I Arrived at My Beach House to Find It Under Construction. By Morning, They Were Knocking at 6 a.m.

quietly. “The estimates total $120,000.”

Silence. Then I understood. They never had the money. They’d planned to start work and then convince me to pay, or to sign that power of attorney so they could mortgage my house.

It had all been a trap from the beginning.

“Get out of my sight,” I said finally. “Pack your things and leave today.”

“We have forty-eight continue reading …