3: 3
At eight fifty the next morning, I walked into the community association office.
Director Lambert sat behind the desk. Mrs. Chavez was drinking tea.
Zane stood by the printer.
On the desk lay the Neighbor Dispute Settlement and School-District Home Share Transfer Agreement.
I switched my phone to record and slid it into the pocket of my work uniform.
Director Lambert held out the pen.
"Once you sign, the association guarantees Mrs. Chavez won't pursue this any further."
I turned to the second page.
There it was in black and white: that I had caused injury and death to a person and a pet through poisoning.
That I was voluntarily handing over the home's rental registration and school enrollment rights to Hunter, free of charge.
For a term of six years, processed through an agency called Lambert Realty.
Contact person Ray Lambert. The phone number matched the emergency contact posted on the community bulletin board.
I pointed at the last page.
"There's a sixty-eight-thousand service fee here. Why am I the one paying it?"
Director Lambert tapped the desk.
"Processing paperwork costs money. You're the one who did wrong, so of course you pay."
"Ray's your brother, isn't he?"
She flipped the agreement back to the signature page.
"It's a legitimate agency. Nothing to do with you."
Mrs. Chavez snatched up the pen and shoved it into my hand.
"Enough talk! You poisoned the dog and gave Hunter a fever too."
"One enrollment spot is getting off easy."
I didn't put pen to paper.
"And if the dog wasn't poisoned?"
Her hand froze.
I pressed on. "What if the autopsy shows its neck was strangled?"
"Or that someone choked the life out of it. Does this agreement still stand?"
Mrs. Chavez slammed her teacup down on the desk.
"Nonsense! The camera caught you, and Hunter saw it with his own eyes."
"Hunter was there at the scene?"
"Of course he—"
Director Lambert cut her off. "The boy saw the dog eating something off the ground."
"Don't drag in other things."
I opened the agreement's appendix page.
"Then add a line right here: if testing shows it wasn't poison, the agreement is void."
"All property rights returned in full."
"No."
Director Lambert pulled the appendix away. "It's a standard template. It can't be changed."
"I'm not finished."
I took out the screenshots of the debt collection notices and laid them on the desk.
"I borrowed three hundred thousand and I'm already past due. The creditor has applied for an asset freeze."
"This home could be frozen at any time."
"Whoever takes over the paperwork clears my debt for me."
Mrs. Chavez read the screenshots and pushed them toward Director Lambert.
"You didn't say anything about debt yesterday."
Director Lambert stared at me. "Where are the court documents?"
"Still on their way. If you're in a hurry, sign a freeze-risk acknowledgment."
"I can cooperate right away."
I pushed the pen in front of her.
She didn't take it.
Mrs. Chavez stood up. "I only came after you because I thought you had money."
"If you really owe three hundred thousand, I don't want the spot. Give me back what I spent."
"What money did you spend making trouble?"
"The banners, the paint, and the cigarettes for Zane—isn't that all money?"
"You even took two thousand from me and said once the spot came through we'd split it seventy-thirty."
Zane took a step back toward the door.
Director Lambert slapped the agreement down on the desk.
"Seventy-thirty with who? Keep talking nonsense and I'll stay out of your family's business."
"You're the one who said Hester's got no man behind her, that a few days of scaring would make her sign!"
Director Lambert shoved the window shut.
"This is the community association, not a place for you to throw a fit."
I picked up the debt collection screenshots.
"Are we still signing today?"
Director Lambert put the agreement away in a drawer.
"The home's situation hasn't been verified. We'll put this on hold."
Mrs. Chavez blocked the door.
"If I don't get the home, pay me eight hundred thousand."
"Produce the dog's autopsy and Hunter's medical records, and we'll talk according to the law."
She grabbed me by the collar.
"You think it's over if you don't sign?"
"I'll make sure you can't hold a job, and your daughter can't get into school."
Director Lambert sat back down and picked up the community seal.
"Hester, it's no trouble at all for the association to send a letter about your situation to your employer and the school."
I pried her fingers off one by one.
Shook her off, and walked out of the office.
Behind me came the sound of a stamp coming down.
Director Lambert said, "Tomorrow she'll learn which one is worth more."
