The police officers, to their considerable credit, did not accept the confusion as fact. They asked questions in the methodical way officers do when trying to determine reality.
"Ma'am," the older officer said to me, "your neighbor is claiming ownership of this structure and alleging vandalism. Can you explain?"
"I can do better than explain," I said. "I can show you."
I brought out the documentation file. I handed them the deed, the original Aqua Design Solutions contract, the county permits, the twelve years of maintenance records, the property line survey, and the signed certified mail receipt for the cease-and-desist letter. Finally, I handed them a tablet loaded with the cloud-storage folder of her breaking through the fence.
The officers reviewed the file in silence. The older officer looked at the paperwork, looked at the empty pool, and then looked at Sandra, whose confident posture had suddenly evaporated into a rigid, pale stillness.
"Mrs. Fielding," the officer said, his voice stripped of any conversational warmth. "You are standing on private property. You have filed a false police report, and there is documented evidence of serial trespassing and property damage."