The day started out good for Matt Connor. The one thing he loved was to hike in the Malibu Hills with his son strapped on his back. And on this particular hike, on a path he came across by chance, they stumbled into a running stream and a low waterfall, which to Jimmy turned out to be pure heaven. There was also a small natural pond, and Matt was able to go for a swim, while his son played in the mud on the shore. It was simply one of those mornings where everything seemed perfect with the world.

Back at the complex, Matt stopped at Kathy’s door and knocked. She had called the evening after her gallbladder attack. She had sounded like she was at the airport, but she had not let on that she was leaving town. That had been four days ago and he had not seen her since. Once again there was no answer at her door. He missed Kathy; he hoped she returned soon.

Amy showed up shortly afterward. After so much fun in the hills, Jimmy was exhausted and fell quickly asleep. Then they made love and it was terrible. The perfect day was about to go to hell in a handbasket. For the last week, Amy had slipped back into her distant state. A state he was familiar with from the old days. When they were in bed together, she touched and kissed him with all the enthusiasm of a corpse. While she dressed to go, he asked if anything was wrong.

She shook her head. No.

He persisted. She got annoyed. He dropped it.

What a relationship. She kissed him goodbye and left.

Hours went by, it got late. Time for a bad day to change to horrible. He didn’t know that of course—not for sure—when eleven o’clock came around and he suddenly felt the need to drive to Amy and David’s house. To hike up to the bluff that overlooked their backyard—and more importantly their upstairs bedroom window—and spy on what they were doing. The urge came like a raging infection. He felt as if someone had lit a wick in the center of his brain. He suspected it was because for a long time he had repressed the desire to spy on them. He had told himself that there was no need—Amy loved him. But if the truth be known, he had not wanted to know. Now all he could think about was the need to know for sure. Amy had become particularly distant just before he had caught her with David.

His babysitter was still awake. He offered her twenty dollars if she would stay in his apartment and take care of Jimmy for an hour. No problem, Barbara said. She could watch TV as easily at his place. As he went out the door, she asked if he was okay. He must have looked strung out.