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Then I noticed Linda standing across the street holding a cup of coffee.
She wasn’t hiding her grin.
She actually waved.
Jack called the police.
Within minutes, we learned the truth.
Our cars had been towed.
Private tow request.
Authorized by…
Linda.
Apparently she’d convinced the towing company she represented the HOA.
She even signed paperwork claiming our vehicles violated community regulations.
The tow yard wanted nearly $800 to release both cars.
I was furious.
Linda walked across the street wearing the same satisfied smile.
“I warned you.”
I folded my arms.
“Wow.”
She looked pleased.
“I hope you’ve learned to respect community rules.”
Jack suddenly started laughing.
Not angry laughter.
Real laughter.
Linda frowned.
“What’s so funny?”
I couldn’t help smiling.
“Nothing.”
She narrowed her eyes.
“Tell me.”
I pointed toward the bright orange tow authorization still sticking out of her clipboard.
“Because you owe us twenty-five thousand dollars.”
Her smile disappeared instantly.
“What?”
“You overlooked something.”
“I overlooked what?”
Jack walked over and gently tapped the paperwork.
“That symbol.”
She looked confused.
“So?”
“The blue emblem.”
She stared.
Her face slowly turned pale.
It wasn’t an HOA authorization seal.
It was a handicap parking permit symbol.
Both of our vehicles were registered under a state disability accommodation program because Jack had suffered permanent mobility issues after a construction accident years earlier.
Our driveway had also been officially approved years before we bought the house under accessibility modifications that allowed multiple accessible vehicles.
Those accommodations were protected under federal and state law.
More importantly…
The HOA had absolutely no authority to override them.
And Linda certainly didn’t.
The towing company hadn’t known any of that because Linda never mentioned it.
She simply claimed she was enforcing neighborhood rules.
The police officer arrived shortly afterward.
He reviewed the paperwork.