“Sir,” Daniel said, “you have been given notice.”
“I know.”
“You're refusing lawful access.”
“I am refusing access to my private backyard.”
Lorraine pointed toward the street.
“Those families are waiting.”
Marcus looked.
She was right.
About fifteen people had gathered near the sidewalk.
Parents.
Children.
A man carrying a cooler.
A woman holding inflatable pool toys.
Marcus felt something twist inside him.
They had been deceived.
Lorraine had told them this was happening.
Some of them had probably believed the pool was legally available.
Marcus raised his voice.
“Did you tell them the county authorized my property?”
Lorraine ignored him.
Daniel moved toward the lock.
Marcus saw the key ring.
“Where did you get those?”
Daniel didn't answer.
“You took them from my lockbox.”
“We accessed them through emergency authority.”
“There was no emergency.”
“Community safety.”
“My pool isn't a community facility.”
Lorraine interrupted.
“Enough.”
Marcus looked at her.
“Enough what?”
“You're embarrassing yourself.”
Marcus almost laughed.
“I am standing inside my own house.”
Daniel inserted a key.
It didn't work.
He tried another.
Nothing.
A third key turned halfway.
Marcus's heart began beating faster.
Then the lock stopped.
Daniel pulled the gate.
It didn't open.
Marcus had installed a secondary electronic lock after the maintenance worker incident.
Daniel tried again.
The mechanism clicked.
Still nothing.
Marcus took another step backward.
“Stop.”
Daniel turned.
“You want to be detained?”
“For what?”
“Interfering with lawful access.”
“Read the address.”
Daniel stared at him.
Lorraine stepped forward.
“The document covers the property.”
Marcus shook his head.
“No, it doesn't.”
“You haven't even read it.”
“I've read enough.”
Daniel finally looked down at the paper.
Marcus watched his eyes move across the page.
Then stop.
Daniel looked up.
“What is this?”
Lorraine's voice changed.
“What?”
“The address.”
She walked toward him.
Daniel handed her the paper.
She looked.
For several seconds, she said nothing.
Marcus felt the entire atmosphere change.
The parents near the sidewalk began whispering.
Daniel looked at Marcus.
Then at Lorraine.
“This doesn't match.”
Lorraine immediately responded.
“It's a clerical variation.”
Marcus frowned.
“That's not what you said thirty seconds ago.”
She turned toward him.
“Don't interfere.”
“You brought a police officer to my house with a document for another property.”
“That is not what happened.”
Daniel looked at the paper again.
Marcus finally recognized the reference number.
It was the number associated with the inspection order for the HOA's own community pool.
The pool that had been closed because of structural damage.
The document did not authorize access to Marcus's property.
It concerned repairs at the association's facility.
Marcus looked at Daniel.
“Officer, I think you need to call your supervisor.”
Daniel's radio crackled.
A voice came through.
“Unit Twelve, respond.”
Daniel ignored it.
The radio sounded again.
“Unit Twelve, respond.”
This time he reached for it.
Lorraine grabbed his arm.
“Don't.”
Daniel looked at her.
Marcus saw the hesitation.
And knew the situation had just become much bigger than a dispute over a swimming pool.
Ten minutes later, another vehicle pulled up.
This one belonged to the county sheriff's office.
Sheriff Thomas Bennett stepped out.
He walked toward the gathering without rushing.
He looked at Marcus.
Then the gate.
Then Daniel.
Then Lorraine.
“What happened?”
Lorraine answered immediately.
“There's been a misunderstanding.”
Sheriff Bennett looked at Daniel.
“Your wife called you?”
Daniel hesitated.
“Yes.”
“And you responded?”
“Yes.”
“On duty?”
“Yes.”
The sheriff looked at the document.
“What's that?”
Lorraine handed it over.
Sheriff Bennett read the first page.
Then the second.
Then looked at the address.
His expression changed.
He looked toward Marcus's house.
Then back at the paper.
“This isn't this property.”
Lorraine's face tightened.
“It establishes temporary recreational authority.”
“No.”
She blinked.
“What?”
“It doesn't.”
She stepped closer.
“You need to read the entire order.”
“I did.”
“The association has emergency rights.”
“To association property.”
“This is an association-related property.”
Sheriff Bennett shook his head.
“No.”
Daniel spoke.
“We were told there was authorization.”
The sheriff turned toward him.
“By whom?”
Daniel looked at his wife.
The sheriff noticed.
He asked again.
“By whom?”
Daniel didn't answer.
Sheriff Bennett touched his radio.
“Request a supervisor.”
Lorraine's voice rose.
“This is ridiculous.”
The sheriff ignored her.
“Also request internal affairs notification.”
Daniel's face went pale.
Lorraine stepped toward him.
“You don't need to do that.”
The sheriff looked at her.
“Ma'am, step back.”
She stopped.
The street became silent.
Sheriff Bennett turned toward Marcus.
“Do you have an attorney?”
“Yes.”
“Call them.”
“I will.”
“Do it now.”
Marcus nodded.
The sheriff then asked Daniel a question.
“Did you access a secured container on this property?”
Daniel hesitated.
Marcus answered.
“My lockbox.”
Sheriff Bennett looked at Daniel.
“Did you?”
Daniel finally nodded.
“Yes.”
“With whose permission?”
“My wife had emergency authority.”
Sheriff Bennett's expression hardened.
“That's not an answer.”
Daniel swallowed.
“She had a code.”
Marcus frowned.
“My lockbox doesn't use a code.”
Silence.
Sheriff Bennett looked at Daniel.
“What code?”
Daniel said nothing.
The sheriff held out his hand.
“Give me the document.”
Daniel handed it over.
Sheriff Bennett read the reference number carefully.
Then he pulled out his radio.
“County counsel, confirm reference twenty-six-four-one-seven.”
A pause.
Then the response came.