But Mark didn't want a war.
He wanted the HOA to back down.
So he contacted the board formally, explained the environmental issue and asked them to withdraw the violation.
Instead, Karen escalated.
Chapter 4 — The Neighbors
The more Mark looked into the HOA, the more strange stories he heard.
A retired woman had been fined for garden decorations.
A family had received repeated warnings about a basketball hoop.
Another homeowner had been threatened with a lien over a minor landscaping dispute.
The pattern was always the same.
Karen interpreted the rules.
Karen issued the notices.
Karen decided when the matter was finished.
Mark began talking to his neighbors.
Eventually he met Frank Peterson, a former military attorney who now handled civil disputes.
Frank listened silently while Mark explained everything.
When Mark finished, Frank asked one question.
“Do you have copies of every notice?”
“Yes.”
“Every fine?”
“Yes.”
“Property documents?”
“Yes.”