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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

Jeff rubbed the knot in the back of his neck, returning to the living room at the same time as Lisa, Cruz and Hawkins were descending the stairs. Reddick was across the room in a corner talking on his phone. Jeff saw that Lisa had changed into a T-shirt and sweatpants. He went to her. Hawkins held a paper bag and made notes in her book while talking with Cruz.

“Air support and the K-9 unit didn’t pick up his trail,” Reddick said after ending his call.

“So he’s still out there?” Lisa said.

“Yes, but we’ll keep a police presence here much of today,” Reddick said. “We’ll be canvassing, talking to the neighborhood crime-watch people, checking surveillance video. We’ve got a lot to do.” He indicated the crime-scene techs. Aluminum equipment cases closed and latches snapped shut as they finished packing. “But we’re done here for now, and I’m sure you’ll want to get back to normal.”

“Normal?” Lisa cast around. “Cleveland is normal. I don’t know what this is.”

“Lisa,” Jeff took her in his arms. “We’ll get through this.”

“We’ll catch this guy—we’re just getting started,” Cruz said. “What happened was horrible. I know how this may sound, but you can’t let it consume you. You’ve got so much going for you—a beautiful home, a great community.” Cruz touched Lisa’s shoulder. “A good place for families.”

Absorbing her words, Lisa managed a weak smile before they all exchanged parting handshakes. The detectives left, and for the first time in what seemed like forever, Jeff and Lisa were alone amid the aftermath.

For a moment they stood in their foyer, holding each other until Lisa’s shaking had subsided, and Jeff’s adrenaline had waned. In the quiet, Jeff processed their ordeal with a sliver of fear streaking across a private region of his mind.

This can’t be linked to what happened in Cleveland—it can’t be.

5

Needles of hot water stung Lisa’s skin in the shower.

She scrubbed herself aw as if the creep’s attack had stained her. But as the steam clouds rose, the ice-cold truth coiled like a cobra in her gut. The man who assaulted her had eluded police.

And he’d vowed to return.

Why did this have to happen?

She was really starting to love Palm Mirage Creek, had been greeted warmly by a few neighbors who’d made her feel welcome, but now everything had changed. Leaning back against the shower wall, holding herself, she slid to the floor, sobbing, grieving all she had left behind in Cleveland. She couldn’t call anyone: her phone was broken. Even if she used Jeff’s, she was unsure she could form the words to say what had happened.