His backyard is so big you’d need to park a crane next door to peer in and see what he’s up to. I note the angle he sits down at. A few minutes go by. He gets up to go inside for a bit. At least, that’s what I figure since he’s left his stuff outside. Showtime.

On my last little visit I pulled a brick out of the wall of the flower bed that runs along the shed. I left it there, waiting for me when I’d need it. I take a position behind the wall, to the right of the glass door. He comes out and sits down again. I clock him on the back of the head, with a satisfying thud. He collapses immediately, upper body thrust forward. There’s a little blood. The sun has almost gone down.

The idea isn’t to kill him. I just need him to remain unconscious for a few minutes. If I hit him a little too hard, it’s no big deal, but I am proud of myself when I hear him still breathing. I take his phone. No password. He must be too busy for that. I turn it off and put it in my pocket. I drag him inside, no small feat. My hours spent at the gym are rewarded, though, and I manage to pull him several metres in under two minutes and get him over the patio door ledge.

I tie him up with some strong rope. I know how to make knots, all kinds of knots. There are YouTube videos. I tie knots quickly. I practise regularly.

I bind his mouth with duct tape. That’s enough for now. He can wake up when he wants; it’ll be no skin off my back. I stand in the living room and set a password for his phone. I like the idea that he won’t be able to use it in the highly unlikely event that he regains consciousness and tries to call for help. I check out his agenda. Nothing planned for this weekend. I check his text messages and emails. I want to know whether I’m going to be interrupted. Nothing so far. I keep the device close at hand, in case that changes.

Under the kitchen sink, I find a cloth that I moisten to wipe up any traces of blood. The prisoner’s wound has stopped bleeding, but it’s left a mark on the patio table, the pressure-treated wood of the deck, and the living room floor. I take my time scrubbing out the grooves in the PVC for the bug screen and glass door. The chlorinated water from the pool works wonders. I give the brick a good soak before putting it back with the others.