Priya reminded him that the full accounting would take time.
Daniel asked whether they could request broader customer notification without exposing private details.
She agreed to raise it at the next meeting.
Chapter 25: A Different Pool
Leah persuaded Daniel to visit a public pool across town on Saturday.
He protested that he had no interest in swimming.
She reminded him that his father used to take them there every summer.
The recreation center had been renovated since their childhood.
Bright murals covered the walls.
A lifeguard watched the deep end from an elevated chair.
Daniel sat on the bleachers and listened to children laughing.
He remembered Walter teaching him to float on his back.
“Trust the water, but respect it,” Walter used to say.
Leah sat beside him.
“You still remember that?” she asked.
Daniel nodded.
“I remember everything he said about swimming.”
Leah looked at him.
“Then don’t let Brenda turn that memory into a courtroom exhibit.”
Daniel stared at the pool for a long time.
He finally removed his shoes and stepped into the shallow end.
The water was cooler than he expected.
He closed his eyes and floated for several seconds.
For a moment, nobody owned the water and nobody argued about a gate.
He was simply a man remembering his father.
Chapter 26: Brenda’s Explanation
Brenda agreed to a formal interview after her attorney reviewed the preserved records.
She admitted organizing events at Daniel’s house.
She maintained that she believed Daniel had given verbal permission.
When asked about the forged signature, she claimed a former assistant had prepared the documents.
The assistant denied receiving such instructions.
When asked about the missing lifeguard, Brenda said she thought Tessa was qualified.
Tessa’s written job application did not mention any aquatic certification.
When asked about the false insurance certificate, Brenda claimed it came from an old company file.
The insurer’s records did not support that explanation.
Daniel did not attend the interview.
He read the summary later in Priya’s office.
He was surprised by how ordinary Brenda’s excuses sounded.
There was no grand plan in her account, only a chain of convenient assumptions and denied responsibilities.
Priya cautioned him that the legal process would evaluate evidence, not his interpretation of her motives.
Daniel agreed.
He put the summary away and returned to the documents he could verify.
Chapter 27: The Offer
Brenda’s lawyer proposed a settlement the following month.
The offer included payment for the damaged gate, a limited amount for restoration work, and a promise not to enter Daniel’s property again.
