“You don't know how these things look once police become involved.”
Marcus almost smiled.
That sentence told him everything.
Not fear of wrongful accusation.
Fear of documentation leaving her control.
Marcus opened the side gate.
Officer Daniel Ruiz stood outside in uniform.
Thirty-seven.
Calm.
Body camera active.
He had been the responding officer two weeks earlier when Marcus reported unexplained contamination and suspected unauthorized entry.
Ruiz looked past Marcus.
Saw Brenda.
Orange outfit.
Green hose.
Yellow pool.
His eyebrows lifted.
“Okay.”
Marcus almost laughed.
Ruiz entered.
He looked toward the lock.
Then the metal tool.
Then the hose.
He did not touch anything.
“What happened?”
Brenda immediately stepped forward.
“Officer, thank God.”
Marcus glanced at her.
Interesting strategy.
Brenda continued:
“This homeowner has become aggressive during an authorized association inspection.”
Ruiz looked at Marcus.
Marcus said nothing.
Ruiz returned his attention to Brenda.
“Authorized by whom?”
“The HOA.”
“Do you have written authorization?”
“I don't need written authorization.”
“Okay.”
Ruiz looked toward the water.
“What is in the pool?”
Brenda hesitated.
“A testing solution.”
Marcus said:
“She called it wastewater.”
Brenda snapped:
“Do not interrupt me.”
Ruiz raised one hand.
“One at a time.”
He looked at Brenda.
“What is the solution?”
She adjusted her sunglasses.
“Organic wastewater collected near drainage areas.”
Ruiz stared at the pool.
“Does it contain human urine?”
Brenda said nothing.
Ruiz waited.
Finally:
“It may.”
Marcus shook his head.
Ruiz looked toward him.
“Don't.”
Marcus pressed his lips together.
Ruiz returned to Brenda.
“Why are you putting potentially contaminated waste into a residential swimming pool?”
“For comparative sanitation testing.”
Ruiz stared for several seconds.
Marcus watched him fight an expression.
He succeeded.
Mostly.
“Who instructed you to perform that test?”
“The board.”
“Name?”
Brenda looked toward Marcus.
“I don't discuss privileged board business in front of homeowners.”
Ruiz nodded.
“Then you can tell me separately.”
Brenda relaxed slightly.
“Fine.”
“Before that, did Mr. Reed give permission to enter?”
“No.”
“Was there an emergency?”
“Yes.”
Ruiz looked toward the pool.
“What immediate emergency?”
“Sanitation.”
“Was anyone swimming?”
“No.”
“Was anyone injured?”
“No.”
“Was contamination present before you arrived?”
Brenda hesitated.
“Yes.”
Marcus's eyebrows rose.
Ruiz asked:
“How do you know?”
“We received a complaint.”
“Did you personally test the water before putting your sample into it?”
Silence.
Ruiz looked toward Marcus.
“Do you have recent water tests?”
Marcus nodded.
“Yesterday morning.”