Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 117574 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 588(@200wpm)___ 470(@250wpm)___ 392(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 117574 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 588(@200wpm)___ 470(@250wpm)___ 392(@300wpm)
I’m now on the cusp of a full-blown panic attack. Breathing hard and feeling dizzy. “Can you, uh, show me the peephole, please? I’d like to see it for myself.”
“Of course.”
I follow Charlotte out my door and through hers next door and discover her place looks totally different than a few days ago. It’s empty, for one thing. Also, it smells of cleaning products, rather than like a truck-stop bathroom.
When we reach the bedroom in the back, there’s a stepstool, bucket, air mattress, and suitcase in there, and that’s it. Charlotte stops and points to the far wall. “It was hidden behind a framed poster for Rear Window. So gross. Did he think he was being clever?”
“I haven’t seen that one.”
“Trust me, it was an Easter egg. A gross one.”
“Fucking hell.” As I step forward to the wall, Charlotte offers me the step stool. But I don’t need it. I’m a full foot taller than her.
I lean forward, and there it is. My bed. Exactly like Charlotte said. Plus, about a half-foot of space on either side of it.
My stomach revolting, I jerk away from the wall. If my gut feeling is right and Charlotte’s not telling me the whole truth, then what did she really see through that hole?
“I can only imagine how upset you are,” Charlotte says, wringing her hands. “Who knows what the former owner might have watched you doing. The good news is he’s dead and gone now. And along with him, whatever he might have peeped through that hole.”
Oh, God.
My heart stops. Not because I’m worried about what the former owner saw me doing, but because I’m suddenly remembering my grandma’s bed was positioned in the exact same place. From what I’ve been told, the former owner of Charlotte’s place died only a week or so after Grandma did. Which was right before I moved in. Which means it’s not physically possible that he saw me doing anything through that hole. But, unfortunately, it’s sure as hell possible he peeped at my beloved grandmother.
“My grandma,” I choke out. “She lived here before me—she moved in about four years ago.”
Charlotte gasps. “The former owner lived here for a really long time, Auggie. For decades.”
“Fuck.”
“Was your grandmother’s bed in the same place as yours?”
I nod slowly, my stomach churning. “I bought a new bed when I moved in, but I put it in the exact same spot as hers.”
Charlotte looks genuinely worried now. If she’s faking her concern, she’s the world’s best actress. “Did your grandma live alone? Hopefully, Lloyd didn’t see her doing anything all that exciting in there.”
I run a palm down my face. “Yeah, she lived alone. She moved in after my grandfather died. I don’t think she dated anyone while living here, so at least there’s no chance he watched her getting busy with someone.”
“Well, that’s a relief.”
“But even so, I’m sure she got dressed and undressed in perfect view of that peephole.” My breathing hitches. “Fuck. What if the pervert took naked photos or videos of my grandma?” I palm my forehead. “Charlotte, I need to go through all the stuff that was here the other day. Right away. I need to look for photos, videos, cameras, digital files, storage devices, thumb drives. Anything that might suggest he was recording my grandmother without her knowledge or consent. And then, I’ve got to destroy whatever I find and maybe even track down and notify all his victims—anyone who lived here before my grandma and got recorded, too. Who knows when he made that fucking hole, and how many people he might have victimized before my grandma moved in?”
Charlotte’s face is pale. Her green eyes, wild. “Tessa’s crew boxed everything up and moved it to a nearby storage unit for me. While they were boxing and hauling, I was busy throwing away anything that looked like obvious trash and cleaning, so I didn’t get a good look at everything that was here. For what it’s worth, though, I don’t remember seeing any cameras or devices.”
“Yeah, but you weren’t looking for that kind of stuff, either. You were busy with your own tasks, right?”
“True.”
“For all we know, the pervert—what’s his name again?”
“Lloyd Graham.”
“For all we know, Lloyd fucking Graham uploaded images of my grandma to a porn site. I can’t imagine old ladies getting undressed is at the top of the charts on porn sites, but on the other hand, the world is filled with every imaginable kind of sicko.”
“Ain’t that the truth.”
“I’m not going to be able to sleep at night until I’ve gone through every box in that storage unit.”
Charlotte grimaces. “I’m so sorry, Auggie.”
“Why? You did nothing wrong. Thank you for telling me about this.”
“I’m just sorry to be the one to break such horrible news.”
“I’d much rather know about it and therefore be able to deal with it. I owe my grandmother that much. She was an incredible person. Always helping people out. Always lending a hand. The thought of someone taking advantage of her like this . . .” I shudder as rage courses through me. I’ve never been a violent person, but if this Lloyd Graham character were still alive, I’d fucking kill him.