‘I’m not following.’ I rub at the frown lines on my forehead. I’ve got the beginning of a headache.

‘He has access to houses when no one else is there. He had access to yours. He could’ve easily installed cameras—’

‘Stop, Davina! Don’t be ridiculous. How can you jump to such a conclusion?’

‘It’s probably the writer in me; I see the bad side of everything, I’m afraid, and I’ve seen that very thing on a true-crime documentary – was going to base my next book on it.’

‘Bloody hell, Davina.’ Concern creeps through me like a fast-growing vine. ‘Thanks for that.’

‘We shouldn’t discard it. Everything is a possibility.’ She shrugs. ‘He might get additional kicks from watching women when they don’t know anyone is looking.’

The thought horrifies me. I try to push it from my mind.

But another, more terrifying possibility occurs to me now I think about what’s been happening in my house. What if he doesn’t look through a lens? What if he lets himself into people’s houses in the dead of night and watches them while they sleep? I curse myself for allowing Davina’s warped writer’s mind to affect my own. I’m tired and stressed, and letting my imagination run wild. And anyway, now Carl doesn’t have a key, how would he be getting in?

But the thought takes up residence in my head, against my will.

Could Carl be the man from Leo’s night terrors?

Chapter Fifty-Two

It wasn’t easy knowing I was different from most people. My childhood was a daily challenge, and over the years I became more and more introverted. I’d watch people. I’d always be on the periphery; on the outside of things looking in. I liked not being “seen”. But, it wasn’t long before I realised you can’t get on in life if you’re that way. I had to learn to be like other people. Learn the norms. How to be. I was determined to appear to the outside world how I wanted to be seen.

So, I was careful to watch the right people.

My obsession with other people’s lives soon took hold, and even once I’d mastered the art of living like everyone else, I couldn’t let go of the need to watch. I just had to evolve my methods.

Once my carefully constructed life was threatened, though, I had to evolve once again. If certain people hadn’t interfered, I could’ve quietly continued about my business. If the past wasn’t dredged up, if I didn’t find out, if only I’d been strong enough … If, if, if.

If only people didn’t lie.

Chapter Fifty-Three

Amber