken it."
That was when I knew.
The blue case carried into my yard after midnight wasn't ordinary survey equipment.
It was part of an attempt to make me look like the person who had stolen association records.
And Judith had destroyed the camera because it could show who actually brought those records onto my property.
Brianna didn't accept the accusation without evidence.
She asked Judith to explain the basis for suspecting me.
Judith described the ongoing HOA dispute.
My requests for documents.
And the supposed disappearance of the archive package.
But she couldn't identify anyone who saw me enter the clubhouse.
She didn't provide a reliable record showing when the documents were last present.
And she couldn't explain why the suspected theft hadn't been reported until after she was confronted about damaging my camera.
The officer documented her account.
Then asked whether she had a description of the missing property.
Judith nodded.
"A rectangular blue archive case."
I closed my eyes.
The case in the nighttime recording.
The one Grant carried from his SUV.
I looked toward Brianna.
"Officer, I need to show you something."
Judith turned sharply.
"What?"
I held up my phone.
"The video from Friday morning shows this woman and another man carrying a blue case into my backyard."
For one long second, Judith didn't move.
Then she laughed.
"That's absurd."
Brianna looked toward her.
"Ma'am, please allow him to show us the recording."
I opened the file.
The image displayed Grant standing beside the SUV.
He lifted the blue case.
Judith closed the rear compartment.
Then they entered the side passage.
Brianna watched.