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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

The branching of the ridges matched. Daxon’s breathing quickened as she began counting up the clear points of comparison where the two samples matched. She had fourteen and was still counting. By the time she’d compared the left-slanting patterns, she was thinking ahead about testifying in court.

Daxon confirmed the identification number of the subject and the name.

She would submit the name in a query to several data banks, including the NCIC, but first she had to make a call. Scrolling through the file, she found the name of the case agent and contact numbers. As her call connected, she thought of the murdered women, their grieving families and, while the darkness deepened outside her window, Daxon felt a new light would emerge.

She glanced at the identification card.

We’ve got the killer.

87

Thunder rumbled and lightning webbed across the night sky as Lisa stood at her bedroom window, her heart turbid with doubt and fear.

Was Jeff a murderer?

Why would Vida follow them to Cleveland—what was the real reason? Why had they really moved so quickly to Florida? Jeff admitted to some sort of relationship with Vida, and he had that violent streak, going out all night, saying he would take care of Vida.

Now she was dead. Jeff had been arrested. And we’re having a child together.

Lisa stifled a sob. She flinched as a jarring crash of thunder rattled the window.

Forcing herself to think of something else and gripping Roland’s phone, she went downstairs and turned on the TV so she wouldn’t feel so alone. So vulnerable.

She landed on the weather channel.

“…looking at the satellite pictures, we see a severe storm rolling in off the coast…not a hurricane, but we’ve got heavy rain, frequent lightning, and with winds gusting up to fifty, fifty-five miles per hour, we’re getting reports of some downed trees, property damage, power outages…cell-signal outages… Folks, this is a good night to stay indoors…”

The TV didn’t help. Footage of the storm catapulted Lisa back into turmoil as she remembered the cut on Jeff’s hand.

The TV and lights in the house flickered.

Lisa didn’t know if Jeff was going to be released soon. Her calls to Sabrina and Nick Martinez had gone to voice mail. Her calls to Miami-Dade police were futile. Nobody would tell her anything.

She couldn’t stem the fear rising in her.

Again, she tried calling her sister in Cleveland, relieved when this time her attempt succeeded, and she poured out her heart to Joy.

“I never wanted to leave Cleveland… Now police they think he’s involved in a murder… I’m not sure I know who Jeff is anymore, or if I can ever face him again… I don’t know what to do…”