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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 ME’s team can take her now,” Bogan said. “That’s it.”

Zelinski updated his notes. “These items are a gold mine for us,” he said.

Bogan didn’t answer.

He was staring at the horizon, looking at nothing, while in the back of his mind, Oceanwave Gardens pinged over and over. Like a pebble tossed into a calm pool, recognition rippled as he thought.

“Dev,” Bogan said and, after peeling off his gloves, fished in his pocket for a fresh stick of Juicy Fruit. “I can’t put my finger on it, but I’m sure this case is connected to another one.”

70

Terri Morrow was pushing her grocery cart through a checkout line at Publix, when her phone vibrated with a message.

Three words from Joe Reddick: Loften in custody.

Morrow made a mental fist pump, welcoming the stars smiling from the magazine covers to rejoice with her.

We got him. We got him. We got him.

Morrow made calls. The first was to her neighbor, Stephanie Gleason, who agreed to pick up and watch Addison after school. She rushed home, put the groceries away, showered and got dressed.

As she trotted to her car to drive to the office, a concern about the case arose.

But where is Vida Warren?

As if on cue, Morrow’s answer came when her phone rang. It was Scott Wood.

“Gotta call you in,” he said. “Developments on one of your cases.”

“Is this about Loften, sir? Miami-Dade alerted me to his arrest.”

“That, and the fact we have a fresh homicide.”

“Homicide?”

“The ME’s working on confirming identification, but I just heard from a colleague at Miami-Dade, and it appears that a body unearthed this morning near MIA is that of Vida Warren, a woman you were seeking to interview in relation to Loften.”

Morrow took a moment, absorbing the news, then said, “I see.”

“Loften’s a person of interest,” Scott said. “He fits the pattern of your task-force unsub, and in light of these factors, Miami-Dade’s creating a small joint-agency team on the new homicide. They’re convening a case meeting in two hours in Doral. We need you there. I’m sending you an agenda and details now.”

“Yes, sir.”

As Morrow got behind the wheel, Camila Cruz texted her about Vida Warren, Loften and the meeting. Morrow responded before starting her car.

Thanks. ASAC told me. On my way.

She headed to Doral, driving with a surge of adrenaline, thinking a thousand thoughts, when really it all came down to one question.

Is Loften The Collector?

Investigators had filled the meeting room at Miami-Dade’s Midwest District Station when Morrow arrived. A lot of new faces.

Tablets, laptops, notebooks, phones and coffee cups dotted the table. Someone was adjusting the teleconference octopus, while another person tested a laptop hookup to the large monitor covering one wall.