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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

Zhu pointed a capped pen at one of the maps on his monitor. “In Thorne’s analysis of Miami-Dade and neighboring jurisdictions, we have aspects of collection. In these cases, it’s not IDs but rather undergarments. Still, it’s collection. But there’s more.”

Zhu clicked, enlarging the map with locations and boxes containing dates and case summaries.

“Here and here, South Miami and Pinecrest, all within the last month.”

“Yeah, but to link them to our guy is a bit of a stretch, Jake.”

“Wait. A new case surfaced last week in Palm Mirage Creek. In this one, an intruder appears to have been interrupted. Nothing was taken, but the suspect, wearing gloves and face covered, held a female victim at knifepoint and sexually assaulted her by grabbing her briefly in front of her husband. Before escaping, the suspect threatened to return and assault the woman. The weapon was reported to have been a serrated knife.”

“That’s a serious crime, but I just don’t know how it relates…” Morrow leaned closer to Zhu’s monitor to read the case summary, then her breath caught. “The victim just moved to Palm Mirage Creek from Shaker Heights. That’s Cleveland.”

“I know. Could be a coincidence,” Zhu said.

Morrow thought for a moment. “It probably is.”

“But look at the other aspects—the collection, the sexual assault, covered face, wearing gloves and the use of a serrated blade. He could’ve stalked the property online. Remember, our task-force guy’s a traveler, been active in a lot of states over the years.”

Morrow continued thinking.

“Look,” Zhu said, “it’s not like TV, movies and books. Things don’t always connect neatly, perfectly.”

“This is something,” Morrow said. “I don’t know what, but it’s something. Good work. Keep monitoring, and keep me posted.”

Zhu nodded.

Morrow pressed her lips together, studying the maps and summaries and wondering about the potential threads to the Cleveland case.

22

Is Jeff keeping something from me?

Lisa inched her Chevrolet Cruze into a parking space at the Palm Creek Mall, wondering what was going on with her husband. She couldn’t shake the feeling that the way he’d been behaving lately went beyond the disruption of the move or job pressure, even their home invasion.

He’s been so distracted, and when I push him on it—he’s secretive. Maybe we’re both still grappling with the assault, or it’s just me.

I don’t know.

Her mind drifted to Stacey. What would her life be like now, if she had lived? Would she be married with a family? Would she have a career?

Would she still be my friend?

Is the attack payback for what I did in the back seat of the car that day? Why do I have this feeling things are going to get worse?