Neighborhood Watch by Andrew Neiderman

worth it. But the Feinbergs and now the Del Marcos, they were different.
    They were permitted to become members of Emerald Lakes homeowners association.
    Actually, he shouldn’t be so hard on himself, he thought. The Feinbergs and the Del Marcos were residents before he and the committee had established the new preview
    procedures. They learned too late about Sol Feinberg and now he was learning too late about Steve Del Marco. He thought the man was more dominant in his household and
    Angela was a team player. Why did Steve permit his wife to come here to argue with
    him? The fact that Steve didn’t call to complain or come with his wife proved that his heart wasn’t in rebellion and defiance.
    Steve Del Marco was one of the more successful insurance agents in the area. Philip had directed a great deal of business his way. He didn’t expect anything for it. It was important to him that his residents be financially successful. But as an insurance man, Steve should realize how important maintaining the value of property was.
    Of course, Philip couldn’t move in with these people to see what their home lives were really like, but he could see now that he couldn’t make any logical conclusions. People didn’t act logically or reasonably, even if the outcome would benefit them. That’s why they needed the best CC and R’s and why they needed all the preview procedures. It was important to know as much about the prospective residents as possible, and in this, the day and age of computer tracking, he would send out his detective to penetrate the walls of privacy as much as possible.
    Actually, Philip admitted to himself, he was furious. Who did she think she was barging in on him like that and then slamming the door on the way out? And all that sarcasm . . .
    why did he have to endure it? Spoiled, selfish, immature behavior, that’s what it was. And damn if he would tolerate it.
    He reached for the Emerald Lakes directory, which was always just to his right on his desk, and looked up Steve Del Marco’s work number. He poked out the combination
    quickly and leaned back in his chair.
    “Steve Del Marco, please,” he said when the receptionist answered. “Tell him Philip Slater.” He drummed the arm of his chair with his fingers, his gaze focusing on the tiny spot in the aerial photograph that he knew to be the Del Marcos’ residence. “Steve. Sorry to bother you at work, but I was just interrupted myself, and by your wife.”
    “Oh,” Steve Del Marco said, his voice quickly losing whatever light tone it had. “I’m sorry. She threatened to do that this morning, but I thought I had talked her out of it. I’m sorry, Philip.”
    “There’s a time and a place for these things,” Philip said sternly, not satisfied with the repentance. “I’m the president of our homeowners association, but that’s not my full-time job. I have a company to run.”
    “I know. I’m sorry. I’ll speak to her.”
    “I wish you would and I wish you would talk to her about her attitude. We’re all in this together, Steve.”
    “Understood.”
    “What’s good for one is good for everyone at Emerald Lakes, and what’s good for
    everyone is good for one. It’s always been that way and it always will be. No one’s out to discriminate against an individual resident.”
    “I know. I’m sorry, Philip.”
    “We’re always trying to help each other,” Philip continued. He knew that sometimes he sounded like an evangelist, preaching to his residents, but from time to time, they needed a little preaching.
    “You’re right. She was overreacting. She’s been a little on edge lately. Her younger brother’s getting a divorce. He’s got three children, all under ten, and—”
    “I’m sorry to hear that, but my committee is not anyone’s whipping boy.”
    “Of course not.”
    “Cooperation, that’s the key word at Emerald Lakes. I wish you would have a little
    discussion with Angela about it,” he insisted.
    “I