Our water bill soared to $214, and I discovered my neighbor secretly siphoning from our outdoor faucet, prompting unexpected advice from my husband.

Yet again, an ominous message shattered the silence.

“He’ll paint us as lunatics hollering over a mere garden hose to Marla.”

Then, “Whatever you do, don’t reveal you watched him.”

I peered out of the window.

Ray was in his yard, sending shimmering arcs of water across the lawn we supposedly funded to maintain.

“Do the photos have timestamps?”

Last month, the weight of $214 shook our world.