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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

Gwen forced a small, unnatural smile, making him wonder if it was due to the upcoming solemn event or something else.

“Oh,” he said.

“And Foster also told me to tell you the trip to Europe’s on hold.”

“What? Why?”

“Sorry, he didn’t say.”

Jeff took a few moments. “Okay, thanks, Gwen.”

Walking away, Jeff was puzzled at why Shore wouldn’t have told him personally about Europe. He decided to stop at Leland Slaughter’s office, to wait with him and maybe learn more about what was up with Europe.

Slaughter’s door was closed, and when Jeff knocked, there was no response. He glanced down the hall. Fred Bonner had stepped into it but had immediately reversed upon seeing him, as if to avoid him.

That’s a bit odd.

As Jeff neared his own office, he heard the faint, distant chime of the elevator indicating someone was getting off and approaching reception.

Jeff stepped into his office while checking the time on his phone to estimate the drive to Boca Raton when it rang.

Lisa was sobbing.

“Honey, what is it?”

“The police are here! Going through our house, my car, taking things—”

“Honey, slow down. Breathe. Tell me what’s going on?”

“Cruz, Morrow and all these cops, they’ve got a search warrant!”

“A warrant? What for?”

“To search for things connected to Vida Warren’s murder!”

All the saliva in Jeff’s mouth evaporated, and his phone nearly slipped out of his hand when a knock sounded at his door.

Standing there were Slaughter, Shore, Detective Reddick and two other men. Jeff lowered his phone, Lisa’s voice growing tiny and faraway as she called his name.

“Jeff,” Reddick said, “this is Detective Bogan and Detective Zelinski. Please put your phone down, and step away from your desk with your hands out so we can see them.”

“Why? What is this?”

The two men, Bogan and Zelinski, were tugging on latex gloves. Shore raised slightly folded pages.

“They’ve got warrants to search the office, seize your computer and phone, and search your car,” Shore said, indicating more officers in the hall.

“But why?” Jeff’s eyes flitted to each man, ending on Reddick.

“Jeff, before we proceed, I have to advise you that you have the right to remain silent.”

“What?” All the blood drained from Jeff’s face.

“Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you. Do you understand these rights?”

“Why’re you telling me this?”

“Do you understand what I just said?”

“Yes.”

Reddick produced a document. “This states that you’ve been advised of and understand your rights. I need you to sign at the bottom.”