When you're dealing with someone like Karen, the best weapon you have isn't anger; it's patience. Let them dig their own hole deep enough, and all you have to do is stand back and watch them fall in.
By the time I caught her running that second cable, I knew exactly how this was going to end. I'd already checked the generator's deterrent system earlier that day just to be sure it still worked. It wasn't fancy: just a non-lethal shock wired into the output terminals, with a grounding rod buried nearby. The idea was simple: if anyone tampered with the connections or tried to siphon off power without doing it the right way, they'd complete the circuit. The jolt would rattle their bones, maybe singe some hair, but nothing more.
Back when I first set it up, I tested it with an old pair of pliers. Even through the rubber grips, it nearly knocked the tool out of my hand. Effective.
Standing there in the shadows of my porch that night, watching Karen and Diane crouch by the shed, I felt that old mix of dread and anticipation. Part of me still couldn't believe she'd gone this far. Another part of me was almost impressed. It takes a special kind of arrogance to sneak onto someone's land and literally steal their power.
Diane whispered nervously, her flashlight beam bouncing around like a jittery firefly. "Karen, maybe we shouldn't. What if he catches us?"
Karen hissed, "He's gone! I told you I checked. The cabin's dark. He probably went back to town. Stop being dramatic."
I could see Diane's hands shaking as she uncoiled the cable. Karen snatched it from her with an exasperated sigh. "Useless. I'll do it myself."
That was Karen in a nutshell: bossy, controlling, convinced she knew better than everyone else.
She crouched over the generator, muttering under her breath as she fiddled with the connections. Her clipboard, never far away, rested on the grass beside her like some kind of sacred text.
I leaned back in my chair, sipping my beer, letting the moment stretch. Every instinct in me wanted to storm out there, catch her red-handed, and let loose. But I knew better. Words wouldn't stop Karen; humiliation would.
The hum of the generator deepened as she yanked on the cable. She gave Diane a triumphant look. "See? Easy. Now we'll have free power. He'll never know."
Oh, I knew. I knew every move she made.
As she tightened the clamp onto the terminal, I saw her grin widen. For one split second, she looked like a cat who'd finally cornered a mouse. The irony made me chuckle under my breath. She had no idea she was the mouse.
Diane glanced nervously toward my cabin. "Karen, are you sure this is safe?"