Karen stumbled toward the door, but Max rose with her, moving in sync like a shadow. She froze again, eyes darting to me.
"Call him off!" she squealed.
"Max, heel," I commanded.
Instantly, he padded to my side, posture proud, eyes still locked on her. He didn't need to bare his teeth; his presence alone had done more damage than any bite could.
The officers escorted Karen out onto the porch where the full humiliation hit her. Phones lit her up like paparazzi flashes. Her power, once absolute in this little neighborhood, had crumbled in a single night.
"Smile for your board," I said from the doorway, my voice laced with the same sarcasm she'd thrown at me countless times. "They'll love this report."
She hissed something under her breath I couldn't catch, but it didn't matter. The crowd had heard enough. The legend of Karen the intruder was already cemented.
Daniels turned back to me. "You want to press charges?"
I paused, watching Karen squirm. Every fiber of me wanted to say yes, to drag her through the system the way she dragged so many neighbors through her fake rules. But part of me also knew this public spectacle was punishment enough.
"Not tonight," I said finally. "Her reputation's already in shreds. Sometimes humiliation's a harsher sentence than a fine."
Daniels nodded. "Fair enough, but we'll file the report. You might want to keep this folder handy. It's evidence now."
I gave him a firm handshake. "Appreciate it."
As the squad car pulled away, Karen sat in the back seat, face pale, lips pressed into a thin line. For the first time, she wasn't in control. She was just another cautionary tale.
Neighbors lingered, patting my back, congratulating Max, who soaked up the attention with his tail wagging like a victory flag. Someone even handed him a treat from their pocket.