“And those rules required him to make his private pool available to all seventy-four homes?”

“Yes.”

“The county says the pool is legally private property.”

Dolores's smile disappeared.

The reporter continued.

“And county records indicate the HOA's amendment may not have been properly adopted.”

Dolores froze.

“Who told you that?”

“Public records.”

The camera kept rolling.

I said nothing.

I didn't need to.

The evidence would speak for itself.

By the time the pool was empty, everyone in Pinewood Estates knew something was wrong.

 The Meeting

The emergency HOA meeting was held at the community gazebo.

More than seventy residents attended.

The television crew returned.

Dolores sat behind the table with the remaining board members.

She looked confident.

Until Chenise stood.

“The board has received a petition demanding a special election.”

Dolores's expression changed.

She tried to delay it.

She tried to dismiss it.

Then I connected my laptop to the projector.

The first document appeared.

$15,000 IN OFFICE EXPENSES.

The crowd became silent.

I showed the receipts.

Candles.

Kitchen appliances.

Decorations.

Household purchases.

All paid for by HOA funds.

Then the fake clubhouse repair.

$2,400.

There was no clubhouse.

Then the questionable vendor.

A company that didn't appear to exist.

Dolores stood.

“This is harassment!”

“No,” I said.

“This is your own financial paperwork.”

Then Jim's recording played.

Dolores's voice echoed through the gazebo.

“We can make your life much easier, Jim, or we can make it much harder.”

Nobody spoke.

Then Sandra Yu, one of the board members, stood.

“I resign.”

She walked away.

The crowd erupted.

Greg Pino looked terrified.

“I didn't approve those purchases.”

Dolores turned toward him.

“Greg—”

“I didn't.”

I looked at the residents.

“We have forty-five verified signatures.”

The requirement was thirty.

We had exceeded it by fifteen.

Then two investigators arrived.

They approached Dolores.

“Mrs. Pritchard?”

She looked at them.

“We need to ask you some questions regarding HOA financial records.”

Her face went pale.

For the first time since I had known her, Dolores looked afraid.

She followed them away.

The remaining board member called for the vote.

Fifty-two homeowners voted to remove the board.

Four opposed.

Six abstained.

The motion passed.

Dolores's reign was over.

 What I Learned

The new board was completely different.

Gemma became president.

Chenise became treasurer.

Marcus became secretary.

Every dollar was documented.