As the new president, he had been added to the proper board distribution list and given access to the management company's administrative document portal according to its procedures.
He opened several pending invoice notifications.
Most were routine.
Pool chemicals.
Landscape supplies.
Insurance adjustments.
Then he noticed an invoice submitted at 7:42 that morning.
Before the election.
Before his appointment.
Before the McLaren had been vandalized.
The vendor was the former president's son's maintenance company.
The amount was $19,800.
The description concerned emergency vehicle compliance remediation at his address.
He frowned.
Read it again.
Then opened the attached work order.
The wording was bizarre.
It referred to exterior contamination affecting an unapproved luxury vehicle.
It proposed urgent cleaning, surface treatment, and site remediation.
But the McLaren was spotless.
No contamination existed.
No emergency had occurred.
He looked at the submission time.
Then at the date.
His expression tightened.
The invoice appeared to describe something that had not happened.
He called the association secretary.
She answered.
"Hello?"
He explained the invoice.
There was a long silence.
Then she whispered, "I haven't seen that one."
He looked toward the attached approval field.
"The former president's authorization is listed."
The secretary exhaled.
"Of course it is."
He hesitated.
Then said, "We should put the payment on hold pending review by the properly authorized board and management company."
She agreed.
He forwarded the document to the independent accountant already assisting with the preliminary record review.
Then stepped outside.
For a moment, he stood beside the McLaren.
He looked toward the glossy black hood.
Then toward the suspicious invoice on his phone.
Something about the timing unsettled him.
Why had someone prepared a bill for cleaning damage that did not exist?
He considered calling his attorney.
Then heard an engine approaching.
A white pickup truck turned onto his street.
The vehicle belonged to the former president's son's maintenance company.
He recognized it immediately.
The truck slowed.
Then stopped across from his driveway.
The young man climbed out.
He wore his familiar navy hoodie.
Black jeans.
And an arrogant grin.
The homeowner watched him.
A strange tension moved through his chest.
Then another vehicle arrived.
A cream-colored SUV.
The former HOA president stepped out wearing a pale-blush sweatshirt, black leggings, and white sneakers.
She looked toward the McLaren.
Then toward the homeowner.
Her face was flushed with anger.
The homeowner put his phone in his pocket.
"Good afternoon."
The woman laughed.
"Don't you dare."
He frowned.
"Excuse me?"
She stepped closer.
"You think you're president now?"
He nodded calmly.
"The membership and board completed the required process this morning."
Her expression twisted.
"That election was a fraud."
He took a breath.
"Your attorney can challenge it through the appropriate procedures."
She stared.
Then pointed toward the McLaren.
"And that car is still a violation."
The homeowner glanced toward it.