Talk about timing!
I went to the bathroom, and decided to peek out the window at our garage. Lo and behold, there was our neighbor (one garage over) very hastily moving the trees from her garage to the front of ours.
So, I opened the window, and called out, "Thank you so much for returning our trees! No worries!"
Well, where I'm naive to think that people are generally good-natured, and gave her the benefit of the doubt that perhaps she pulled them inside to protect them from this morning's wind... she looked up at the window, saw me, and RAN back inside. (At which point my suspicions kicked in as to why she would bolt if it were truly an honest deed or mistake.)
So, I went outside to find only the avocado and rubber trees, both of which are not fruiting. And, to add to my suspicion of ill intent, the center support pole for the avocado was removed.
She has until Ken gets home to return the lemon tree and rosemary, then we knock on their door. I'll still be friendly... but, if they refuse to return the others or play stupid, or not answer their door at all, I'll be calling the manager to sort it out.
Why my naivety has switched to suspicion:
1) She RAN when I very jovially said, "Thanks!"
2) The avocado's pole was removed.
3) The two most valuable plants have yet to be returned, and upon glancing into their garage, are no where to be found. (Maybe they decided to make them gifts?)
4) They have seen those trees sitting outside at various times for the last two weeks, with Ken watering them.
Ken's response was, "Maybe you startled her, and she doesn't speak English." My rebuttal, "She knows enough English to have read the sign on our garage door."
So, tonight's gonna be interesting...