She heard voices again. It sounded like two men arguing, and one of the voices sounded like Jerry’s. In an instant, she ran out of the bedroom and fled down the stairs. She stopped and glanced out of the living room window and saw Jerry’s car parked in the driveway, She ran through the kitchen and laundry room to the back door. There was a knock at the front door just as she started to open the back door.
Ann ran back into the living room and peaked through the curtains. She saw Jerry Rankin and another man standing on the porch. The other man’s back was to her. Ann couldn’t see very clearly, but it looked as though Jerry was holding the other man’s arm-as if to keep him from escaping. Ann opened the door and let out a gasp.
There stood Jerry Rankin gripping the arm of a young man who looked to be around the same age as Amy. The boy had a welt over his right eye and there was a trickle of blood oozing out from a cut on his lower lip.
“Jerry! What happened?” Ann exclaimed.
Jerry’s expression was a mixture of concern and rage. “I caught this little bastard peeping through your bathroom window!”
Amy! Ann thought. She’s been taking a shower! Ann’s blood pressure shot up.
Jerry shoved the boy forward through the doorway pinning his arm behind his back as he did so. He stood just inside the doorway and explained. “When I pulled into the driveway, I noticed that the light in the backyard suddenly went off. I thought it was peculiar so I ran back to the fence to be sure that everything was all right. I spotted this little twerp peaking in the bathroom window so I jumped the fence and headed toward him. He saw me and started running the other way, but I caught him. Then he resisted and tried to get away from me, so I slapped him around a couple of times.”
Ann watched Jerry as he forced the boy over to the center of the living room and glared at him reproachfully. Ann was practically in hysterics at the moment and wasn’t sure what to do or say. She could see the boy more clearly now and she looked him over. He appeared to be about fifteen or sixteen with a peach fuzz baby face and short brown hair. His expression was absolutely forlorn as he stared down at the floor. In spite of the allegation against him, Ann felt the slightest pang of pity for him for some odd reason and it was more than obvious that he was absolutely terrified of Jerry Rankin.
“His lip is bleeding-I’ll go get a damp cloth,“ Ann suddenly said.
Jerry shot her a scornful look. “You should let him bleed to death!”
Ann ignored his remark and went into the kitchen. Her hands were trembling as she held a dishcloth under the tap and struggled to compose herself. It wasn’t until she was half way back to the living room that it finally hit her: the boy she was feeling sorry for only a moment ago was not only a peeping Tom that had trespassed on her property but most likely the same pervert who had been making those obscene phone calls! Ann clenched her teeth with great determination as she returned to the living room and handed the dishtowel to the boy.
“What’s your name?” she demanded.
The boy brought the towel to his injured lip and replied slowly. “Larry Underwood.”
“And what exactly were you doing in my backyard, Larry?”
The boy blinked his eyes a couple of times and turned away from Ann. “Looking into the window.”
“Why, may I ask?”
Larry Underwood continued looking away from her. “I was trying to see Amy.”
Ann got right up in his face. “So you know my daughter-is that correct?”
The boy nodded slowly.
“And do you attend Woodcrest High?”
Larry nodded again.
“And is this the first time you’ve snooped around my house or have you done it before?”
“The first time-I swear!”
“Tell Mrs. Middleton the truth, you little pervert!” Jerry glared. “That’s not what you told me outside.”
Larry Underwood’s eyes went from Jerry Rankin to the floor. “Maybe a couple of times before.”
Ann then said, “And have you been making obscene phone calls to this house?”
The boy faced Ann and replied,” No! I haven’t done that and I’m really telling you the truth now!”
Ann looked over at Jerry, who had the boy in an arm lock. “He denied making the calls to me, too. I don’t know whether to believe him or not.”
“I swear, Mrs. Middleton. I have never called your house. I’ll admit that I’ve snooped around a couple of times, but that’s all-you gotta believe me!” he pleaded.
“What’s going on?”
All three turned at the same time and saw Amy standing in the hallway. She was wearing her bathrobe and her expression went from bewildered to absolute shock when she recognized Larry Underwood.
“What are you doing here, Larry? What happened?”
No one answered right away, so Jerry Rankin took over. “Go ahead Larry. Tell Amy what you’re doing here.”
Larry gave Ann a pained look of desperation as if to say “please don’t make me tell her.” Ann decided to remain silent to see if Larry Underwood would have the guts to confess his crimes. Amy, in the meantime, was staring at her mother for a clue as to what was going on.
Finally, when it became apparent that Larry wasn’t going to speak, Ann said, “Larry was peaking in the bathroom window at you, honey.”
Amy’s face turned beet red. Her eyes went from her mother to Larry to Rankin before she turned around bolted up the stairs to her bedroom, sobbing as she ran.
Ann ran after Amy. When she reached the upstairs landing, she saw that her daughter’s bedroom door was closed. She knocked on it softly.
“Can I come in, sweetie?”
Moments later, Amy replied, “I don’t care.”
Ann entered the room and found Amy lying in the bed crying. She sat down on the bed and began stroking Amy’s damp hair comfortingly.
“I’m sorry, honey. I know how you must feel right now. Has this Larry boy been bothering you at school?”
Amy sat up and determinedly struggled to get herself under control. “I hardly know the jerk,” she replied, wiping the tears from her eyes. Her expression suddenly changed when she glanced over at the clock and saw the time.
“Jason will be here in half an hour, Mom! You have to get Larry out of here!”
“But we have to call police, honey. He was trespassing and-”
“The police! No, Mom, please! Just let him go-I don’t want him arrested. It’ll be all over school!”
“ But-”
Amy grabbed Ann’s arm and stared at her pleadingly. “Please, Mom, listen. Jason is picking me up in a few minutes, I’m not even dressed yet, and if you call the police it’s going to ruin everything! Please just let Larry go-I’m sure he has already learned his lesson by the looks of his face. Did Mr. Rankin do that to him?”
“Yes, he did,” Ann replied hesitantly.
“That’s just great! Now everybody is going to be talking about how my mother’s boyfriend beat up a minor. Jesus, I can’t believe this! My life is ruined!”
Ann was speechless. She couldn’t believe Amy was obviously more worried about her social standing at school than the fact that a prowler had just watched her while she was taking a shower.
“But the boy needs to be punished, Amy! I can’t just let him get away with this like it never happened. He’s dangerous! And for all we know, he’s the same person who’s been making all of those obscene phone calls!”
Amy appeared to be unfazed by this.
“I really doubt that, Mom. Larry may be a little strange but I don’t think he’d go that far-he’s too much of a nerd! Please just let him go. If Jason sees him here, he’ll probably want to kick the shit out of him. Is that what you want to happen?”
Ann seriously doubted Amy’s last statement and realized that she most likely was making it up just to drive her point home.
She thought for a moment and then said, “All right, Amy, you win. But I’m going to call his parents. Then they can decide how to punish their son.”
Amy shrugged. “Whatever. But hurry, Mom, before Jason gets here. I have to get dressed!”