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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

He reached for a napkin and wiped his mouth. “Vida called me. I went to meet her.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t want to worry you.”

“I’m beyond worry.” Tears brimmed in her eyes. She was at the sink and turned her back to him. “How can I trust you with anything?”

He went to embrace her from behind, but she pushed him away.

“Where did you meet her? What did she want?”

“At a café in Bayside Market. I tried to make her agree to stop harassing me.”

“And?”

Jeff didn’t respond.

“And?” Lisa repeated.

“It didn’t go well.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s complicated.”

“Uncomplicate it, and tell me what’s going on.”

“I gave her a thousand dollars to leave us alone.”

“Oh my God! Where’s your brain? You gave money to a disturbed woman like her, a woman who could be connected to the man who broke into our home and assaulted me? What’re you thinking?”

“I was desperate. She just keeps pushing and pushing and won’t give me time to clear it up.”

“Did the money work?”

“No.”

“You have to tell your bosses. We have to tell the detectives.”

“No—”

“No? Are you kidding me?” Lisa’s eyes drilled into him. “What’s really going on here? Did you steal her work?”

“No.”

“Because if you didn’t, if you’re innocent as you say, and this is a case of a troubled woman Asgaard has already fired, then you’ve got nothing to be concerned about. Your star’s rising. They love you—they moved you here, promoted you and gave you a huge bonus for your work that they love. They’d believe you. They’d take your word over that of an unbalanced ex-employee, wouldn’t they? So why are you so reluctant to blow the whistle on her?”

“She has these pictures…”

“Pictures? What pictures?”

“They’re not real. Do you remember a couple of years ago when you went to visit Morgan in Philadelphia?”

“Yeah.”

“Artie Corinda, a graphic designer at the office, threw a huge party. Everyone went. Vida was there. I’d been working long hours, and even though I was exhausted, I went, too. I got plastered. I passed out and slept it off at Artie’s place.”

“And that’s all that happened?”

Jeff swallowed. “Vida must’ve come into the room where I was passed out, then took off her clothes and got these photos of me with her.”

Lisa’s face burned as she fought to stay calm. “You’ve seen these photos?”