Page 226 of As The Shifter World Turns

“Not far.” That was as much as I got until Daire ran up the stairs.

“Sorry about that. Where’s Charlie?”

“He’s fine.” I wasn’t going to say he was with Anthony because I didn’t want Len to know anyone’s name other than Daire’s.

“You live here?” Len asked.

Daire opened his mouth and I cut him off because I just knew he was going to start the sentence with, “Neil”.

“You better get upstairs and look around because Daire has a lot of people lined up to inspect 3B. Don’t you, Daire?” I emphasized the last three words and he nodded. My tone must have told him not to mess with me.

I’d have it out with him later about leaving Charlie with a stranger.

Once in 2A, I left the door ajar and listened to Daire and Len’s conversation. They chatted about the size of the place, whether it’d been sprayed for insects, and how long it’d been vacant. Once they went into the apartment, their voices were muffled and I gave up.

“He’s creepy.”

“Yeah. Don’t worry. Daire’s on my shit list so I’ll tell him no way can he rent to that guy.”

“Okay.” I felt sorry for Anthony. He’d moved to Sunshine Manor because of one creep and now there was another one trying to muscle his way in. No way was I allowing that to happen. I rented two apartments in the manor so I got two votes when it came to who moved in.

I waited until the murmuring of voices and the footsteps on the stairs told me they were done. As Charlie was asleep, Anthony and I both peered out the window and watched Len get in a car. But he didn’t drive away. He just sat there.

“What’s he doing?” Anthony hissed.

“There’s a pair of binoculars in the desk drawer.” One of my clients used to love pretending to be shipwrecked and we’d used it in our role play.

“Can you see?” he asked.

“He’s on the phone and now… down.” I yanked Anthony onto the floor. “He’s taking photos.”

“He’s either a disgruntled client or he doesn't understand our work. Thinks what we do is “dirty”. He made air quotes around the last word. “Now what?”

I started a video and then raised the phone, hoping it was filming Len and the car. We both peered at it but couldn’t see much. After a while, he drove away.

We both sat on the floor, arms around one another. Anthony sobbed. I texted Daire and told him to get his butt here now. When he wandered in he had a huge grin on his face. “I think I’ve found 3B a new tenant. Just need to check his references.”

“No need.”

My steely tone must have alerted Daire I meant business, because he gripped the back of the chair. “Why are you on the floor?”

Where did I start? “First, you left Charlie with a stranger but I’ll get to thatlater.” I held up a hand as he opened his mouth. No way was I allowing him to interrupt me.

“He’s a creep,” Anthony blurted out.

“He checked me out and gave vague answers to my questions.”

“The first is icky, I agree, but the second isn't a crime,” Daire said.

I explained we’d seen Len taking pics. He scratched his head. “It’s not much to go on but yeah the photos thing is weird.”

“Promise me he won’t be moving into the manor.’”

“You have my word.”

I’d deal with the Charlie issue later. Right now, Anthony was curled up in a ball. “How about you come to our place for dinner and you stay the night?”

“I’d… I’d like that.”

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