He Said He Used to Live Here — What He Pulled from My Air Vent Still Haunts Me
A stranger showed up at my doorstep one quiet afternoon, claiming he used to live in our house. He looked nervous, jittery—like someone with unfinished business. He said he’d left something behind years ago during a rushed move. I was skeptical, but then he pulled out a stack of old photos: him, inside our home, smiling in rooms that now belonged to us.
Something in me hesitated—but curiosity won. I let him in.
I expected him to head to the basement or maybe a forgotten attic corner. Instead, he went straight to the kitchen, climbed onto a chair, and unscrewed the air vent like he’d done it a hundred times before. My heart raced.
Then, from inside the vent, he pulled out a plastic-wrapped bundle of cash.
He turned to me, panic written all over his face. “Please—don’t call the cops,” he pleaded. He said his name was Walter, and that he’d stashed the money years ago during a bitter divorce to keep it from his ex. “I never thought I’d come back… but I need this to start over.”
His words felt practiced. But the desperation in his eyes made me hesitate. Against my better judgment, I let him leave with the cash.
When my husband got home, he was furious—and rightfully so. How did this man know exactly where to look? Something didn’t add up. We started digging.
Two weeks later, the truth surfaced: Walter had never owned the house. There was no record of him—anywhere. No previous ownership, no rental agreements. Nothing.
We still don’t know who he really was.
Now, every creak and whisper in the house sends chills down my spine. The police took our statement, but there’s been no follow-up. And I can’t stop thinking: how did he know about the vent? Did someone tell him? Or is there more hidden in this house—things we haven’t found yet?
One thing’s for sure: I’ll never look at that air vent the same way again.