We live in a historic manor divided into three homes, surrounded by five beautiful sequoias planted over 200 years ago. Our new neighbor, Barbara, moved in after her parents passed and quickly grew bitter. Ever since a storm took down one of her trees two years ago, she’s resented ours—complaining they blocked her light, dropped leaves, and were “unsafe.”

Before a recent vacation to France, Barbara made more passive-aggressive comments about storms and trees. We brushed it off. But when we returned, we were devastated—one of our ancient sequoias had been chopped down, leaving only a massive stump. Two nearby oak trees were crushed in the process. My wife and daughters were in tears. I was furious.

Barbara coolly claimed a storm had done it and had the nerve to send us an $8,000 bill for tree removal and yard damage. With no proof, we nearly gave up—until I remembered the wildlife camera I’d installed to track nesting owls.

What it captured not only exposed Barbara’s lie but gave us the evidence we needed to hold her accountable. That tree may be gone, but Barbara got the reality check she deserved.