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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

She couldn’t decide. She needed Jeff’s opinion, she thought, as she moved through the store, finding herself in the nursery section. Watching pregnant women with their husbands, relatives or friends, Lisa felt a strong maternal ache. She wanted to be pregnant. This was the time. Jeff was making more money, he had a bonus coming and she was working at home. She had to nudge him to keep his promise.

She wanted to stop taking the pill.

Lisa traced her fingers over the cribs, changing tables and dressers. She moved to one end of the showroom and stood before a full-length mirror. She turned sideways and imagined herself pregnant, smiling at her reflection until another face appeared in the mirror. Watching her.

A man’s face.

He was standing outside the showroom, at the window—

Lisa turned. Roland Dillard was staring at her.

He gave her a little wave. She left the store and went to him.

“Small world, isn’t it?” he said. “What’re the odds?”

“Hi, Roland.” Lisa looked around.

“I hope I didn’t startle you again?”

“No, not at all.”

“Just waiting on Nell.” He indicated the sign across the hall for the restrooms. “And I saw you.”

“Oh, right.” She smiled.

Dillard nodded to the nursery furniture. “This an indication of big news?”

Lisa blushed, shaking her head. “No, just browsing before I leave.”

“That security system working okay for you?”

“Works fine. I’m glad we have it. Well, I should be going.”

“Remind Jeff his patrol shift is coming up.”

“I will. Give my best to Nell.”

Dillard gave her a little salute, and she could feel his eyes on her as she walked away. Before leaving, Lisa stopped at the food court to get a smoothie for the drive home.

Outside, cutting across the lot, she watched for strangers while wrapping her key in her fist. Glancing at her whitened knuckles, she thought about her encounter with Roland Dillard.

He’s like a cat. A tiger. And he’s everywhere.

She walked around her car before unlocking it, checking the hatch and back seat. Then, she got in and locked the doors before starting it. As she sipped her smoothie, she noticed Dillard across the parking lot.

He was walking to his SUV.

Alone.

That’s odd. He said he was waiting for Nell.

Lisa shook her head, fastened her belt and drove off, debating whether she should ask him if everything was all right. Before she reached a decision, she saw him drive off alone through the lot.

Now, that’s strange.

23

The house sat back from the street shaded by tall palms hissing in the breeze out front. The left side of the yard was cloaked in darkness by shrubbery that brushed the rooftop.

A burglar’s dream.