The work included replacing the handrail mounting, installing clear warning signs, removing unauthorized electrical equipment, and repairing damaged tiles.
Daniel reviewed each item carefully.
He did not ask Gloria to exaggerate the cost.
He wanted every expense to be supported by a real inspection and invoice.
The electrician confirmed that the added timer had been installed incorrectly and should be removed before the equipment was used again.
Daniel authorized the removal.
He also purchased an updated pool safety inspection from an independent contractor.
The process was expensive, but he wanted a clean record of the property’s condition.
Leah helped him label the photographs.
June watched the contractors from across the street.
When the work was done, the pool looked almost the same as it had before.
Only Daniel knew how many small details had needed attention.
Chapter 30: A Brother’s Testimony
Cole Bennett eventually gave a voluntary statement.
He explained that Brenda had told him Daniel had approved the rentals.
He admitted helping her carry folding chairs into the backyard one afternoon.
He had never met Daniel before that day.
Cole also acknowledged giving Brenda money to cover business debts.
He said she repaid him in irregular amounts that she described as event profits.
Investigators asked whether he had seen any signed contract with Daniel.
Cole said he had seen a document bearing Daniel’s name but had never watched him sign it.
The answer disappointed Brenda when she learned of it.
She left him several angry messages.
Cole preserved the messages and told his attorney.
Later, he called Daniel.
“I didn’t want to hurt my sister,” he said.
“You didn’t have to lie to protect her,” Daniel replied.
Cole was quiet for a moment.
“I understand that now.”
Chapter 31: The Family Who Never Arrived
One reservation had never resulted in a party.
It belonged to a woman named April Castillo, who had booked the pool for her mother’s seventieth birthday.
April canceled after receiving a message from Brenda demanding an additional access fee on the morning of the event.
Brenda claimed the fee was required to unlock the bathroom and connect the outdoor refrigerator.
April had already paid a deposit and objected to the surprise charge.
Her family had prepared food, decorations, and a cake large enough for fourteen people.
She spent the afternoon searching for another place to gather.
By the time she found a community center with an available room, several relatives had gone home.
Her mother pretended not to be disappointed.
April remembered how carefully she folded the unused paper decorations afterward.
