Chapter Thirteen C: The Private Company
Harriet Vale called the following morning with a request.
“Would you meet our regional director?” she asked.
“Why?”
“Because Celia told him that you threatened me during my visit.”
Lena held the telephone away from her ear for a moment.
“Did you tell him what actually happened?”
“I did, and I want him to hear it with both of us present.”
The meeting took place at a small office above a pharmacy.
Harriet greeted Lena at the entrance and introduced her to director Owen Field.
Owen had a careful manner and a notebook full of questions.
He explained that Clearway Residential Assessments performed voluntary property evaluations for homeowners and insurers.
The company did not possess any power to order residents to accept inspections.
“Mrs. Brant described your neighborhood as a pilot program,” Owen said.
“There is no pilot program,” Lena replied.
“That’s what we’re now trying to establish.”
Harriet showed him the original notes from her conversation with Celia.
Lena described the yellow ribbon, the gravel, and the attempts to interfere with the gate.
She did not accuse Harriet of participating in the scheme.
Owen listened and then asked a question Lena had been expecting.
“Why did you not tell us immediately that you had investigated safety incidents professionally?”
“Because my qualifications do not determine whether your company has permission to enter my property,
” Lena answered.
Owen wrote that down.
“That’s a fair answer.”
“It’s also a practical one.”
Lena pointed to the voluntary consent form on his desk.
“If a resident thinks this form is mandatory, your company has a problem even before anyone touches a fence.”
Harriet looked at the form.
“I asked Celia whether every homeowner had agreed,” she said.
“She told me agreement had been collected by the committee.”
Owen turned toward her.
“We should have required direct confirmation.”
“Yes,” Lena said.
“You should have.”
The director did not argue.
He offered to withdraw all incomplete inspection requests connected to Celia and contact the residents individually.
Lena asked him to explain clearly that no one would be penalized for refusing.
“I’ll put that in writing,” he said.
“Please also tell them that a concern can still be reported to the proper public authority.”
Owen looked surprised.
“You don’t want to discourage legitimate complaints?”
“Of course not.”
Lena leaned forward.
“A real loose stair rail deserves attention even if the person reporting it is difficult.”
“Then what’s the distinction?”
“The distinction is between describing a condition and arranging for it to happen.”
Harriet closed her notebook.
“I wish we’d had this conversation before I visited the house.
”
“So do I,” Lena said.
Outside, she found a message from Ruth asking whether she could stop by that evening.
Ruth had written that she was worried about the committee, not the inspection company.
Lena answered that she would be home after six.
She walked to her car and noticed Celia standing on the opposite sidewalk.
Celia was speaking to a man with a camera bag.
The man raised his camera toward Lena before she could get into the vehicle.
Lena turned away from the lens and entered her car without responding.
She had a feeling the next accusation would be designed for an audience much larger than the street.
