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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

Given the celebratory air was something they both needed, Lisa refrained from requesting he shut it off and put it away.

“Oh, I almost forgot to tell you,” Jeff said. “I’ve got a bonus coming from the South American deal, so we can pay down some of our debts and definitely get that sofa set we looked at in Coral Gables.”

“Gosh, it’s so expensive.”

“It’s going to be a big bonus.” Jeff took a forkful of spaghetti. “This is excellent. So tell me about your day.”

“Well, I worked right through. Finished the pesticide job, then started another assignment, then went for a swim.”

“Nice, wish I was with you for that.”

“Someone was.”

Jeff stopped chewing. “What?”

Lisa told him how Dillard had given her a start, how she’d visited with him and Nell.

“It’s good that you’re getting out there, connecting with our neighbors,” he said. “It’s sad about Nell being terminal, but it sounds like she appreciated the company, too.”

“With all they’re facing, they’re such an extraordinary couple,” Lisa said. “Nell worked in the medical examiner’s office in New York. Roland’s an ex-detective. I mean, she’s dying but still a firebrand, and he’s so vibrant, and the tender way he cares for her…” Lisa blinked her glistening eyes. “I know this sounds dumb, but they remind me of how swans are devoted to each other and mate for life, you know, stay together until death.” She paused. “Did you hear what I said?”

He looked up from his phone. “Sorry, Dillard just sent me a message about my patrol shift. He needs to come over this weekend, something about a form.”

Lisa stared at him. Behind his eyes was a half-hidden intensity betraying that something was going on with him.

“What is it, Jeff? What’re you not telling me?”

“Nothing. It was just Dillard. Go on, I was listening.”

“It’s not important.”

The mood had sobered, and they finished their dinner with little conversation.

“I’ll clean up,” Jeff said.

“No, I got it.”

Jeff hesitated, knowing it would be wise to back off. “All right. I’ve got some work to look over.”

He went to his office, shut the door and studied his phone.

Since he’d hung up on Vida Warren earlier that day, she’d sent him more than two dozen emails and texts.

Each one the same.

I know what you are, and I know what you did in Cleveland. Soon everyone else will know. Time is running out on you, Jeff.

19

“Come on, Addie!”

Addison Morrow turned the ball away from the pressure point so her team could maintain possession. Her dribbling skills were stronger than before, and so was her love for playing in the under-twelve group of the girls’ soccer league, Terri Morrow thought, watching from the bleachers.