Book Five: Chapter 4

“Excuse me!” The man stepped onto Mike’s property, but still maintained his distance. Though the ominous voice was gone, his body language was now aggressive. If not for the fact that he looked like a disgruntled professor who most likely battled heartburn on a full-time basis, Mike would have felt more intimidated. “Are you the new homeowner?”

“I am.” Mike had learned long ago that the less he said, the faster conversations would end. It had been a survival skill for years, due to his social anxiety, but now he had better things to do than piss around with some lame-ass Mr. Rogers knockoff.

“My name is Murray, I live next door.” Murray stuck his thumb out to the right, looking briefly like a hitchhiker. “I don’t want to be that guy, but you and I have a problem.”

“We do?” Still worried that a threat was imminent, Mike crossed his arms and begrudgingly gave Murray his full attention.

“Yes, we do, Mr...?”

“Radley. Mike Radley.” Mike didn’t bother offerin