“Right before Brenda shut him down.”
“To do what?”
“I don't know.”
Andre looked toward Marcus's house.
“Security cameras?”
Marcus stopped.
He had a doorbell camera.
One driveway camera mounted above the side entrance.
It faced outward.
He suddenly realized it might have captured audio.
They went inside.
Marcus opened the security application on his laptop.
4:07 p.m.
Silver sedan entered frame.
Too fast.
They watched.
Tyler slowed near the end of the driveway.
Stopped.
Not lost control.
Stopped.
Marcus leaned forward.
Andre stopped breathing.
The sedan sat still for eleven seconds.
Then Tyler's driver's window lowered.
A faint voice came through the recording.
Not enough.
Marcus increased volume.
The audio crackled.
Tyler's voice:
“Mom, I'm here.”
A woman's voice came through speakerphone.
Brenda.
Faint but identifiable.
Marcus felt his chest tighten.
“…garage… lesson…”
Andre looked at him.
“Play it again.”
Marcus did.
They could not make out the full sentence.
Only fragments.
Tyler:
“I don't want to.”
Brenda:
“…just scare him…”
Tyler:
“Mom.”
Then the engine revved.
The car accelerated.
Marcus froze.
Andre whispered:
“No.”
The sedan struck the garage.
Marcus sat perfectly still.
Andre grabbed the edge of the table.
“Call the police.”
Marcus did.
Officer Martinez returned at 7:03.
She watched the clip three times.
Then once with headphones.
Her expression became increasingly serious.
“Do not send this to anyone.”
Marcus nodded.
“I already backed it up.”
“How many copies?”
“Cloud storage, external drive, original camera.”
Martinez almost smiled.
“You work in insurance or something?”
“Construction project management.”
“That explains it.”
Andre said:
“Can you hear her?”
Martinez nodded carefully.
“I can hear a female voice.”
“It's Brenda.”
Marcus said:
“She spoke earlier with the same cadence.”
Martinez held up a hand.
“We don't assume yet.”
Fair.
Marcus appreciated that.
She continued:
“I also hear phrases that may matter.”
“‘Garage.’”
“‘Just scare him.’”
“Tyler saying he doesn't want to.”
Andre crossed his arms.
“So this was intentional.”
Martinez looked toward him.
“We investigate.”
Marcus stared at the paused image.
The car still intact.
The garage still standing.
One frame before impact.
Martinez asked:
“Has Brenda had conflict with you?”
Marcus laughed without humor.
“How much time do you have?”
He showed her the HOA letters.
Three years.
Eleven violation notices.
Eight dismissed.