Five minutes later, another vehicle arrived.
Then another.
Two unmarked SUVs.
Four officers stepped out.
And then something happened that made Tyler's smile vanish.
The officers straightened.
One of them walked directly toward Daniel.
And saluted.
Evelyn's face went pale.
Tyler whispered:
"Mom?"
Daniel didn't move.
The senior officer lowered his hand.
"Colonel Mercer."
The street went silent.
Evelyn stared.
"Colonel?"
Daniel sighed.
"I haven't used that title in years."
The officer smiled.
"That doesn't matter, sir."
The deputy looked toward Evelyn.
"Ma'am, I suggest you stop this immediately."
Evelyn's voice trembled.
"Why?"
The officer answered.
"Because you have no idea whose property you attempted to take."
Evelyn couldn't speak.
Tyler looked at Daniel as if he were seeing him for the first time.
The tow-truck driver quietly shut off his engine.
Daniel turned toward the officers.
"At ease."
They relaxed.
Evelyn finally found her voice.
"He's retired."
The senior officer nodded.
"Yes."
"So why are you saluting him?"
"Because retirement doesn't erase twenty-nine years of service."
Daniel shook his head.
"That's enough."
The officer smiled.
"Still the same."
Evelyn swallowed.
"Colonel Mercer, perhaps we can discuss this privately."
"No."
Her eyes widened.
"No?"
"You forged my signature."
"I did not."
Daniel looked at the deputy.
"I want the original documents preserved."
The deputy nodded.
"We'll need them."
Evelyn immediately protested.
"You can't take HOA documents."
"We can if they are evidence."
Tyler stepped forward.
"Mom, what's happening?"
She grabbed his arm.
"Get in the car."
"But the Camaro—"
"Now."
Daniel watched them leave.
The senior officer stayed behind.
"Sir, do you know what this is really about?"
Daniel looked at him.
"No."
The officer lowered his voice.
"I think someone wanted more than your car."
Daniel frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"We ran the VIN."
"And?"
"Your Camaro was entered into a federal historical vehicle registry years ago."
Daniel stared.
"I never told anyone."
"We know."
The officer looked toward the road.
"Someone has been researching it."
Daniel felt a chill.
"Who?"
"We don't know yet."
Then the officer handed him a card.
"Call me if anyone comes back."
Daniel took it.
"Thank you."
As the SUVs drove away, Daniel remained standing beside the Camaro.
For the first time in decades, the car didn't feel like a memory.
It felt like a target.
Michael arrived that afternoon.
He spread the documents across Daniel's dining table.
"This isn't amateur work."
Daniel frowned.
"What?"
"The signature."
Michael pointed.
"Someone had access to an authentic copy."
"Where?"
"That's what we need to find out."
Daniel sat back.
"My HOA records contain my signature."
Michael nodded.
"Exactly."
Daniel's expression hardened.
"Only board members would have access."
"Correct."
"So Evelyn."
"Possibly."
Michael placed another document on the table.
"There's something else."
Daniel read it.
His eyes narrowed.
The bill of sale wasn't the only forged document.
There was a transfer authorization.
Then a storage release.
Then an insurance form.
All bearing his signature.
Michael whispered:
"Someone planned this."
Daniel looked toward the garage.
"How long?"
"At least several months."
Daniel stood.
He walked to the window.
Across the street, Evelyn's house was dark.
But one upstairs curtain moved.
Someone was watching.
Daniel picked up his phone.
"Michael."
"Yes?"
"I think we should find out what they were really after."
The next morning, Daniel requested the HOA's financial and property records.
Evelyn refused.
Daniel expected that.
What he didn't expect was for the association's management company to claim that several years of records were missing.
Michael immediately filed a formal demand.