Brenda glanced at him.
Interesting.
Marcus filed that sentence away.
He said, “Actually, I can know quite a bit.”
“Don't patronize me.”
“I’m trying very hard not to.”
She raised the hammer again.
Marcus's expression changed.
“Brenda.”
“What?”
“Don't hit it again.”
“I'm removing it.”
“Don't.”
She stared down.
“Or what?”
Marcus almost laughed.
The sentence was too perfect.
He considered explaining.
He did not.
There were several reasons.
The largest was that Marcus had signed a confidentiality acknowledgment two months earlier.
The second was that Brenda rarely believed information until consequences delivered it personally.
The third was that Marcus was not entirely sure how much he was permitted to say.
So he answered simply.
“You do not know who that camera belongs to.”
Brenda laughed.
“It's attached to your house.”
“That wasn't my sentence.”
“It obviously belongs to you.”
Marcus shook his head.
“You should climb down.”
Brenda's jaw set.
Then she swung.
The hammer smashed through the camera housing.
Plastic cracked loudly.
The lens assembly jerked sideways.
A piece dropped onto the grass.
Marcus closed his eyes.
“Okay.”
Brenda looked almost triumphant.
“Exactly.”
“No.”
Marcus opened his eyes.
“I mean okay as in now there is definitely paperwork.”
She climbed down one rung.
“You should have thought about paperwork before installing illegal surveillance.”
Marcus looked upward.
A cable hung from the broken mount.
A small indicator light had died.
He had seen expensive equipment fail before.
He had also seen government procurement invoices.
That particular camera had cost more than Brenda probably imagined.
She climbed another rung.
Marcus said, “Stop touching it.”
“You cannot order me around.”
“This isn't HOA business anymore.”
“It absolutely is.”
She grabbed the broken camera with one gloved hand and twisted.
The mounting plate bent.
Marcus winced.
“You really committed to this.”
“You should be grateful someone is protecting homeowners.”
“From what?”
“People recording them without consent.”
Marcus tilted his head.
“Do you believe every doorbell camera in America needs permission from passing cars?”
“Don't be ridiculous.”
“You're halfway up my wall with a hammer.”
“I am enforcing privacy.”
Marcus rubbed the loose edge of his mask back against his cheek.
It refused to stick.
Brenda stared.
“Are you seriously doing skincare while we're discussing this?”
“I was doing skincare before you started demolishing electronics.”
“Typical.”
Marcus's eyebrows rose.
“What is typical about this?”
Brenda did not answer.
Instead she twisted the camera again.
The entire housing came free.
A cable snapped.
She held the broken unit in one hand.
Marcus stared at it.
Brenda raised it like evidence.
“There.”
The absurdity of the scene reached a level Marcus could almost appreciate.
An HOA president in pink stood on a ladder holding broken federal surveillance hardware while a Black man in slippers and a moisturizing mask watched from below.
If his sister could see him, she would never let him recover.
Brenda began climbing down.
Marcus stepped backward.
She reached the ground.
Then held out the ruined camera.
“This is what happens when homeowners ignore community standards.”
Marcus looked at the camera.
Then her.
“Put it down.”
“No.”
“Brenda.”
“You're not getting it back.”
Marcus almost smiled.
“That would be difficult.”
“You can collect it from the management office after the board documents the violation.”
Marcus stared.
“You're planning to take it?”
“As evidence.”
He nodded slowly.
“You are going to carry that away.”
“Yes.”
“Fantastic.”
Her face hardened.
“You think this is funny?”
“No.”
Marcus glanced toward the street.
“I think the next five minutes may be educational.”