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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 says that if we did that and police started questioning people at his office, it would create a scandal that could ultimately cost the company the big contract and cost him his job. But… I feel he’s not telling me everything about Vida. Like today, he just called to say he has to work late, but I feel something else is going on. Now I’m so afraid because anything could happen. I don’t know what to do.”

Joy thought for a moment. “You want my advice?”

“Yes.”

“Go to your neighbor, the ex-cop. Tell him confidentially. He’ll know what to do and how to keep it quiet.”

Lisa took a moment to consider the suggestion. “That’s not bad. Let me think about that.”

“And, Lisa, don’t let Vida make you a prisoner. Fight back. The jerk’s in jail. Keep running. You can protect yourself, right?”

“Now I keep spray and a panic alarm with me when I run.”

“Good. If she confronts you, get in her face. Don’t let that woman control your life. You’ve always been a fighter.”

“Thanks.”

In the background on Joy’s end, Lisa could hear her kids calling their mom.

“I have to go, but keep me posted.”

“I will. Love you, sis.”

Lisa felt better after talking with her sister. She stood and returned to the window and looked down into the Dillards’ backyard.

Roland and Nell were no longer there.

Lisa returned to her computer, resurrected the photos of Vida Warren and focused on her eyes. Staring into them, Lisa felt a stirring, and for the first time in her life, she wondered if she should get a gun.

37

While Lisa Taylor was video chatting with her sister in Cleveland, Agent Morrow was in Doral, reviewing her task-force files and information on Loften in a second-floor interview room at Miami-Dade’s Midwest District Station.

Morrow didn’t know where this would lead, but her instinct had told her to follow it through. She was on the right track and shouldn’t give way to hurdles.

She shook her head at how she’d come to this stage. Cases reaching across jurisdictions involved excessive bureaucracy. Desk jockeys like Weggnor reflected the FBI’s sensitivity to respecting local authority and adhered to formalities, which ensured nothing got done. Thank heavens for people like ASAC Scott Wood, a guy who still had street cred and contacts. He cleared the way for Morrow to consult the investigators leading the Loften case.

The rest is up to me, she thought, as Detectives Camila Cruz and Joe Reddick entered with files, notebooks and coffee.

After introductory handshakes, they seated themselves opposite Morrow.

“Our supervisor knows yours,” Reddick said, “and after she got a call from him, she directed us to talk to you. You’re looking into Loften in relation to an FBI task force?”