The HOA Neighbor Who Made a $25,000 Mistake

We had barely spent a night in the rental when Lindsey appeared—cookies in hand, smile sharp as glass. She introduced herself, peered past our shoulders to inventory our furniture, then dropped her rulebook line: “Only one car per driveway.”

Jack asked if it mattered that both cars fit. Lindsey’s reply? “Especially if both fit.”

We shrugged her off. Until three mornings later, when tow trucks rumbled into our driveway at dawn. Our cars were hoisted, Lindsey stood smirking in a lavender fleece.

“Wow,” I told her. “You just cost yourself twenty-five thousand dollars.”

That night, I made a call. At sunrise, a black SUV pulled up. A federal agent stepped out, flashed a badge, and rang Lindsey’s doorbell.

“Ma’am, you interfered with an undercover operation. You initiated the towing of two marked government vehicles. The damages total $25,000.”

Her mug hit the porch in pieces. She stammered, “I didn’t know. I was following HOA rules.”

The agent didn’t blink. Jack added, “Bake the cookies, skip the power trip.”

Lindsey never waved again. Even her rose bushes wilted—like they, too, couldn’t bear the embarrassment.