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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

Morrow, Reddick and Cruz exchanged glances. “Thank you,” Morrow said.

56

“Jeff?”

A hand gently gripped his shoulder.

“Jeff.”

He raised his head from his arms, disoriented until realizing he’d been asleep at his desk. Nick Martinez stood over him, a file folder under one arm.

“Man, are you okay? I haven’t seen you all morning.”

Jeff sat up, massaging his face, blinking into focus. It was midafternoon. Every part of his body ached from being out until early that morning in his futile effort to find Vida.

“What’s this?” Martinez pointed. “Looks like you hurt your hand.”

Jeff looked at the fresh bandage on his right palm.

“This? Oh, I didn’t get much sleep last night and was a bit drowsy while cutting up an apple this morning.”

“You gotta be careful,” Martinez said. “We’ve got a graphics meeting in ten minutes.”

“Right. Thanks. Sorry, Nick. Is the meeting in the big conference room or the small one?”

“Small.”

“I’ll see you there. Just need a few minutes. Got to splash some water on my face.”

Martinez held his gaze for a long time. “Is everything all right with you, Jeff?”

“It’s just that they still haven’t caught the guy who attacked us. It’s freaking my wife out. Plus, this campaign is ramping up, and I’ve got a lot of other stuff on the go.”

Martinez weighed his explanation. “All right. Well, try to take it easy. I’ll see you at the meeting.”

Alone in the bathroom, Jeff ran the water to get it as cold as possible, while thinking about last night and Lisa.

She’d confronted him when he’d got home just after sunrise. He was sitting at the kitchen table studying his phone, and she’d come down from having a shower.

“Please, forgive me. I’m sorry I was out so late.”

“I was sick with worry, and I was afraid with Loften out there.”

“I’m so sorry. I just lost it. I shouldn’t have left you alone like that. I’m losing sight of my priorities, losing my mind. God, I don’t know what’s happening to me. I can’t think straight. I was consumed with finding Vida and ending this mess.”

“And did you? Wait—” Lisa seized Jeff’s right hand, stared at the fresh bandage across his palm. “This is new. What happened?”

“I was slicing an apple, and the knife slipped in my hand.”

Lisa stared at him.

“I was starving when I got home. I made a sandwich, too.” Jeff nodded to the unwashed plate in the sink.

“So did you find her?”

“Yes and no.”

“What’s that mean?”

“I found where she’s been living, but she wasn’t there, so I waited.”

“All night?”

“I fell asleep.”