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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

He dragged one hand over his face as the gulls screamed.

76

Later that morning at Coral Cloud Tower, Jeff stepped out of the elevator into the reception area of Asgaard-T-Chace, where several staff members were gathered in solemn discussion.

It broke off when Vanessa, the receptionist, spotted him, cuing the others to turn.

“Did you hear the news, Jeff?” Vanessa asked.

“What news?”

“A woman who worked for Asgaard in Cleveland was murdered here in Miami. Vida Warren. They found her body by the airport.”

Jeff, his face sober, nodded. “I know.”

“You came from our Cleveland office,” one of the women said. “You must’ve known her?”

“She called here for you,” Vanessa added. “Some people say that she actually, recently, came to this office.”

“I knew Vida,” he said. “Yes, she came here to visit me. She had moved here. She has a little boy and family in Boca Raton. I think she was trying to regain custody of her son.”

“Oh no,” said one woman, her eyes glistening. “Who would kill her? That’s just so, so sad.”

“Yes, uh, well, she had difficulties in her life and knew some sketchy people,” Jeff said, blinking, and looked away. “Still, it’s awful, just awful.”

“Jeff?” Gwen from Shore’s office emerged from the hall. “Excuse me for interrupting, but Foster would like to see you in his office as soon as possible.”

When Jeff arrived, Shore was at his desk on his phone and waved to him to be seated. “That’s right,” Shore said into his phone. “We’ll look after that here. All right. You can call me. Okay, thanks.” Hanging up, Shore, his face grave, turned to Jeff.

“Just the most terrible thing.” He looked at Jeff. “I can only assume you’ve heard about our former employee from Cleveland, Vida Warren?”

“Yes.”

“Did you know her well from your time there?”

“I knew her.”

“Terrible, just dreadful. I’ve been on the phone with our people in Cleveland. We understand she was dismissed some time ago for reasons related to her drug use. But to end up the way she did…” Shore’s eyes went to the framed family photos on his desk. “I’ve got a daughter about her age. Dammit.”

“It’s very sad.”

“To be murdered, dear Lord. Well, our HR people say she has family here. In-laws, I believe. They’re flying back from a vacation in Canada, and there will be a service in Boca. I think we should send a delegation from our office. Leland and I should go, and I’d like you to join us, Jeff.”

“Of course.”

“Maybe we can set up a corporate contribution or some kind of online fund to help her little boy?”

“That would be thoughtful.”

Shore’s focus sharpened on Jeff. “Are you okay? Do you need some time or anything?”

“Thank you. I think I’ll be fine.”