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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

“Just keep up the good work, and give my best to your wife.”

Alone in his office, Jeff drank a cold glass of water and tried to sort out the thoughts whirling in his head. Last night with Lisa, her wrestling with the assault and wanting to start a family, him joining the patrol, and here he was performing like an all-star, succeeding beyond his expectations. If this played out right, if nothing got in the way, his dreams were in his grasp.

A knock sounded at his door. “Hey, superstar,” Martinez said.

“Hey, Nick.”

“You’re killing it, man.”

“It’s unbelievable. Thanks for your help.”

“Don’t thank me. It was all you. Hey, sorry, but there’s this woman on my line who somehow got me. She says she really needs to talk to you. Won’t say why, but I got her name. Vida Warren.”

Jeff’s face whitened. “Really? On your line?”

“Yeah. Her name sounds familiar. I think she’s from the Cleveland office. I might’ve sat in on conference calls with her a while back. She insists she talk to you. Want me to transfer it to you?”

Jeff hesitated, then said, “Sure, transfer her to me. Sorry.”

“Hey, no worries. Oh, one quick thing. I wanted to tell you my sister’s a criminal defense attorney, a lot of rich clients. Anyway, she’s got Marlins season tickets, so if you ever want to see a game, maybe celebrate the deal, let me know.”

“That’s fantastic. Very generous. Thanks.”

“Sure, pal. I’ll send that call to you.” Martinez left.

Jeff closed his office door. A few seconds later his line rang, and he grabbed it. “Vida?”

“I know what you did, Jeff.”

“Stop calling me.”

“I won’t stop until everyone knows.”

Jeff stood, glanced around to ensure no one heard as he lowered his voice. Gritting his teeth, he said, “You better stop. I’m warning you.”

“Or what? What’re you going to do?”

“Don’t push me.”

Jeff ended the call.

He turned to the magnificent view, but all he saw was the beginnings of a crisis.

17

“The club looks good. What’re you getting?” Joe Reddick said.

“Cobb salad.” Camila Cruz ruminated as she swiped on her iPad. “What the hell did Taft mean?”

The Miami-Dade detectives were returning from Hialeah where the police department had alerted them to the recent arrest of a suspected car thief, one Grover Garfield Taft. He’d claimed to have information about recent burglaries in Coral Terrace and Palm Mirage Creek and wanted to exchange it for a reduced charge. “You got a lot of movement in the trade in the Terrace, the Creek and the Gables, a lot of strange shit, man. It’s why I moved my show to Hialeah.”