"You broke my lock, invited six people onto my property, and every camera caught it."
One woman slowly climbed out.
Another looked toward the gate.
Patricia noticed.
"Nobody move."
Marcus looked at her.
"You're done."
Patricia laughed nervously.
"You think you're going to intimidate me?"
"No."
Marcus walked toward the pool equipment enclosure.
He opened a small cabinet.
Then he removed a laminated maintenance sheet.
He held it up.
Patricia frowned.
"What is that?"
Marcus looked directly at her.
"A record."
"Of what?"
"The pool treatment this morning."
Patricia glanced at the sheet.
Her face changed.
"What treatment?"
Marcus didn't answer.
The women began climbing out.
One woman wrapped a towel around herself.
Another looked at her arms.
She frowned.
"What's on me?"
Patricia looked down.
There was a faint green shimmer along her wrist.
She rubbed it.
The color didn't disappear.
"What is that?"
The pool technician stepped through the side gate.
Behind him came a police officer.
The technician stared at the women.
CHAPTER 3
Then at Marcus.
Then at the pool.
He raised his testing equipment.
"Looks like it worked."
Patricia stared at him.
"What worked?"
The technician looked at the green marks spreading across her arms.
"The dye."
Her face went pale.
"What dye?"
The technician pointed toward the water.
"Temporary non-toxic leak-detection dye."
Patricia stared.
"What?"
"It was added this morning as part of a maintenance diagnostic."
Marcus held up the maintenance sheet.
"It was supposed to be flushed before the pool reopened."
The technician nodded.
"Exactly."
Patricia looked down at her legs.
Green streaks were visible across her skin.
Her blue swimsuit had faint green marks along the sides.
One of her friends screamed.
"Oh my God!"
Another looked at her hands.
"I'm green!"
The technician remained calm.
"It's harmless."
Patricia looked furious.
"You did this deliberately!"
Marcus shook his head.
"The dye was scheduled."
"But you knew!"
"I knew the pool was closed."
Patricia pointed at him.
"You set me up!"
Marcus's expression remained cold.
"No."
He glanced at the camera.
"You broke in."
The police officer stepped forward.
"Ma'am, step away from the pool."
Patricia stared at him.
"Are you serious?"
"Yes."
"I'm the HOA president."
The officer looked at the broken lock.
"That doesn't give you permission to enter private property."
Patricia opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
The other women began talking over one another.
"We didn't know."
"Patricia said it was allowed."
"I thought this was an HOA facility."
"I didn't even know whose pool it was."
Marcus looked at them.
"You were all invited by her."
One woman nodded.
"Yes."
Patricia snapped.
"Don't blame me!"
The woman stared at her.
"You told us it was allowed."
"I didn't say—"
"You said you had authority."
Patricia looked trapped.
The police officer turned to Marcus.
"Do you have footage?"
Marcus nodded.
"Everything."
The officer looked at the camera.
"Good."
The pool technician stepped toward Patricia.
"Ma'am, I need everyone to remain out of the pool until I finish the flushing procedure."
Patricia glared at him.
"Are you going to testify against me too?"
The technician blinked.
"I'm going to document what happened."
Marcus almost smiled.
That sentence would become important later.
Very important.
The officer asked the women to wait near the patio.
One by one, they stood wrapped in towels.
CHAPTER 4
The green tint made them look ridiculous.
But Marcus didn't laugh.
He understood something.
The dye wasn't a prank.
It wasn't a trap designed to humiliate anyone.
It was evidence.
Temporary.
Visible.
Documentable.
And impossible to explain away.
The technician photographed the marks.
The officer photographed the broken lock.
Marcus provided the maintenance record.
Then he showed the security footage.
The officer watched Patricia approaching the gate.
He watched her look around.
He watched her pull out the metal tool.
He watched her break the lock.
He watched her wave the women inside.
Then he watched all seven women enter.
Finally, he watched Marcus open the patio door.
The officer paused the video.
"That's pretty clear."
Marcus nodded.
Patricia stood nearby.
Her face was red.
"This is harassment."
The officer turned.
"Ma'am, nobody is harassing you."
"He intentionally put dye in the pool."
The technician corrected her.
"The dye was part of scheduled maintenance."
"You knew I'd enter."
Marcus looked at her.
"I didn't know what you would do."
Patricia stared at him.