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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

“You and your wife have been through a lot since you moved here.”

“Yes, but we’re doing okay.”

“I’m happy to hear that, and I’m pleased things are moving well on the South American project,” he said. “Now, forgive me for talking business at a time like this, but the European trip is coming fast. Do you think you can still handle it, with all that’s going on? I can call London, pull you off?”

“No, no, sir. I can handle it. In fact, it may be a good thing for us at this time, if you know what I mean.”

“I do. All right, then. If there’s anything you need, let me know.”

“I will. And thank you, sir.”

At his desk, Jeff undid his collar button and loosened his tie. He logged in to his computer to find new emails from Shelley and Reed respectively.

Our condolences, Jeff. I just got word about Vida Warren, whom we wanted to interview. Our hearts go out to her family, you and all the people at Asgaard.

Jeff, we’re so sorry, so terribly sorry. Sending prayers.

At that moment, someone knocked at Jeff’s open door.

It was Fred Bonner, who extended his hand and shook Jeff’s, his cologne wafting into Jeff’s breathing space.

“Jeff, I am at a loss. I am so, so sorry about Vida Warren.”

“Thank you.”

Bonner blinked, then turned to the empty chair facing Jeff’s desk.

“It’s weird. I mean she was here, sitting right here talking to you and, now, murdered. And dumped in some field at the airport. I just don’t know what to say.”

“It’s horrible.”

“What did you two talk about, anyway?”

Jeff searched Bonner’s eyes, finding nothing but the bearing of a person unaware that they were being rude. “It was personal, Fred.”

Bonner, a little disappointed, hesitated then said, “Sure.” Then he patted Jeff’s shoulder. “I’m really sorry. If you want to go out for a beer later or anything, let me know, huh?”

“Thanks.”

After Bonner left, Jeff shut his office door behind him.

He had close to an hour before his first meeting, enough time to prepare. But instead of reviewing files, he went online for the latest news on Vida’s murder. He found an update on the Miami Herald site, reporting that Loften was considered a person of interest. The report went on to say that Loften was also being questioned in the unsolved murders of several other women across the country, in what one source called The Collector homicides because the killer kept personal belongings of his victims.

Jeff stared at Loften’s menacing, pocked face.

Remembering how he’d battled for his life with Loften, how he’d assaulted Lisa, rage began bubbling under Jeff’s skin with sudden, startling fury, forcing him to grip the edge of his desk.