Page 27 of Listen to Me

“You wanna peek? I can fix that.” Jonas ducks into his toolshed and reemerges with a stepladder. He sets it up against the fence. “My lady.”

Even though he’s positioned himself in just the right spot to ogle my ass, I climb up the ladder and cautiously raise my head to peer across the fence. For a moment all I notice is the open cellar hatch and a bag of concrete leaning against the wall. Then I look at the upstairs windows facing the backyard and I see the reason for all the hammering and the drilling.

Bars. Matthew Green is installing bars over the windows.

Already he’s put them on the first floor, and now he’s moved upstairs, where his toolbox now sits open on the balcony. I stare at those bars, wondering why he’s doing this. Who is he afraid will break in? What is so valuable inside that house that he feels the need to turn the place into Fort Knox?

Then the chilling thought hits me. What if the bars aren’t to keep outsiders out, but to keep someonein? I think of his wife. Why do we never see his wife?

Suddenly the balcony door opens and Matthew Green steps out. I duck down before he can see me.

“What? What?” whispers Jonas.

“You won’t believe this.”

“Let me see.”

Jonas may be stocky but he’s not much taller than I am so I have to get off the stepladder to let him climb on. He takes one look and instantly ducks down again.

“I think he saw me,” Jonas says.

“Uh-oh.”

We both huddle by the fence, listening. It’s gone completely silent next door and my heartbeat thuds as I strain to listen. A few minutes go by and the drill starts whining again.

I nudge Jonas aside and climb back onto the ladder for another peek. To my relief, Matthew has his back turned as he works, so he can’t see me as he installs a new set of wrought-iron bars over the balcony window. Something catches my eye, something that I see only as Matthew Green bends forward, reaching into his toolbox for something. Suddenly wobbly, I clutch the fence to steady myself and I’m not quick enough to react when he suddenly pivots and stares at me.

Straight at me.

Caught in the act, I can only stare back at him as the seconds tick by. I am still staring as he walks back into his house and shuts the door.

My legs are shaking as I climb off the stepladder.

“What’s wrong?” says Jonas, frowning at my face. “What did you see?”

“I need to call my daughter.”

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