The Kate Nash Series Boxed Set

by Keene, Susan

  I took a quick shower and dressed more formally than usual because Ryan looked so polished.

  Nothing had changed at the Central Police Station since I worked there years ago. The noise level made you wish you had earplugs. There was a flow, but if you weren’t privy to it, you would think the place was a refereed free-for-all. An officer let us into one of the observation rooms with a two-way mirror.

  Roger sat in a sparsely decorated room on the other side. A well-dressed man in his forties sat across the table from him. I had been at the same table with hundreds of criminals and this man didn’t look like one. He was dressed as if he belonged in an office building or in a courtroom to defend a client.

  The officer flipped a switch and sound flowed clearly out of two speakers on the wall. Roger had a legal pad in front of him. “Who was the lady you were chasing and why were you chasing her?”

  The man reached for the cuff on his right shirt sleeve and pulled it down until a cufflink came into view. He did the same on the left side and rested both arms on the table. “I didn’t chase anyone. The lady was ahead of me in line waiting for the place to open. She looked at me and I thought she was going to faint. She screamed and ran out. Since I was the one who scared her naturally I ran out to see if I could help her.”

  “Naturally.” Roger held up the suspect’s driver’s license. “It says here you’re from Newark, New Jersey. Is that correct?”

  “That is correct. Unless the law has changed, it’s not against the law to live in Jersey. He pronounced it Jouysee.

  Roger tossed the man’s wallet across the table. “Show me a permit for the .357 the officers took from you.”

  “Sure.” He leafed through the cards in his billfold, picked one out and slid it across the table. “I got it right here.”

  The door opened. An officer stuck his head in. “Mr. Sabatini’s lawyer has arrived.”

  Roger shook his head. “Show him in.”

  The man who walked into the room was even better dressed than the man already seated. He offered Roger a card and a handshake. “I’m Anthony Patroni. I represent Dominic De Marco and his business enterprises.” He looked away from Roger and spoke to the prisoner. “Where’s Tony?”

  “I haven’t seen him since we got here,” he answered.

  The high priced attorney addressed Roger. “I would appreciate it if Mr. Romo was allowed to join us. I read the report on the way in and I know you have to let these men go. I’d rather have them together so we can cut down the time by handling both men at once.”

  Roger looked down at the card in his hand as if he couldn’t remember the attorney’s name. “Take a seat, Mr. Patroni. We don’t always get what we want at the time we want it. There are a few things I’d like to clear up before we discuss the men’s release.” Roger pushed a button and the door opened again and who I guessed to be Tony Romo came in and sat in a chair near the table.

  Ryan and I looked at one another.

  If the lawyer was upset, he didn’t show it. He sat straight in his seat and never took his gaze off Roger. “What would you like to know?”

  The attorney acknowledged the new man in the room. “Good to see you, Romo.”

  Roger waited until the man was settled. “What kind of business would take Mr. De Marco’s employees to the Art Museum at seven o’clock on a Tuesday morning?”

  The older man nodded to the two, indicating they should answer the question.

  Romo spoke up. “There’s a Norman Rockwell exhibition, and we both read The Saturday Evening Post when we were kids. We wanted to see it. So did everyone else in St. Louis. We arrived at seven and there were already at least a hundred people in line.”

  Roger persisted. “Funny, you don’t look that old. Mr. Rockwell died in 1978. Did you know the lady you went to help?”

  “No,” Sam Sabatini joked. “We’re just nice guys that way.”

  Ryan and I were still seated on the other side of the two-way mirror. We could hear every word, and at that moment you could have heard a pin drop.

  This was better than any movie I’d seen in the recent past.

  The attorney smiled and showed a mouth full of ultra white teeth. “We don’t get into what the men do in their free time.”

  “Your boss’ men were seen chasing a woman this morning in Forest Park. We don’t like it when people are chased for no reason.”

  He looked around the little room as though someone might be hidden in it. “I’m sure Sam and his co-worker, Mr. Romo both gave you a good reason for their actions.”

  “These men ran through a very populated area of the Park, an elderly couple were knocked down, and injured. It’s unacceptable behavior in our city.” I thought Roger wanted to anger the lawyer.

  Anthony Patroni reached into his inside jacket pocket and pulled out a checkbook. “Since no one has filed a complaint against these men and they have the proper paperwork for their weapons. I want them released immediately and their weapons returned to them. Mr. De Marco would be distressed if he knew anyone was injured in this mishap. Here’s a check made out to cash, tell the couple how sorry the men are. Have them use this money for any expenses they might encounter.” When he laid it down, I saw his manicured fingernails.

  Roger picked the check up off the table and took a step so he was between the door and the men. “This is extremely generous of Mr. De Marco, but we cannot accept any money from you.”

  “I assure you, detective. It’s legal.”

  All three men walked out. I knew there was nothing more Roger could do. Without Sophie to explain why she was frightened enough to run blindly and leave in such a hurry she side-swiped another car, there was no case.

  Roger came out of the interrogation room and into the other side where we sat. “What do you two make of that?”

  I gave my opinion first. “I think whoever Sophie is, she’s afraid of the De Marcos. I think it would be a bad idea, from what we heard, to put any kind of article or pictures in the newspapers. I’m not sure what trouble the news report on television will stir up. We could cause her and me a lot of trouble. Now’s not the time for anyone else to find out there are two of us, if they don’t know already.”

  Roger sat on the edge of the table. “I agree. You two need to stay here until those men are processed and released. We don’t want them to see you.”

  Ryan remained seated and wrote more notes on his notepad. “I think we need to find out all we can about the De Marco Family. I say, family, because I know a little bit about them. The name has come up several times when we try to branch out in the Northeast. One of their operations sells protection. No one up in that area wants their business to have alarms and cameras. I think I understand why.”

  CHAPTER 12

  T he alarm sounded at four a.m. I jumped as if I’d heard a gunshot. Ryan stirred beside me. Chili snuggled farther under the covers between us. I knew it was now or never. I hustled into the bathroom and turned the shower on as hot as I could stand it. I always considered the little pleasures to be big blessings; hot water, fresh coffee, clean sheets, and soft towels, were a few.

  It was the first time I woke in the morning with Ryan and didn’t think about Michael. Maybe I had finally found a place to tuck him in my heart from time to time.

  Before I dressed, I called Amy to make sure she was awake. The key to a successful surveillance was to set up early so you looked like you belonged in the neighborhood as to not arouse suspicion.

  She answered on the first ring. I found her annoyingly happy in the morning.

  When I stepped out of the closet fully dressed, Ryan sat up on the side of the bed. “My goodness, you’re moving fast today. And you look gorgeous.”

  I blushed, walked up to him and stood as close as I could. “You look pretty good yourself.”

  “I see I didn’t talk you out of taking the St. Charles case. At least let me go along to keep you safe.”

  I kissed him. “Ryan, I know you’re looking out for me, but Amy and I can
handle this. Besides, she doesn’t like it when you and I work together. She feels expendable and I can’t have that.”

  He didn’t say anything for a moment. He pulled me to him and hugged me tightly. “I can’t let anything happen to you. Be careful, just because Sophie intends to leave doesn’t mean you won’t get mistaken for her. Do or say what you want, but I’ll be there or one of my men will.”

  I opened my mouth to object. He placed his finger lightly on my lips and stopped me before he continued. “You won’t know we’re there. We’re professionals.”

  He wasn’t about to back down so I agreed. I didn’t want to admit it but I already relaxed and some of the angst left my body.

  Amy sat at a small table in the back of the coffee shop. She looked amazing, tall and straight. She could wear anything and flaunted it with wild colors and the latest fashion trends. She had dozens of pairs of half glasses in all colors and styles. She picked a pair to accent her outfit and hung them around her neck on a silver chain. She looked over the top of them when she had something to say.

  Today she had no makeup, a simple black sweater, and skin-tight black jeans. Her long legs stuck out from under the table. Her hair lay nicely around her face without the usual bows and bobbles.

  She waved at me and pushed a cup of latte and a bagel to my side of the table. “You’re right on time. Cohabitating seems to agree with you.”

  My face got hot. “It does. You look wonderful. Are you ready for this great adventure?”

  She put her hand on mine and leaned forward. “Are you? No one’s pretending to be me. I don’t have to worry every minute about being shot or arrested for crimes I didn’t commit.”

  “I have to. I can’t let this rule my life.” I filled her in on the conversation I’d had with Sophie on the phone the night before. Until we found out who she was, where she came from, and if she was my sister, I needed to try to maintain a normal life. I needed proof. To know it in my heart only convinced me, no one else. I heard the people at the next table talk about me. They speculated as to who I was.

  Amy stood, picked up her coffee cup and headed toward the door. I followed suit. On the way out, I set my things on the young couple’s tabletop, took one of my business cards from my back pocket, and laid it in front of the girl. I flashed my biggest smile at everyone in the place before I walked calmly out the door.

  CHAPTER 13

  I looked around for Ryan or his men. Even though I was certain they were there, I didn’t see them. The case wouldn’t take too long. Twenty minutes after his wife left for work, James Turner, returned to his house with a lady in a business suit. He couldn’t keep his hands off her. They were inside about two hours. The only movement we could see came from an upstairs corner room. It was nothing blatant, but obviously a bedroom.

  Amy took a dozen pictures of him and his woman as they walked to the house and several more when they left together in a blue Ford Escape. Within an hour, he came back. This time the female with him looked like a hooker. She had enough make up on for four women, and a red push up bra I didn’t need the binoculars to see. It shoved her well-endowed chest up so it hung out over her blouse.

  If what happened in the house was as it appeared, then Mr. Turner was a scumbag.

  We didn’t see any movement upstairs. I got out of the car, sneaked around to the back and peeked in a window. I turned around to head back to the car and ran smack into my nemesis.

  “Shush,” she whispered. I obeyed, not because she scared me, but because I was shocked by her looks. Without a doubt, we were twins. No one was that good of a plastic surgeon. She took my hand and led me to a dark green Chevy Impala. It didn’t have license plates.

  She opened the door “Get in.”

  I lost my balance and fought to right myself. I heard someone behind me shout. “Stop! Put your hands up.”

  She jumped into the car on her side and sped off. I hung on half in the front seat and half out. I let go. The car dragged me about ten feet. My left leg and arm were in the car. She slowed down as she turned a corner at the end of an alley. My head bounced on the ground and hit a utility pole. Sticky liquid ran out of my forehead, and into my eyes.

  Someone handed me a cloth. Nathan stood over me. He pressed as hard as he could on the wound. Amy ran toward us at breakneck speed; gun drawn. “What happened?”

  “It was Sophie. She looked like me, down to the mole at my hairline.” I knew I sounded alarmed and breathless. I’d seen her on television, but to have her next to me―was indescribable. “And the other strange thing, I knew her, like an old friend from childhood.”

  I looked away when I heard a car door. Ryan sprinted to my side. He didn’t say a word. He took me in his arms and held me tight. I bled all over his clean white shirt.

  Nathan broke the silence. “Our guys went after her. They lost her on Kings Highway. She turned left down a one-way street and Dale got stuck behind a school bus full of children. He had to stop while they unloaded.”

  Ryan still didn’t answer. He eased his hold and helped me stand.

  “Amy, can you take Kate to the hospital, or urgent care and get her head looked at?”

  “Sure.”

  I looked from him to Amy. “Ryan, I don’t think I need stitches.”

  Simultaneously they answered. “Yes, you do.”

  It was a quiet ride to the emergency room. I tried to remember every detail of her face and her hair. However; it was more than that. I recognized her smell and the turn of her neck. I had a sister, a twin; identical. I’d never experienced anything compared to it. The other side of having a sister, much less a twin would have to include lies. Maybe I had been kidnapped at birth. There were infinite possibilities and none of them were good.

  I wondered if she had the same sensation I as when we were in the same space at the same time.

  I didn’t have to wait for treatment. It seemed head wounds bled a lot. I was covered in blood, yet it took a scant two stitches to close the gash. My head throbbed. I heard the doctor tell Amy not to let me go to sleep for any length of time. She agreed and they let us go.

  I couldn’t think of anything or anyone except Sophie. Life seemed different. Why hadn’t she gone to my apartment and rang the bell? Why become a criminal to get my attention? She’d confessed it wasn’t what it appeared. Then what was it? My head ached from the wound and the mystery.

  I needed to talk to Mother.

  Ryan was home when I arrived. He’d already figured out some answers. But at least part of them rested in Florida with Mom. He had his cell phone in his hand and laid it down as I walked over to him. “We have two tickets to St. Petersburg in the morning. I didn’t think we should leave right now because of your head. You look exhausted.”

  “I am. I need to think. It was surreal. I don’t know how this happened. I don’t know why no one told me about her, but she’s my sister, my twin. I’d bet my life on it. When I looked into her eyes, it was like looking in a mirror. When she realized you might catch her, she slowed down and pushed me out. Had she not, I’d have been seriously hurt.”

  Ryan helped me out of my bloody clothes as we talked. “I don’t understand.”

  Amy had headed back to our surveillance with Nathan. They wanted to try to salvage the case. We’d created such a scene, I wasn’t sure she could pull it off; maybe no one put it together.

  Ryan tried to soothe me, but it did no good. My entire life had turned into a lie in the last few hours. It left me exhausted and confused.

  I put on some loose clothes and lay down. I dropped into a deep fitful sleep filled with my mother, Sophie, and dead bodies. Every time something meaningful formed in my dream, Ryan’s voice broke through and woke me, checked my pupils, and bugged me with questions like what year was it and who was the current President. My head wound would not allow me to come out of the fog. This must have gone on for hours because when I got up at nine-thirty the next morning, I didn’t feel like I had solved a thing.

  By noon, we
were at the airport. My wound throbbed. If I put my hand down I could feel my pulse pounding in my fingers. It was a strange sensation. I didn’t want to talk or sleep. I wanted to look out the window and try to get my head around what had happened to my life.

  I knew Mother held the answers.

  CHAPTER 14

  W e landed in St. Petersburg around five-thirty and rented a car at the airport. Mom lived a short walk from St. Pete’s beach in a condo she bought when I was in the third grade.

  She sat in the shade on the back covered deck when we walked up. “My goodness, Katie, is everything alright? Goodness do you have a cut on your pretty face?”

  “Yes, Mom, I’m fine. It’s a small cut on my forehead. I need to talk to you about something and I needed to do it in person.”

  She acted like she noticed Ryan for the first time. Maybe she did. “Mr. Meade, so nice to see you again.”

  “Please, call me Ryan, Mrs. Madison.”

  She smiled. “You may call me Denise.”

  Anger welled up inside me. “Mom, we need to talk. Come inside.”

  “You’re frightening me, dear. Whatever’s wrong?” She made no effort to move from her chair or put her magazine down. I thought it a strange reaction considering I’d flown over a thousand miles, unannounced. to see her.

  “Now, Mother. We need to talk, now.”

  Ryan walked over and stood beside me. He put his hand on my shoulder. If it was supposed to settle me down it didn’t work. I was much too upset.

  I put both hands on my hips and glared at my mother until she moved. She knew why I was there, how could she not? She didn’t live in a vacuum. She had a daughter who was the subject of the evening news, I knew for a fact it became a national story and Mother never missed the news. I had also told her some of the story myself to minimize what she might have heard. I wanted answers.

  She went through the motions of politeness and served us ice tea. If she didn’t sit down soon I’d have to scream. “What is it dear?”