The bell was not decorative: brass, ship-grade, tuned sharp and clear. When it rang, the sound cracked down the birch lane and bounced across the cove. If peace had an alarm clock, this was it.
The first ring came twenty minutes after I set the last screw.
Ding.
I wiped my hands, set down my driver, and walked to the lakeside gate. On the other side stood Skyler Campbell and two women I recognized from previous skirmishes, each wearing a visor that matched her pastel polo. The taller one had a clipboard—twin, lighter and thinner, like a junior license to meddle. The shorter one clutched two leashes attached to two trembling Chihuahuas wearing sweaters despite the June heat.
"Good afternoon, Benjamin!" Skyler sang, smiling with every tooth God and a cosmetic dentist gave her. "We noticed your new, uh... installations."
"Gates," I said. "Words have meanings."
The taller woman lifted her chin. "Debbie Miller, Volunteer Committee Chair." She said it like she expected a salute.
The shorter one bobbed her head. "Carol Simmons, Hospitality."
"I don't require hospitality," I said, "but thanks."
Skyler's sunglasses tilted. "We're concerned about the message these gates send. It's... exclusionary."
"Correct," I said. "They exclude trespassers. Efficient little devices."
Debbie glanced at her clipboard. "You're adjacent to common shoreline, which, by tradition—"
"Tradition is a rumor people repeat until it feels like a law," I said. "If you think your tradition is legally binding, bring me the deed. Highlight the part that says 'honorary zone.'"
Carol tugged a leash as one of the dogs tried to squeeze under the bottom rail. "We're just trying to keep the community cohesive," she said. "We have a sunset potluck on the calendar. It would be helpful if you open this gate for kayak staging."
"I'm allergic to helpful," I said, "especially the kind mailed to my yard without consent."
Skyler exhaled, finally letting the performance slip half an inch. "Benjamin, you're making this adversarial. We can resolve this without escalation."