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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

“Jeff got a promotion with the advertising company he works for. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

“And you? What did you do in Cleveland? What do you do now?”

“I was a senior manager with a data-analysis company—statistical research for nonprofit groups. I still work for them, but I gave up my manager’s position, and now I telecommute as a data specialist, doing projects from home.” She blinked several times, glanced at the ceiling. “Jeff and I had planned to start a family here.”

“Do you or Jeff gamble?”

“What? No.”

“Do you have any outstanding debts to anyone?”

“Cars, personal and college loans, the mortgage—we’re carrying a pretty big debt load.”

“Any other kinds of debts?”

“I don’t know what you mean…”

“Do either of you use illicit drugs?”

“No.”

“Do you have any items of great value that you might have mentioned online?”

“Not really. Maybe some of my grandmother’s jewelry, but that’s more sentimental than valuable.”

“Do you know if anything’s missing?”

“We only did a quick check, but nothing seems to be missing. We haven’t even unpacked everything.”

“Since you moved in, have you received any strange phone calls, wrong numbers, people at your door soliciting or claiming to be lost, strange cars in the area, anything like that?”

Lisa thought for a moment before she shook her head. “I don’t think so, no.”

“Would you volunteer your phone and computer records so we can see who’s been communicating with you?”

“I guess so. I’ll talk to Jeff.”

“Can you provide us with a list of movers, contractors or services you’ve used since you’ve moved in?”

“Yes.”

“One more thing, and this is important, Lisa. We’re going to need your nightgown and robe.”

“Why?”

“For evidence. He pressed up against you, so we may get some trace. I need to be there with Officer Hawkins when you change and we collect it, okay?”

A moment passed before Lisa nodded.

“I think that’s it for now.” Cruz touched Lisa’s hand. “Do you have any family or friends in Miami?”

Tears rolled down Lisa’s face as she shook her head.

“I can put you in touch with counseling and community services, if you need to talk to someone.”

“Thank you. I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

“Please don’t take this the wrong way, Lisa, but you’re lucky.”

“Lucky?”

“This could’ve been worse.”

4

“The knife?” Jeff repeated.

“Yes, describe the knife again.” Detective Reddick barely blinked as Jeff answered his questions in the living room.

“It was about six to eight inches, serrated. A fixed blade.”

“And the intruder’s approximate height and weight?”

“He was about my height, six feet, and he was maybe one seventy.”

“And you said he had dark jeans, a dark long-sleeved shirt, gloves and a small backpack?”

“Yes.”