I looked toward Leah.
"Call Eleanor."
My wife grabbed her phone.
"Tell her not to come?"
I hesitated.
Then nodded.
"Tell everybody the cookout is canceled until we know what happened."
Leah began calling our guests.
I stayed near the window, watching the backyard.
For several minutes, nothing moved except the leaves in the trees.
Then I noticed a white utility van parked along the street beyond the side fence.
I couldn't see the driver clearly.
But the logo on the door was familiar.
Stonebridge Grounds LLC.
The same company listed on the questionable HOA drainage invoices.
My stomach tightened.
The van remained there for another minute.
Then drove away.
I managed to record its departure.
At the time, I didn't know whether the van had anything to do with Vivian's actions.
Contractors worked in Cedar Grove regularly.
But the coincidence was unsettling.
And it would become much more important when investigators began examining where the unidentified powder came from.
The first police cruiser arrived fourteen minutes after Leah's call.
Two officers stepped out.
One was an experienced white patrol lieutenant in her early fifties, with short brown hair and a calm, professional expression.
The other was a younger Black officer who appeared to be in his late twenties.
They approached our front door.
I met them on the porch.
For several seconds, I explained what happened.
Then I showed them the video.
The lieutenant watched without speaking.
Her expression changed when Vivian began shaking the powder over the food.
She continued watching as Vivian returned to the separate plate, placed the card beneath it, and looked toward the house.
When the recording ended, the lieutenant turned toward me.
"Has anyone eaten any of the food?"
"No."
"Has anyone handled the containers or moved the table since she left?"
I explained Vivian's second visit and the movement of the plates.
The lieutenant nodded.
Then asked whether the suspect was still nearby.
I told her I believed Vivian had returned to her own home.
The officer requested additional assistance and explained that the scene needed to be assessed by personnel equipped to handle possible contamination.
She didn't identify the powder by looking at the video.
She didn't promise it was harmless.
And she didn't tell me to throw away the food before the relevant evidence could be documented.
Instead, she asked us to keep everyone away from the patio.
The younger officer moved toward the side gate.
Then stopped.
He looked toward the street.