Nick immediately called the police.
This time, officers treated the threat differently.
They increased patrols around the neighborhood.
But Nick knew something.
The person behind this wasn't improvising.
They had a plan.
And the plan involved the entire neighborhood.
Over the next week, more residents reported strange incidents.
A mailbox was damaged.
A lawn was sprayed with paint.
A warning letter appeared on another family's door.
A security camera was mysteriously disabled.
Fear spread through Oakridge.
At an emergency community meeting, residents filled the clubhouse.
Karen stood at the front.
"We have confirmed that unauthorized individuals have been using the association's name."
Someone shouted, "Who?"
"We don't know yet."
Another resident yelled, "Then how are we supposed to feel safe?"
The room erupted.
Nick stood near the back.
He watched people argue.
Then Victor Hale walked through the door.
Every conversation stopped.
He was wearing the same HOA shirt.
Nick stared at him.
Victor smiled.
"Good evening."
Karen stepped forward.
"You need to leave."
Victor laughed.
"You can't order me out."
"You are not an employee of this association."
Victor's eyes moved toward Nick.
"Neither is your husband."
Nick felt his hands tighten.
Allison touched his arm.
Don't.
Victor walked closer.
"You've caused a lot of trouble, Nick."
Nick stared at him.
"You threw a brick through my window."
Victor smiled.
"Can you prove it?"
Nick took one step forward.
"I can."
The room went silent.
Victor's smile disappeared.
Then the police entered.
Two officers approached him.
Victor's confidence collapsed.
But as they placed handcuffs around his wrists, he looked directly at Nick.
"This isn't over."
Nick watched him being taken away.
For the first time in days, he allowed himself to breathe.
But he should have known better.
Victor was only one piece of the puzzle.
The real person behind the operation was still free.
And that person had just realized the Grace family would not be intimidated.
The arrest changed the neighborhood.
For two days, Oakridge felt safer.
Residents returned to their normal routines.
Children played outside again.
People began talking to one another instead of locking their doors and staying indoors.
But Nick couldn't relax.
He knew Victor hadn't acted alone.
The evidence against him was strong, but Victor refused to identify anyone else.
Then the police found something in his car.
A folder.
Inside were photographs of twelve Oakridge properties.
Including the Grace home.
There were notes beneath each photograph.
Estimated property value.
Family members.
Daily routines.
Security systems.
Nick felt sick when he saw the page containing Logan's name.
He left the police station furious.
Allison was waiting in the car.
"What happened?"
Nick didn't answer immediately.
He handed her the photograph.
Her face changed.
"We need to get Logan somewhere safe."
"I agree."
They picked him up from school and took him to Allison's sister's house.
Nick stayed behind.
He wanted to protect his family.
But fear was turning into anger.
Late that evening, he received another message.
This time it wasn't an email.
It was a photograph.
Logan walking home from school.
Taken from across the street.
Nick stared at the screen.
His breathing became heavy.
Someone had been following his son.
He called the police.
Then he called Daniel.
Then he called Allison.
"I want Logan to stay away from Oakridge until we know who this is."
"Okay," Allison said.
Nick hung up.
For several minutes, he sat alone in the dark.
Then he heard something outside.
A metallic sound.
He grabbed a flashlight.
He stepped onto the porch.
A shadow moved near the side fence.
"Who's there?"
No answer.
Nick walked toward the fence.
The shadow disappeared.
He found a small envelope on the ground.
Inside was a photograph.
This time it was a picture of Allison.
Nick's anger exploded.
He threw the photograph onto the ground.
Then he kicked the fence.
He wanted to chase whoever had done this.
He wanted to grab them.
He wanted answers.
Instead, he called the police.
That decision mattered.
Because thirty minutes later, officers discovered a hidden camera attached to a utility pole near the Grace house.
The camera had been pointed directly at their front door.
The police removed it.
But the discovery made one thing clear.
This wasn't over.
The next morning, Daniel arrived at the Grace home.
"I know you're angry."
Nick said nothing.
"But you need to control it."