Perhaps from across the hall

Each door had been fitted with a fisheye lens to allow the resident to examine a caller before deciding whether or not to admit him. Perhaps from across the hall, Reynerd was watching the back of Ethan’s head right now. Receiving no response to his knock, Ethan turned away from Keesner’s door and made a show of frustration. He wiped his rain-wet face with one hand. He pushed that hand through his damp hair. He shook his head. He looked up and down the hall. When Ethan rang the bell at 2B, the apple man answered almost at once, without the protection of a security chain. Although an unmistakable match for the image captured by the security camera, he proved to be more handsome than he’d been in the rain the previous night. He resembled Ben Affleck, the actor. In addition to the Affleck aspect, however, he had a welcome-to-the-Bates-Motel edge to him that any fan of Anthony Perkins would have recognized. The tightness at the corners of his mouth, the rapid pulse visible in his right temple, and especially the hard shine in his eyes suggested that he might be on methamphetamine, not fully amped but clipping along at high altitude. “Sir,” Ethan said even as the door was still opening, “I’m sorry to bother you, but I’m sort of desperate to get in touch with George Keesner over there in 2E. Do you know George?” [26] Reynerd shook his head. He had a bull’s neck. Lots of time spent on weight machines at the gym. “I know him to say hello in the hall,” Reynerd said, “and how’s the weather. That’s all.” If that was true, Ethan felt secure enough to say, “I’m his brother. Name’s Ricky Keesner.” That scam ought to work as long as Keesner was somewhere between twenty and fifty years old. “Our Uncle Harry’s on his deathbed in the ICU,” Ethan lied. “Not going to hold on much longer. Since yesterday morning, I been calling George at every number I’ve got for him. He doesn’t get back to me. Doesn’t answer the door now.” “I think he’s away,” said Reynerd.