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Back Lying Next to Me Save as PDF
Chapters (87)
  1. TITLE PAGE
  2. COPYRIGHT
  3. DEDICATION
  4. CONTENTS
  5. START READING
  6. CHAPTER ONE
  7. CHAPTER TWO
  8. CHAPTER THREE
  9. CHAPTER FOUR
  10. CHAPTER FIVE
  11. CHAPTER SIX
  12. CHAPTER SEVEN
  13. CHAPTER EIGHT
  14. CHAPTER NINE
  15. CHAPTER TEN
  16. CHAPTER ELEVEN
  17. CHAPTER TWELVE
  18. CHAPTER THIRTEEN
  19. CHAPTER FOURTEEN
  20. CHAPTER FIFTEEN
  21. CHAPTER SIXTEEN
  22. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
  23. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
  24. CHAPTER NINETEEN
  25. CHAPTER TWENTY
  26. CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
  27. CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
  28. CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
  29. CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
  30. CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
  31. CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
  32. CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
  33. CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
  34. CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
  35. CHAPTER THIRTY
  36. CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
  37. CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
  38. CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
  39. CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
  40. CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
  41. CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
  42. CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
  43. CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
  44. CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
  45. CHAPTER FORTY
  46. CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
  47. CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
  48. CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
  49. CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
  50. CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
  51. CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
  52. CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
  53. CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
  54. CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
  55. CHAPTER FIFTY
  56. CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
  57. CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
  58. CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE
  59. CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR
  60. CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE
  61. CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX
  62. CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN
  63. CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT
  64. CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE
  65. CHAPTER SIXTY
  66. CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE
  67. CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO
  68. CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE
  69. CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR
  70. CHAPTER SIXTY-FIVE
  71. CHAPTER SIXTY-SIX
  72. CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN
  73. CHAPTER SIXTY-EIGHT
  74. CHAPTER SIXTY-NINE
  75. CHAPTER SEVENTY
  76. CHAPTER SEVENTY-ONE
  77. CHAPTER SEVENTY-TWO
  78. CHAPTER SEVENTY-THREE
  79. CHAPTER SEVENTY-FOUR
  80. CHAPTER SEVENTY-FIVE
  81. CHAPTER SEVENTY-SIX
  82. CHAPTER SEVENTY-SEVEN
  83. CHAPTER SEVENTY-EIGHT
  84. CHAPTER SEVENTY-NINE
  85. CHAPTER EIGHTY
  86. EPILOGUE
  87. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I want you to know that even though I confessed to this terrible crime, I honestly don’t think I did it. I don’t think I am that kind of person. I know that soon enough everyone will have gone on with their lives and forgotten about me. I’ll be just another killer put away for rape and murder. I can’t explain the evidence against me, but I know in my heart I would never have killed Sophie. I loved her! She was the mother of my little girl. I just want you to know that. I should have said this in court before sentencing, but I was still in shock. Good-bye.

Sincerely,

Connor Moss

I scratch Millicent under her chin and put the letter back into its envelope. She purrs like a chain saw.

“I hate to do this to you, Milli,” I say, setting her gently on the floor, “but you’ll have to get along without me. I’m going to prison.”

CHAPTER SIXTY-EIGHT

CHAPTER SIXTY-EIGHT

LEE

You hear it all the time.

My high school is like a prison.

My boss keeps me chained to my desk.

I feel like I’m trapped here in this marriage.

I am a prisoner.

The truth is, nothing is like prison. Nothing is like the sound a heavy gate makes when the guard in the control room pushes a button. Even though I’m a visitor at the institution that provides so much employment for Shelton, I feel the impact of being held in a place from which there is no escape.

Connor Moss sits in a room used by lawyers and law enforcement to meet with prisoners. He’s lost ten pounds. Maybe fifteen. His cheeks are hollow, and I can see something in his eyes as the guard lets me inside and I approach the table where he’s sitting. He’s haggard but somewhat relieved too.

“I didn’t think anyone would ever come,” he says.

“Your letter,” I say. “I guess I had to come.”

“I appreciate it.”

His hands are folded, and when he breathes, the belly chains linked to his handcuffs rattle against the stainless steel table.

“I’m not sure why I came,” I say.

He gives me a nod. “Your being here,” he says, “gives me a little hope. I didn’t do this. I didn’t. I know that I have no proof, but I just couldn’t have killed her.”

“You’ve said that,” I say. “Tell me more. I’m listening.”

He lets out a breath and starts talking.

“Don’t you think I would have a list of things to tell you if there was anything I could add? I passed out in the cabin. I have no memory of attacking Sophie, let alone raping her and then getting rid of her body.”

“But that’s what you did,” I say.

He shakes his head. “I didn’t. I couldn’t do that.”