Rebecca stood beside him.
"Call the police."
James nodded.
But before he did, he noticed something.
The men weren't looking at the shed.
They were looking at the camera.
One of them pointed upward.
The other pulled out a device.
James's expression changed.
"They know."
Rebecca whispered:
"Know what?"
"They're searching for evidence."
The men moved toward the house.
James called 911.
Police arrived seven minutes later.
The men were gone.
But they left something behind.
A broken piece of plastic from a security device.
James picked it up.
Rebecca stared.
"What does that mean?"
James looked toward the dark street.
"It means someone is getting nervous."
Three days later, Laura Bennett came to the house.
She carried a thin black case.
James opened the door.
"You came quickly."
Laura stepped inside.
"You said it couldn't wait."
"It can't."
She placed the case on the table.
"James, I ran a preliminary check."
"On Cynthia?"
"On the company operating the patrol division."
She opened the case.
Documents filled the table.
The company was registered to a holding corporation.
The holding corporation was connected to another company.
That company had one major client.
A private development group.
James stared at the name.
Mallory Development Partners.
"Cynthia's family?"
Laura nodded.
James looked at Rebecca.
"What are they trying to build?"
Laura pointed to a map.
A large section of Lakewood Estates had been marked.
"Luxury commercial development."
James frowned.
"They can't build here."
"Not without acquiring the eastern parcels."
James followed the map.
His own property was marked in red.
So were several others.
Samuel's house.
Two elderly couples.
A widow.
And three families who had refused to sell.
James suddenly understood.
The harassment wasn't random.
It was a pressure campaign.
Make residents afraid.
Make them sell.
Then assemble the land.
Cynthia wasn't enforcing rules.
She was removing obstacles.
The day of the attack began quietly.
James had been repairing the sprinkler system.
Rebecca was inside.
His granddaughter Olivia was visiting.
At 10:14 a.m., the community patrol vehicle entered the driveway.
Four men stepped out.
James walked toward them.
"What do you want?"
Derek Voss held up a paper.
"Emergency enforcement order."
James read it.
It claimed he had violated a community safety provision.
He laughed.
"This isn't an arrest warrant."
"You are ordered to cooperate."
"By whom?"
"The HOA."
James shook his head.
"You have no authority to arrest me."
Derek stepped forward.
"Turn around."
"No."
"Final warning."
James looked at the cameras.
"Leave my property."
Derek raised his baton.
The first strike landed.
Then the second.
James fell.
Rebecca screamed.
Olivia ran outside.
"Grandpa!"
One of the men grabbed her.
"Get back inside."
James shouted:
"Don't touch her!"
Another strike.
Then handcuffs.
James's cheek hit the grass.
Derek leaned over him.
"You should have cooperated."
James looked up.