BooksBarbecue
Back The Lying House Save as PDF
Chapters (103)
  1. Cover
  2. Back Cover Text
  3. Praise
  4. Booklist
  5. Dedication
  6. Epigraph
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. 61
  68. 62
  69. 63
  70. 64
  71. 65
  72. 66
  73. 67
  74. 68
  75. 69
  76. 70
  77. 71
  78. 72
  79. 73
  80. 74
  81. 75
  82. 76
  83. 77
  84. 78
  85. 79
  86. 80
  87. 81
  88. 82
  89. 83
  90. 84
  91. 85
  92. 86
  93. 87
  94. 88
  95. 89
  96. 90
  97. 91
  98. 92
  99. 93
  100. 94
  101. Epilogue
  102. Acknowledgments and a Personal Note
  103. Excerpt

“She wasn’t happy there. She was planning to move out. It was some motel. She said it was filled with all kinds of misfits, but it was all she could afford.”

“Where?”

Roxanne took a moment.

“It’s called the Oceanwave Gardens in a place called—I don’t know if I’m saying it right—Allah Pattern or something.”

“Allapattah?”

“Sounds right.”

He found a pen and wrote it all down.

“Jeff, she’s been through hell. Her sickness brought her in touch with some pretty bad… Let me just say not the best people in the world. All she wants is to get her boy back, get her life back.”

“I know, I understand and I’m trying to help her.”

“I pray that you do that.”

“I appreciate this. Thanks for helping me, Roxanne.”

Jeff ended the call, blowing out a breath. He went online, typing quickly, just as his door swung open and Lisa entered the office.

“Was that Vida on the phone?”

“One of her friends in Cleveland. I found out where Vida’s living in Miami. I’m going to talk to her tonight.”

Lisa could see the anger seething in Jeff as he left his desk.

“Is this a good idea?” She followed him to their bedroom, where he changed into jeans and an old T-shirt.

He didn’t answer, hurrying down the stairs with Lisa behind him.

“Jeff, I’m afraid. Don’t do this.”

“I’ll be fine. One way or another, I will end all this tonight.”

He kissed her cheek before he left.

Lisa watched him drive off, his taillights disappearing into the dusk.

Then she immediately armed their security system.

53

Lisa’s pulse hammered, fear gnashing at her.

Everything was whirling out of control.

Loften had escaped, Vida had vanished and the ghost of a woman murdered in Cleveland loomed over them. Now Jeff had lost his mind, rushing into the night with a vengeance.

What was he going to do when he found Vida?

Paranoia crept toward Lisa like a wolf emerging from the darkness.

I’ve got to put a stop to this.

She felt her phone in her hand. Pursing her lips, forcing herself to steady her fingers, she scrolled through her contacts to the number for Detective Cruz. She hesitated.

Tears stood in her eyes as she pressed the number.

The line rang three times before it was answered.

“Cruz.”

Lisa didn’t speak.

“This is Detective Cruz… Is this Lisa Taylor?”

She must have caller ID, Lisa thought, her anxiety rising as she tightened her grip on her phone. “Yes.”

“Hi, Lisa. How can I help you?”

Apprehension flooded her mind with Jeff’s warning beating against her like a foreboding drum.

What if Jeff is able to fix things with Vida? What if alerting police now triggers the process which ultimately does destroy everything, as Jeff says?

“Is everything all right, Lisa?”