4. A Watcher in the Night

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Most of the noise Singleton’s team had been making in the fourth floor apartment had been reduced to a low roar by midnight and the other residents on that floor found their way to bed. The only exception was a young man by the name of Mark Boyle who lived in apartment 407. He worked second shift and didn’t even get home until after midnight. By then, the hallway had been cleared, the yellow tape was gone and the team was leaving Eagan’s apartment and heading down to the basement to finish up there.

Boyle passed a couple of the techs on the stairwell, but didn’t pay them any attention. He entered his apartment unaware of the excitement his neighbors had enjoyed earlier in the evening. He watched television until well past 2:00 A.M. and fell asleep on the couch.

At about that time, in the apartment directly below him, Sandy Gallagher got out of bed and without turning on any of the lights made her way to the window and looked down into the street directly in front of the building.

She watched Singleton walk down the steps and out to his car. Then she watched Gilbert as he headed toward his own vehicle and then stopped.

She watched him from her dark bedroom as he turned around to stare at the building. As she watched, she cataloged his features and clothing. She studied his stance and then watched him walk to his vehicle and finally drive away.

Then, calmly, she returned to her bed and closed her eyes. She didn’t have to fall back asleep because she had never been awake.

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