Читать книгу A Fatal Romance - June Shaw - Страница 10

“Uh-uh, no way.”

We’d had fun tricking others when we were little. I hadn’t played the part of Eve since high school, that day she didn’t show up to take her final exam in science. Most people couldn’t tell us apart unless we were together, and then they might notice slight differences, mainly that she was slimmer. I hadn’t been great in science but understood that subject a little more than she did. She needed a passing grade on that test, or she would have flunked the course. I only took the exam because she’d begged.

Maybe I should have let her fail so she would’ve learned a lesson. But she was my sister. My sister.

Now that I thought about it, the reason she hadn’t studied back then was also her interest in a cute guy who found her attractive, too. Who knows where they went off to?

“Sunny, there is no way I’d let you get hurt. I really don’t believe he’s a bad guy, but I need to be one hundred percent certain, and you can be much more objective about people, especially male ones.” She gave me her sad eyed, lower-lip-out hopeless look. “I truly believe he could be my soul mate.”

“Oh, Eve.”

“I mean it. He seems real nice, and I think he likes me. But you are a great judge of men, and you know I am not.”

I hummed, considering the possibility of looting or sex.

She set her index finger on the tip of my nose. “You meet with him.”

“Excuse me?”

“You have a clear head. You can judge him, and he wouldn’t behave the same if we were both here. I’ll be right across the street watching to make sure everything’s okay.”

“Wow, what protection.” I stepped to the door of her art room. “If a man tries to hurt me in your house, you’ll do what? Throw a rock at the door to scare him?”

“I’m sure he’s not a bad person. He surely isn’t a killer.”

“Eve, this time—”

“I’ll be right out there, and I’ll call you as soon as he gets inside. Then you can tell him I’m coming over—of course you’ll say I’m you. And tell him the police will be following to do more inspecting in the house. Besides, Stan left me a pistol. It’s loaded.”

My stomach clenched like a fist ready to punch. “A loaded gun? You’re kidding.”

She yanked open the top drawer of the end table to the right of the sofa and lifted a pistol. Black, silver top. Metallic smell. “There, it’s off safety. This is easy to use. You just point and pull.”

I backed away, shaking my head. “No, Eve.”

She kept nodding. “I’m just kidding about having to use a gun. But you can stay close to the table after he comes inside. If he wanted to do anything bad, he’d probably try it right away. You’ll be fine, Sunny. You know I wouldn’t ask you to do this if I believed he’d hurt you.” She smiled, looking pleased with her plan.

“This isn’t a good idea.”

“Just do this one favor for me, please. Stay here. Be nice to him—unless he tries to hurt you.” She smiled wider. “Kidding. I’m just jittery. And I really, really like him.”

The shadow of a truck crossed the sheer curtains in front of her den.

She returned the pistol to the drawer. “I’ve gotten close to Dave, so he expects that of me—you. Just be nice. You’ll be safe. Promise.” She swiped her fingers across her heart. “I’ll be right out there.”

She waited, purse on her arm, letting me make up my mind. She looked so much like me, except for her better clothes and more confident attitude. This idea of performing was rather intriguing and pulled my mind away from death scenes. She had no real reason to think the man would hurt anyone, and my current purpose in life was keeping her safe.

I shivered and hummed. “I’ll do it.”

“You won’t regret it. I owe you. Big time.”

I forced a cheerful laugh. “Right. This will be a breeze. Go on.”

She hugged me and dashed toward the door to the garage. My mind screamed Are you crazy? while my stomach squeezed into a knot no Boy Scout could ever untie.

Chimes from the front door rang out.

Anxiety swelled through my chest. I had to go through with our plan. Eve needed the man checked out. If he wasn’t okay, he wouldn’t have stayed in business long. A call to the BBB should tell if complaints were registered, like had he bludgeoned any customers? With an unsteady step, I moved to the peephole.

Dave Price stood away from the door. A tiny image showed him waiting patiently. He didn’t keep ringing the doorbell like I would have. I sucked in a breath and unlocked the door.

“Hello.” I thrust my hand out.

He took it with a broad hand that was warm, his grip firm. “Hello, Eve. You asked me to come back.”

His greeting brought me to fully recall I was playing a role. My sister would have told this fine-looking businessman to call her by her first name.

“Yes, Dave, please come in.”

Dave stood taller than me and wore a nice dress shirt and slacks. He carried a briefcase with a new leather smell and stepped into the foyer. Eve would stand close to him. I probably should do that. I took steps much farther into his space than I normally would with a stranger, especially a male. His gaze held on my face with eyes the comforting color of hot chocolate on a cold day. I felt his nearness. He didn’t shift away or move closer.

“Come sit down.” I led him into the den, and he lowered himself to the sofa, not far from the right end. I started to protest. Second thoughts made me keep my lips tight. I couldn’t tell him not to sit there because I needed to be near my sister’s weapon.

“I’m sorry I didn’t wait for you to sit first,” he said. “Sometimes I’m not much of a gentleman.”

Remembering to be Eve, I said, “I don’t always want a man to be a gentleman.” I winced, especially when his lips turned up at one edge. “I’ll just…sit, too.” I nodded toward the tiny space to the right of him, where I could grab that gun if I needed it. He adjusted, sliding away a little so I could squeeze in. The pulse in my temple counted off seconds. He carried a light scent of spearmint, maybe toothpaste or a mint. And an enticing smell of male.

Enticing? Where did that come from?

The phone on the end table rang. I yanked it up. “Yes?”

“Is everything okay?” Eve asked.

I glanced at the person I’d thought I might fear. “Things here are fine.”

“Good. His truck was parked in front when I pulled out of the garage, but he was already going in the house. I don’t guess he noticed me, and I’m sure he doesn’t know we’re twins.”

“Excuse me. I’ll just be a minute,” I told Dave, who nodded and shifted farther away on the seat. With more space, I stood and carried the phone to the kitchen.

“Sunny,” Eve said, “are you sure you’re all right?”

“Yes. I’m just moving so I can talk without him hearing. Do you think there’s a chance he knows it’s me and not you?”

“He doesn’t know I have a twin. Have you gotten close to him?”

“Yes, on the sofa.”

“Then scoot even closer. I’ve done that. Dave doesn’t seem to mind.”

I considered how close I would need to scoot. My hip would squash his.

“You aren’t scared of him,” my twin pointed out.

“What makes you think that?”

“You haven’t even hummed.”

She was right. In fact I’d felt fairly comfortable with the man. “I haven’t decided on my feelings yet.”

“Okay, just don’t get too confident. Go and tell him what we said about your sister coming over with police who’ll have information about the break-in. I’ll stay right here. Keep the phone close.”

“So you think—”

“He’s fine. Go join him.”

Once she hung up, I considered her confusing comments: Get closer to him; don’t get too confident. I marched back to the den. “That was my sister. She’s coming over with the police.” When he nodded, seeming unconcerned, I added, “Somebody broke the backdoor. They’re going to find out who it was.”

He didn’t flinch or show any sign of fearing the law. “Then that’s why there’s wood instead of glass on the sliding door frame. Nobody ran into it or batted a ball.”

“Right. So the police will come over soon with my sister E—” I cut off the rest of her name once I realized what I was doing.

“E?”

I shrugged. “A nickname.” Remembering to be Eve, I wedged my behind between the arm of the sofa and him. My hip rubbed his thigh, making heat spread across mine.

“Have you decided yet?” he asked.

I stared at him, thoughts scrambled.

“Do you know whether you want a burglar alarm installed? That’s why you asked me to come back here, right?”

“Yes. Absolutely. That’s why.” What would Eve want? She didn’t say for sure. I lifted the phone I still gripped.

Dave watched me. Oh great, what was I thinking? I couldn’t call her and ask. I set the phone on the end table that held a pistol she had suggested I might need to point at this person. Was he a threat? I didn’t think so, but didn’t know threatening people, so I could barely judge one. Maybe I even knew Daria’s killer.

Dave’s gaze gripped me in place, making me excited, afraid.

I forced myself to break eye contact. “Tell you what. Let me think about it a little longer. I’ll let you know tomorrow.”

“Of course.” He pushed up to his feet. “But then I won’t be able to schedule you in for a couple of months. We have a full slate coming up. A job we were supposed to start tomorrow got postponed, so I was going to be able to work you in this week.” His boyish grin softened my heart.

I stood, my chest inches from his. “Yes, do it.” A chill scrambled through me.

“Great. I think it would be good for you.”

I nodded and closed my eyes, experiencing my breaths and his warmth.

“I’ll call my office and get started,” he said, walking away.

I wanted him close again. I jerked my head back. Good grief, Sunny, what’s going on? But I was supposed to be Eve, I told myself. She liked him. A lot, it seemed. Still, I found myself wanting to go with Dave. I should watch him and make certain he wouldn’t do anything wrong.

He stepped toward the shut door leading to Eve’s studio.

“Not in there,” I said, voice suddenly quivering.

He shoved the door open and stared at the ruined paintings and writing on the wall. Dave turned to me, his dark gaze piercing. Fear skittered through my chest, catching a tune in my throat. This stranger could be the person who broke into that room but hadn’t been able to get to what he wanted.

Yet.