Patricia ignored him.
The next board came down.
Then the next.
Then another.
By the time she reached the center section, nearly twenty feet of fence lay in pieces on the grass.
Marcus did not move.
Patricia's confidence grew.
She began talking loudly.
"Maybe next time you'll respect the association."
Marcus said nothing.
"You people always think rules don't apply to you."
Thomas looked up.
Marcus remained silent.
Patricia cut another board.
"You move into a neighborhood like this and think you can do whatever you want."
Marcus looked at her.
"What people?"
She paused.
"What?"
"You said 'you people.'"
She waved the saw.
"Don't twist my words."
"I'm not."
She resumed cutting.
Thomas looked down at his field notes.
His expression had changed.
He had heard it too.
He said nothing.
Patricia kept working.
She cut the final board in the section.
It crashed onto the grass.
She switched off the saw.
"There."
She wiped her forehead.
"That's better."
Marcus looked at the demolished fence.
Then at the surveyor.
Thomas cleared his throat.
"Ma'am."
Patricia turned.
"What?"
Thomas raised the stamped map.
"I think you should stop."
She laughed.
"Why?"
"Because you have now removed approximately forty-two feet of fencing that sits entirely within Mr. Reed's deeded parcel."
Her smile disappeared.
"What?"
Thomas walked toward her.
He held out the map.
"This is the certified boundary survey."
She took it.
She looked at the lines.
Then at the fence.
Then back at the map.
"That's wrong."
"No."
"Your measurements are wrong."
"No."
"I have the association's map."
Thomas nodded.
"I've seen it."
"Then you know the boundary."
"I know your map."
She stared at him.
"The legal boundary is shown here."
He pointed.
"The fence is three feet inside Mr. Reed's property."
Patricia looked at Marcus.
Marcus said nothing.
Thomas continued.
"And my camera has recorded you destroying every section."
Patricia's face changed.
"What camera?"
Thomas pointed toward the tripod.
The small recording indicator blinked.
Patricia stared at it.
"You recorded me?"
"Yes."
"You can't do that."
"I'm a licensed surveyor documenting field conditions."
"You need my permission."
"No."
She looked at Marcus.
"You planned this."
Marcus shook his head.
"No."
"Yes, you did."
"I hired him to determine where my property ends."
"You knew."
"I suspected."
"You let me destroy your fence."
Marcus looked at the boards.
"I told you to stop."
She stared at him.
"You told me to keep cutting."
"After you refused to stop."
Her breathing quickened.
"This is entrapment."