BooksBarbecue
Back The Lying House
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

Cruz moved quickly through the administrative section, then described details of the incident, noting the offender’s exact words during the attack, including those directed at the victim.

When she finished she turned.

Reddick was behind her, reading over her shoulder.

“You’re submitting this to ViCAP?” he asked her. “That’s largely for serial offenders.”

“Maybe that’s exactly what our guy is, Joe.”

10

On the morning of the third day after the assault, Lisa kissed Jeff goodbye as he headed for his office downtown.

“You’re sure you’re going to be okay?” he said. “Be honest.”

“No.” She released a nervous laugh. “But I’ve got to do this.”

He searched her eyes, failing to mask his own unease. “All right, well, we’ve got our impenetrable, state-of-the-art security system. Cruz and Reddick arranged for extra police patrols in our area. You’ve got Roland’s number, and I can be home in twenty minutes. Twenty-five tops. It’s going to be fine.”

“I’ll be okay.” She adjusted his new tie, one she’d picked for him. “You’re going to knock ’em dead with your presentation.”

“Thanks. I want you to text me every hour or so.”

“Okay,” she said and patted his chest. “Get going.”

They kissed again, and he left. Lisa locked the door behind him, leaned on it, then reached for her phone.

My lifeline.

The detectives had taken her damaged phone as evidence. Yesterday, she’d gone with Jeff to their service provider’s outlet where they’d transferred all of Lisa’s contacts to a new, better phone. It was among the things they’d done to get their lives back on track.

The previous afternoon, they’d met their neighbors to the right, the Mortimer sisters, Virginia and Anne. Both were in their seventies but didn’t look it. They were retired teachers who lived together and had just returned from a long vacation in New England. Jeff and Lisa had introduced themselves as they’d finished unloading their SUV in the driveway, informing them of events and that police would want to review their security-camera footage. “Of course, we’ll help,” Anne Mortimer had said, after the sisters had responded with a chorus of Dear Lord, How horrible, Poor thing and Thank heaven you’re okay, ending with What’s the world coming to?

And last night Jeff and Lisa had gone shopping for a new sofa at Merrick Park. Strolling through the upscale shops and being among people had helped Lisa feel safe. But at the same time, she found herself studying the faces of strangers, wondering if her attacker was among them, watching them. Jeff was uneasy, too. Their underlying sense of vulnerability became evident as they both continually glanced at their phones, checking on the house. It was a move Lisa had mastered, and she used it now, monitoring the cameras as she watched Jeff wheel out of their driveway and disappear down the street.