Chapter 2
My first thought was that my RV had been towed for some HOA violation.
Rushing down to the HOA office, I found Pamela working the front desk.
"Pamela, my new RV is missing from my driveway," I told her. "Did you guys have it towed?"
She gave me a confused look. "No, we haven't ordered any tows recently."
"Can we check the security cameras?"
"Sure, come with me."
The surveillance footage was pulled up.
The timestamp on the screen read 2:13 AM.
Out of nowhere, Mike strolled right up to my camper.
He was holding a set of keys in his hand.
One click of the fob, and the doors unlocked.
Then he got behind the wheel.
Two minutes later, Karen emerged from her house.
Susan, Richard, and Timmy trailed close behind her.
They were loaded down with suitcases and travel bags.
Sliding the side door open, Karen boosted her son inside first.
Then, her in-laws climbed aboard.
She was the last one to step in.
The door slid shut behind her.
By 2:18 AM, the RV was pulling out of my driveway.
Pamela glanced over at me. "Wait... Aren't those your next-door neighbors?"
I kept my mouth shut.
My palms broke out in a cold sweat as I stared blankly at the screen.
How did my keys end up in their hands?
Then it hit me.
When Karen came over last night, she had brought a bowl of popcorn with her.
After she left, the spot on my coffee table where I usually drop my keys was bare.
At the time, I figured I'd misplaced them somewhere in the house.
Clearly, I was wrong.
She must have swiped them when I wasn't looking.
Pulling out my phone, I dialed Karen's number immediately.
The call went straight to voicemail.
I tried again, but still got nothing.
On the third attempt, the call finally connected.
"Karen, where the hell is my camper?" I demanded.
Wind roared through the speaker, making it obvious they were flying down the open road.
"Oh, chill out, Samantha," she yelled over the noise. "We're just borrowing your camper for a couple of days. Don't make such a big deal out of it."
I forced myself to take a deep breath. "Turn around and bring it back right now."
Karen laughed. "Turn around? We're already on the interstate. Since you're traveling by yourself, book a cheap motel somewhere.
"It's barely gonna cost you anything, and this way my whole family gets to stay in the RV and save a fortune on lodging."
I said, "That's stealing."
"Oh, don't use such an ugly word. We're neighbors," she scoffed. "I'm only borrowing it, and you'll get it back the second our vacation is over."
"Bring it back right now, or I'm calling the cops," I warned her.
Karen laughed out loud.
A mocking cackle blasted through the speaker. "Call the cops? Be my guest. Let's see what they do. You honestly think the police are gonna waste their time on some petty neighbor drama?
"I gotta go. Timmy needs his nap."
The line went dead.
A quick redial sent me straight to voicemail.
I stood there in the middle of the HOA office, keeping the phone pressed hard against my ear.
Outside the windows, the late-May sun glared down.
The parking lot was packed with all kinds of cars.
My camper wasn't one of them.
I tried Karen's number one more time, but still got nothing.
Mike's phone sent me straight to his voicemail, too.
The thought of dialing Susan crossed my mind before I realized I didn't even have her number.
Pamela said, "Samantha, maybe just let this go? You have to live next to these people. Stirring up a huge mess is only gonna make things miserable for everyone."
"Karen stole my vehicle," I said flatly.
"It's a simple misunderstanding between neighbors," she argued. "You guys can sit down and talk it out peacefully when they return."
I stared at her. "We're talking about a 120,000-dollar RV, and you're suggesting we talk it out?"
She clamped her mouth shut.
I spun on my heel and marched out the door.
Back at my place, I stopped to stare at the empty concrete slab in my driveway.
Yesterday, I was out here wiping down the siding.
I'd spent the whole time figuring out what road trip snacks to pack for the beach.
Now, the space was nothing but concrete.
Karen's voice echoed in my head. "Since you're traveling by yourself, just book a cheap motel somewhere.
"And this way my whole family gets to stay in the RV and save a fortune on lodging."
The anger boiled over, making my hands physically tremble.
I pulled out my phone again.
But Karen wasn't getting another call.
I punched in three simple digits.
"911, what is your emergency?" the operator's voice crackled through the speaker.
I said, "Hi, I need to report a stolen vehicle. My brand-new RV.
"It's a brand-new RV worth 120,000 dollars.
"I know exactly who took it. I have the security footage and a recorded phone call to back it up.
"The thief is currently flying down the interstate with four of her family members."
"Understood," the operator responded. "We're dispatching an officer to contact you immediately."
I ended the call.
As I stood out in my empty driveway, I could feel the sun burning my cheeks.
Karen wanted to sit around and wait. Fine, I'd wait.
We'd see how much she liked waiting behind bars.