BooksBarbecue
Back The Lying House
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

“We just heard from the medical examiner,” he announced to the room. “We have a positive identification through dental records. The victim is Vida Warren.”

Investigators nodded, some made notes.

“There’s more,” Bogan nodded to the detective on the laptop, and a new image filled the screen: notepaper from a message pad bearing the stylized name Oceanwave Gardens in small green lettering between two palm trees on the top. It was creased from having been folded, but the handwritten words scratched in black felt-tip pen were clear. I want to stop. Why can’t I stop?

“The ME found this tucked in Vida Warren’s left shoe,” Bogan said.

A few seconds passed, then Sawyer could be heard on the line, speaking briefly to someone, and the large screen split with a second image beside it of a different folded sheet of paper with the words scrawled on it using a black felt-tip pen. I want to stop. Why can’t I stop?

“This was found on the body of Maylene Marie Siler in Cleveland. Until now, she was The Collector’s most recent victim,” Sawyer said.

Soft cursing mixed with awe floated around the table.

Morrow glanced at Cruz and Reddick, feeling her gut clench.

Loften is The Collector. And we’ve got him.

71

That same morning while Loften was being arrested, Lisa Taylor sat at her desk in her home office and stared at her monitor.

She was working on the survey about emerging diseases, but as time ticked away, she found it increasingly difficult to work. Jeff’s refusal to tell police the full story about Vida frustrated her to the point of distraction.

Her phone rang with a call from Detective Cruz.

“Hi, Lisa. Thought you’d want to know that Clete Loften was arrested this morning at a Miami homeless shelter. He faces a list of new charges. He’ll be in prison for a long, long time.”

Lisa covered her mouth with her hand. “Really?”

“Really.”

“Thank you! This is so—thank you, Camila!”

Feeling as if a mountain had been lifted from her shoulders, Lisa blinked with relief. Still holding her phone, she called Jeff.

“Jeff, did you hear the news? They got Loften!”

“Yes, Reddick just called me. He said Cruz was calling you.”

“It’s so great!”

“See? I told you. If we just hang in there, we’ll get through this.”

Maybe Jeff’s right, Lisa thought after hanging up.

Floating on a cloud of happiness and wanting to share her good news, Lisa texted her sister. He’s been captured!

Waiting for Joy’s response, Lisa left her office and went to her bedroom window overlooking the Dillards’ house. She didn’t see any indication that they were home when her phone vibrated. Joy had texted back.

That’s fantastic news! Go out and do something to celebrate.

Good idea. I know just what I’ll do.