by Brenda Joyce
Kait saw her and froze.
And the words rang in her head, so loudly, she expected the diners in the café to turn and look at her. Please let me have a sister now.
She told herself that people did change, and even if Lana hadn’t, maybe she needed her only family now as much as Kait did.
Lana was her sister, her twin, and she had never stopped loving her, even if the hurt had been so insidious, an inflicted wound so tiny and microscopic at first that it had been years and years before she had ever recognized its terrible presence.
Tears blurred her vision. But she was there; she was really there.
“Kait,” Lana whispered. “Kaitlin!”
She swallowed and somehow pulled herself together, moving toward the stunning brunette who could have been herself. “Hello, Lana.” She paused at the edge of the table within the booth.
Lana stepped swiftly out—her restless energy had hardly dimmed, Kaitlin thought. Nor had she really aged—she appeared to be in her late twenties, and their last encounter had been about seven years ago, when they were twenty-five.
Lana was five foot five, her face a perfect oval, her complexion naturally fair, but brushed now with the slight bronze glow of one who lived a healthy, outdoors life. Her dark hair was cut in a bob that was just above her shoulders, and she remained a perfect size six with Susan Lucci curves. Kaitlin was thinner, and she had had her hair cut gamine- short with flirty layers and trendy little wisps that poked about however they pleased. She realized that Lana was also surveying her.
“You look like a kid in that cut,” Lana said with a sudden, strained smile.
“You’re still gorgeous,” Kaitlin heard herself reply. Now was not the time to cry.
“Do you hate me?” Lana’s eyes met Kaitlin’s, pointed and direct.
“I never hated you,” Kaitlin cried, the truth. “I’m so happy to see you!”
Lana’s tension visibly decreased. She smiled, and went from gorgeous to breathtaking. “I miss you, Kait.”
The hope flared. It became consuming, full-blown. “I miss you, too.” There was so much Kait wanted to ask, but words failed her now. Where did Lana live? What was she doing for a living now? But, mostly, she wanted to know why they weren’t real sisters, why they weren’t friends. Their mother had died of cancer when they were children, but several years ago their father had died as well, and Lana was the only family Kait had.
“Kait? Let’s sit down. I don’t have a lot of time.”
Kait didn’t move. “But—you only just got here,” she began.
Lana gripped her hands. “I’m in terrible trouble. I need your help. I know I’ve been a rotten sister, but that’s going to change now, Kait, really. I need your help, just for a couple of days.” Suddenly she released her hands, withdrawing a sealed envelope from her handbag. “This letter will explain everything.”
Kait was reeling. “What do you mean you’re in trouble? What’s wrong? And of course I’ll help, you know I’d always help you, Lana, always!” But even as she spoke, meaning her every word, she was sick, because Lana was clearly leaving her again, and it was too soon, too much; Kait simply couldn’t digest what was happening.
“I need you to take my place for two days, Kait,” Lana said tersely.
Kait gasped. “What?”
“You need to cover for me. The way we did when we were little kids. It’s all in the letter, Kait.” Her blue gaze was searing. “I have to go!”
Kait gripped her arm. “You want to switch places? For two days? I don’t understand!”
“Will you help me?” Lana demanded.
Kait looked into her eyes and saw steely desperation. “Of course I’ll help you,” she began.
“Good!” Lana slid Kait’s purse off her shoulder, handing her own Gucci handbag to her. Then she took a garment bag from the booth and shoved it into her arms. “Tell everyone I cut my hair,” she said tersely. “Here in the city, at Bergdorf’s.”
“Wait!” Kait grabbed her wrist, realizing she was about to leave. “I need to know what’s going on. I need to know when I’ll see you again!” Panic claimed her, and it had less to do with trading places than it did with losing her twin sister all over again.
“Two days from tomorrow,” Lana said with a brief, reassuring smile. “It’s all in the letter, Kait. I have to go. I have a car waiting. There’s no time.”
With Kait’s bag on her shoulder, Lana hugged her hard and started through the coffee shop for the door. Kait came to life and ran after her. This could not be happening this way! And the severity of the trouble her sister was in struck her now. Something terrible had to be happening, otherwise Lana would not have called as she had, and she would not be rushing away like this.
“What kind of trouble are you in?” she cried, chasing her out the door and into the cool New York City night.
A Lincoln Town Car with a driver was idling at the curb. Lana swung open the door and turned. “The killing kind,” she said.
Experience love at its most dangerous,
and pleasure at its deadliest.
The FRANCESCA CAHILL Novels
DEADLY LOVE
DEADLY PLEASURE
DEADLY AFFAIRS
DEADLY DESIRE
New York Times Bestselling Author
BRENDA JOYCE
Brenda Joyce has enthralled millions of readers with her New York Times bestselling novels. Now, join us in the next chapter of her unforgettable storytelling:the Francesca Cahill novels.Travel back in time to turn-of-the-century New York City, where a metropolis booming with life also masks a dark world of danger, death, and daring desire...
“Joyce excels at creating twists and turns in her characters’ personal lives.” —Publishers Weekly
“Joyce carefully crafted a wonderful mystery with twists and turns and red herrings galore, then added two marvelous, witty protagonists who will appeal to romance readers...Add to this a charming cast of secondary characters and a meticulously researched picture of society life in the early I 900s. I can hardly wait to see what Francesca and Rick will be up to next.” —Romantic Times
“A delight!” —Reader to Reader
AVAILABLE WHEREVER BOOKS ARE SOLD
FROM ST. MARTIN’S PAPERBACKS
DEAD 2/02
TITLES BY BRENDA JOYCE
Deadly Love
Deadly Pleasure
Deadly Affairs
Deadly Desire
The Chase
House of Dreams
The Third Heiress
The Rival
Splendor
The Finer Things
Captive
Beyond Scandal
The Game
After Innocence
Promise of the Rose
Secrets
Scandalous Love
The Fires of Paradise
Dark Fires
The Conqueror
The Darkest Heart
Lovers and Liars
Violent Fire
Firestorm
Innocent Fire
NOVELLAS BY BRENDA JOYCE
Perfect Secrets
Scandalous Weddings
Outlaw Love
Heart of the Home
A Gift of Joy
AVAILABLE FROM
ST. MARTIN’S PAPERBACKS
THE CHASE
Copyright © 2002 Brenda Joyce Dreams Unlimited, Inc.
Excerpt from Double Take copyright © 2003 by Brenda Joyce Dreams Unlimited, Inc.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. For information address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2001048648
eISBN: 978-1-429-90589-3
St. Martin’s Press hardcover edition / July 2002
St. Martin’s Paperbacks edition / July 2003
/> St. Martin’s Paperbacks are published by St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.
