The silence that followed was deafening. The mist continued to swirl over the water, undisturbed by the absolute shattering of Brenda's ego.
The deputy cleared his throat, turning to Brenda with a stern expression. "Ma'am, you are the one standing on private property without permission. Furthermore, attempting to extort 'HOA fees' from a man for his own land is a serious offense."
Brenda was speechless. She looked at the lake she had claimed as her own, then at the rugged man who actually possessed it. The power she thought she wielded had evaporated into the morning fog.
"I'm a patient man," Thomas said, picking up his tackle box. "But my patience for your harassment is officially gone. I want you off my land, Brenda. And if you or any of your board members step foot past that tree line again, I will have the deputy here arrest you for trespassing."
Brenda didn't say a word. Defeated, humiliated, and trembling with embarrassed rage, she turned on her heels and practically ran back up the dirt path toward the pristine, artificial lawns of her subdivision.