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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

“They’ve executed search warrants on your residence and your truck and argue that evidence linking you to other crimes has been found. However, we believe they’ve failed to provide a basis solid enough to support a strong case.”

Loften said nothing, but his mind was racing. With the search warrants, the heat was going to find out what he’d been up to.

“We believe, at this stage, their case against you is not that strong, and I promise we’ll continue to press for bail.”

Pond brushed back her hair, offering a timid smile to indicate she had provided what her young-attorney heart believed was a glimmer of hope.

“Do you have any questions, Mr. Loften?”

He tightened his grip on his phone and leaned forward.

Instead of speaking, he hung up, signaled the CO and left.

Returning to work, he let his thoughts caress what he’d been on the brink of saying to Tarrah Pond.

Tell me about the panties you’re wearing. Next time you come, can you arrange a contact visit? I want you to slip them to me so I can smell them.

Loften’s neck muscles throbbed as he shifted from fantasy to reality.

Gritting his teeth and grunting as he hefted a full bin of stinking trash into a dumpster, he thought of Jeff and Lisa Taylor.

I’ve got unfinished business.

36

“Something’s come up with the campaign—got to work late. Let’s go out or order in later. Okay?” Jeff said on the phone.

“How long do you think you’ll be?” Lisa asked.

“Two hours, max.”

After the call, Lisa was unable to shake her unease about Jeff’s tone, which sounded almost deceptive, as she tried to comprehend the trouble plaguing their lives. Just when she was coming to terms with the attack and how Loften’s arrest had helped put it behind her. Just when she and Jeff had made it official that they would try to get pregnant and live the life they’d dreamed of living, this new, ugly threat had surfaced.

Was this it? The karmic payback she’d feared all her life?

She remembered Stacey’s funeral. How Stacey’s broken mother had stooped down and crushed Lisa in her arms. “Thank God you were with her at the end, thank God my angel had you. Thank you, Lisa.”

No, no, don’t thank me. How she wanted to scream back the truth—the horrible truth—that it was her fault Stacey had flown from the back seat through the windshield. And how badly she wished she could pay for the pain she had caused.

Lisa closed her eyes and took a breath.