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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

Marshall said Jeff then walked away, leaving him and the others standing there dumbstruck.

“I don’t remember doing that,” Jeff told the principal. “I don’t remember anything like that.”

But the principal had spoken to the other boys and each one had supported Marshall’s account. Jeff was suspended for two days. The principal had said he’d call Jeff’s mother. Walking home, Jeff had thought she’d be too drunk or high, or with some man, to care or do anything about it. What could she do? She’d always said that doctors attributed his anger and other problems to his father’s tragedy. Since that time, all he could do was fight to keep his rage in a cage.

Now, years and miles away, as Jeff sat at his desk processing what the intruder had done to Lisa, what he’d taken from them, how he’d violated their lives, the cage rattled again.

6

Growing impatient on hold, Jeff was walking out of his office when Space Oddity cut off and the line came to life.

“Mr. Taylor, thank you for waiting. Sir, the soonest our locksmith can be there is eight tomorrow morning.”

“Tomorrow? Your site says emergency same-day service.”

“I’m sorry. We have staff who’ve taken ill and staff on vacation. We’re backed up. We can advance installation of your system to this week, the day after tomorrow. We’ve already done the assessment, so we’ll have it completely installed in one visit.”

“Can’t you make it sooner? I told you we had a break-in.”

“I’m know, and I’m very sorry, sir. I’ll try to move things up, but for now that’s the best we can do. Want us to book?”

Jeff cursed under his breath. “Yes. Book it.”

After hanging up, he inspected the sliding door to the pool. The crime-scene techs had done him a favor when they’d finished. They’d rigged a makeshift lock. But Jeff needed all the locks changed and a good security system installed today. He resolved to call other companies and his insurer, but first, he needed a shower, coffee and food.

He headed upstairs to the bedroom where Lisa had finished dressing. Jeff embraced her, but she remained stiff and edgy.

“Are they coming to install a system today?” she asked.

“I’m working on it.”

She blinked back tears without speaking.

“Hey.” Jeff took her shoulders. “We’ll get through this. I’m going to take a shower, then I’ll make us some breakfast.”

The aroma of coffee filled their home with the suggestion of normalcy.

Jeff had showered, shaved and dressed. He now sat at the counter eating scrambled eggs and toast, pretending everything was fine, while Lisa stood holding her coffee cup with both hands.