Monday afternoon, at half past one, he watched through his telescope as Amy put her baby in his crib and then yawned, went into her own bedroom, and laid down. No one knew better than he how deep she slept. He had always found it endearing how such a small woman could snore so loud. She also had a habit of twitching her legs in her sleep like a dreaming dog. He didn’t know why such quirks used to mean so much to him.

He gathered together his telescope and half-eaten lunch, swept his bush haven clean, and walked back to his car. Gloves were a constant companion. The FBI might figure out the vantage point he had used to plot his crime but it would tell them nothing. Over the weekend he had stripped the soil in the area and dumped it at the beach. The FBI wouldn’t even find an eyelash to trace him with.

At his car he stowed his telescope and took out the ladder and can of paint. In his pocket he carried a ski mask, which he would put on when he was in the neighbor’s backyard. For the moment he kept on his painter hat and dark glasses. Even if Amy did awake and spot him, she would not be able to identify him. Naturally, he had on Simon Schiller’s beard and mustache. She would not recognize him. If by chance he did confront her, it was important that he not utter a word.

The neighbor’s block was deserted. He was pleased to discover that they had left their side gate open. He did not need his ladder until he was climbing into Amy’s backyard. By then he had on his ski mask and was feeling powerful. The sensation surprised him. He had assumed he would be a nervous wreck, but an odd calm had settled over his mind. He had planned for this moment for so long it was as if it were happening to someone else.

On top of the wall that separated the neighbors from Amy, he reversed his ladder and climbed down. They had a large pool, a lovely deck area with a marble Jacuzzi, and a waterfall. From peering through his telescope, he knew the back sliding glass door was unlocked. David and Amy were lazy when it came to security. They thought they were untouchable. They could ruin a good man’s life and walk away and pretend nothing had happened. They thought, we are rich and well-connected and don’t give a fuck. Matt was shocked at the wave of anger he felt but it merely added to his sense of power. Now, finally, after a whole year of planning, they would pay.