My Stepbrother Silenced Me for 72 Hours, Then Begged Me to Talk novel · Chapter 20 of 24

Chapter 20: Seventy-Two Questions

Reed climbed onto Gus's swivel chair in his jeans and nothing else and looked up at camera nine.

"It is recording," Reed said.

"It can't be."

"The light is red."

"Maybe it's a night light for the raccoon."

I held the coat in front of me and called Gus on speaker.

"Kid!" Gus said, through a mouthful of something. "How's the gatehouse?"

"Gus, what is camera nine?"

"The raccoon cam. I pointed it at the pretzel bag. She comes in through the vent, and I wanted proof, because the neighbors say I'm imagining her."

"It's pointed at the desk," Reed said.

"Yeah, the bag's on the desk."

There was a very long silence on the line, and I was the one who ended it.

"Gus," I said. "Is it recording?"

"Is there a card in it?" Reed asked.

"I keep every tape, son."

"Is there a card in it, Gus?"

"It's in the drawer," Gus said. "Marked Miscellaneous. I always check the raccoon footage on Mondays."

I put my forehead on the desk.

Reed got down off the chair, opened the drawer, and took out a small memory card in a plastic case labeled TUESDAY, RACCOON, ?

He held it between two fingers.

"I'll print you a full welcome booklet for Lake Washington," Reed said into the speaker. "Laminated. Maps, the bingo calendar, and an itinerary for your first month. In exchange, this card goes into my pocket."

"A laminated booklet?" Gus said.

"With a table of contents."

"Done," said Gus, and he hung up, and I laughed until I had to sit down.

Reed sat next to me.

He was holding the card in one hand and my knee in the other.

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