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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

Smiling, she eased her car out of the parking lot, nearly bursting for the moment he got home.

Jeff got home around five thirty. “Lisa! I’m home!”

Tie loosened, he went to the fridge for a beer and froze.

A pair of baby shoes were tied to the handle.

Puzzled, he touched them tenderly, then turned around to see Lisa standing behind him, smiling.

“I went to the doctor today.”

“You’re not—” His face was brightening.

She responded with big nods. “Hi, Dad.”

“Hi, Mom!” Jeff’s smile grew as he took her in his arms, lifted her and spun around in the kitchen. “I can’t believe it!”

“I needed to be sure.”

He kissed her, then set her down. “Oh, how’re you feeling? Do you need to sit down?”

“I’m fine, silly, just fine.”

“You’re going to be the best mom. I love you so much!”

“I love you, too, future Best Dad!”

“When?”

Lisa looked at the calendar fixed to the side of the fridge and began flipping through it, stopping. “My due date is here, on the twentieth.”

“I’m so happy.”

“Me, too.”

“See? I told you. I told you.”

“What?”

“That this is where we’d start the next and best chapter of our lives. I got that bonus. My star’s rising at work. We’re going to Europe, Loften’s long gone and Vida’s out of our lives. I said we’d get through everything, and we have. The worst is all behind us now.”

60

Lisa found it challenging to work the next morning.

It was difficult to analyze the data on her screen when her pregnancy was occupying her mind. There were so many things to look forward to—and to watch out for.

It was overwhelming.

But in a good way. She smiled to herself while eating lunch at the kitchen table. She was feeling so euphoric she had even invited the Dillards over for dinner. As weird as they were, she felt they owed them a dinner. Now she needed groceries and to get things ready. She decided to knock off for the day, changed and got into her car.

As she drove down her street, she passed a battered landscaper’s pickup truck parked half a block from her house. Lisa signaled to turn a corner without noticing the pickup’s engine starting.

The truck followed her.

Clete Younger Loften was behind the wheel of the pickup. Dark glasses, dirty ball cap and a thick stubble made him unrecognizable.

He had waited patiently while watching the Taylor home, using the time to bandage his right hand and forearm to his elbow. To anyone meeting him, he appeared to have broken or sprained something.

All part of the plan.