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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

“The safe room,” he said. “Hurricane season’s approaching, and you never know what sort of nasty forces are coming for us.”

The doorbell rang. Jeff went to the front door and opened it to Detectives Cruz and Reddick and another woman.

“Hi, Jeff,” Reddick said. “Sorry to interrupt your evening.” Reddick nodded to the woman. “This is Agent Terri Morrow with the FBI. We’re hoping you can help us answer a few questions.”

64

Jeff invited the investigators into his house. They were in the foyer when they saw the Dillards and Lisa in the living room. Cruz nodded to them.

“Hi, Rollie,” Reddick said. Addressing the rest of the group, he continued, “This is Terri Morrow with the FBI. Terri, this is Lisa Taylor, Roland Dillard, who is retired NYPD, and his wife, Nell, also retired from, if memory serves, the New York City ME’s office?”

Nell nodded.

“Rollie is one of Palm Mirage Creek’s watch captains. He helped Jeff take down Loften,” Reddick added.

“Good to meet everyone,” Morrow said.

“Well, look, this won’t take long,” Reddick said. “Sorry to disturb your evening by showing up unannounced like this. But we were sort of in the neighborhood and had a few quick questions.”

“Sure,” Jeff said.

“Would you like some coffee?” Lisa asked. “I’ve got a fresh batch.”

“Coffee would be great,” Reddick said.

They went into the kitchen and sat at the table, setting down notebooks and tablets. Lisa and Jeff served the investigators coffee, while the Dillards joined them.

“I assume this is about Loften?” Jeff said.

“Yes. We’re following strong leads that could yield results soon.”

“I hope that means you’re going to put him back in jail,” Lisa said.

“That’s the plan,” Cruz said.

“We’re also working on other cases that Loften could be connected to,” Morrow said.

“Are you talking about that case in Cleveland?” Jeff asked.

“That one.” Morrow nodded. “And a few other matters.”

“Jeff, Lisa—and Rollie and Nell, you, too,” Reddick said, clicking his pen, “do you know a woman by the name of Vida Warren?”

Feeling the eyes of the two detectives and the FBI agent on him, Jeff’s face whitened ever so faintly, and he swallowed. Lisa’s eyes threw a silent question to Dillard, who blinked calmly while watching Jeff and the investigators.

“No, we don’t know her,” Dillard said.

“Never heard of her,” Nell said.

Reddick nodded and looked to Jeff.

“I know Vida Warren,” Jeff said. “Why do you ask?”

“Could you tell us how you know her, your relationship with her?”

“I worked with her in our Cleveland office.”

“And you, Lisa, do you know her?”

“Only socially through Jeff. I met her a few times at parties.” The shaky tone of her voice betrayed her anxiety.

“Jeff, Lisa, have you had any recent contact with her?” Reddick asked.

“I haven’t,” Lisa said.