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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

“Cleveland.” Tripp smiled. “Great town. LeBron reigned supreme there and here for a while before going to LA. What’s your line of work, Lisa?”

“I’m a data analyst. We do research mostly for nonprofit groups, those advocating for improved health care or underprivileged people. We also do research for academic studies and government.”

“Sounds like good stuff,” Tripp said.

Dillard returned holding his phone to his chest.

“Jeff, Lisa, you can have Steel Sands Protection here in about two hours. They cost a bit more, but they’re the best. They’ll repair and change all the locks and give you an excellent system, fully operational today. Let me know if you want to green-light this.”

Jeff turned to Lisa, who nodded.

“Absolutely,” Jeff said. “We’ll take it. I’ll call Zolpatz and cancel everything with them.”

“Thank you so much, Mr. Dillard,” Lisa said.

“Roland,” he said and winked at the Taylors.

Jeff exchanged a glance with Lisa, and she gave him the beginnings of a smile signaling hope.

8

That afternoon, a van with the Steel Sands Protection logo on its panels rolled into the Taylors’ driveway.

The crew chief, Hector, according to the name patch on his branded shirt, introduced his team: Vicki, short hair and a nose ring, and Kyle, long hair with a ponytail. Lisa and Jeff had accepted Roland Dillard’s friendly offer to help oversee installation.

As Dillard and Hector’s crew began an assessment of the house, inside and outside, the cleaning company called. Jeff told them to come the next day after the security system was installed. Now, with the assessment completed, Hector advised the Taylors.

“We recommend our Steel Sands Armor Shield Package.” He swiped through his tablet, showing them highlights with photos. “Wireless, with sensors, motion detectors, cameras. You can monitor in-house or remotely on any device. It’s all linked to our emergency call center. There’s a monthly monitoring fee, but the discount from your insurer will help offset it. We could be done today in three to four hours. With a full package installed, the door repaired and locks replaced, this is your total.”

Jeff raised his eyebrows slightly at the figure, feeling another heavy expense they didn’t need right now, but after glancing at Lisa, he said, “Yes, go ahead.”

As they set out to work, Lisa contended with her feelings. This action, the fact they were doing something, had instilled in her a sense of fighting back, a turning point, a step toward recovering her peace of mind. But at the same time, having so many strangers coming and going on every floor, in and out of every room, was unsettling.

Dillard had read her reaction. “Don’t worry,” he gave her a warm smile when they were alone. “Everyone with the company undergoes extensive background checks. I know Hector, and I used Steel Sands for my own house, if that helps.”