He was also, at my request, disabling the external keypad temporarily for maintenance purposes, technically speaking.

The work took about 4 hours.

When it was done, Sandra’s Lexus was inside my garage. The garage door was closed. The steel bar was down. The external keypad was offline. The garage was sealed.

I thanked Marcus, paid him, and went inside to finish packing for Seattle. I had a flight the next morning at 7:00 a.m. 2 weeks in Seattle, a hotel booked, a major project to complete, and absolutely nowhere to be except very, very far from Maplewood Estates.

Before I left, I did three things. First, I called my attorney, a calm, methodical woman named Patricia, who had helped me navigate a contract dispute the previous year, and who, when I explained the situation, said, “So, she accessed your property without permission, used your security code she obtained without authorization, parked her vehicle in your private garage, and is still there.” I confirmed all of that.

Patricia said, “And you’re installing legal security equipment on your own private structure, which you’re entitled to do, and then leaving for a pre-planned business trip.” I confirmed that, too. Patricia said, “Daniel, call me if anyone contacts you. Otherwise, enjoy Seattle.” I said I would.

Second, I wrote Sandra a letter. Not a threatening letter, not a mean letter, a polite, matter-of-fact letter. I printed it, sealed it in an envelope with her name on the front, and left it taped to her front door before I went to bed.

Third, I set my phone to do not disturb, except for Patricia’s number and my work contacts.

Then I went to sleep, and in the morning, I flew to Seattle. The letter I left for Sandra said the following:

“Dear Sandra, I want to let you know that I’ll be away for 2 weeks on a business trip. During my absence, I’ve installed additional security on my garage as part of a home security upgrade I’ve been planning for some time. Unfortunately, this means the garage will not be accessible via the external keypad during this period. I wasn’t aware you were planning to store your vehicle in my garage for an extended time. I thought it was a temporary arrangement while your driveway dried.

I apologize for any inconvenience. If you have any questions, please contact my attorney, Patricia Last Name, at the number below. Safe regards, Daniel.

That letter was, every word of it, completely accurate. I wasn’t aware she’d planned an extended stay. The security upgrade was real, and I was indeed going to be away for 2 weeks.

I landed in Seattle at 10:30 a.m. By noon, I had checked into my hotel, connected to the project team, and ordered room service. It was a beautiful day. The city looked great from my window. I opened my laptop and got to work.