Taking On Twins. Carolyn Zane

After seven solid months on the lam, to finally see a member of her family was overwhelming. She blinked back the tears of joy. Help had arrived at last and now, perhaps, someone might just take her seriously.

      Reaching behind her, she untied her apron and waved at Roy who was busy over the sizzling grill. Helen was making coffee and Geraldine was out on the floor. They’d be fine without her for a few minutes. “I’m taking a break,” she called and they nodded.

      Emily rushed through the restaurant as old fashioned as its name implied. The walls were a rough plank and overhead, shelves were loaded with historic knickknacks and plants. In the background, some easy listening was piped in through speakers in the ceiling. The murmur of voices ebbed and flowed, and underscoring it all, silverware clanked and the grill sizzled.

      Wyatt glanced up at the sound of her approach. “Emily!” He held out his hand and pulled her into the booth beside him and gave her temple a sound kissing. Eyes thirsty, he drank in the sight of her, checking her over until he was satisfied that she was all right. He reached up, touching her shock of chestnut-red hair and was once again reminded of his Annie.

      Emily plucked a napkin from the chrome dispenser on the table and crushed it to her mouth. “How did you find me?”

      “Rand and Austin tracked you down.”

      “I would have called, but it’s not safe.”

      “I know.”

      “You do?” She pushed her napkin to her eyes and cast him a watery smile. “You believe me?”

      “We all do.”

      “Oh,” she blubbered. “Finally.”

      “Better late than never?”

      “Oh, yeah.” Smile tremulous, she turned her back to the aisle. Facing him, she leaned on her elbow to create some privacy. “I don’t have much time. This is the middle of the Saturday lunch rush and it can get a little hairy here.”

      “That’s fine,” Wyatt said with a nod. “We can talk later. I plan on staying for several days—”

      “Really?” Emily heaved a ragged sigh. “I’ve been starved for news of home.”

      “Well, I’m loaded with that, and more.” He tapped the envelope that lay in front of him on the table, then slid it over to rest in front of her.

      Emily stared. “What’s this?”

      “The news you’ve been waiting for. It’ll make some interesting nighttime reading, that I can guarantee.”

      “It’s about Mom?”

      “And her identical twin sister. A woman named Patsy Portman.”

      “A twin. I knew it,” she murmured.

      “We’re guessing that you were right all along about Patsy taking Meredith’s place.”

      “It happened the day of the accident. I just know it. Remember when Mom went off the road and wrecked the car?”

      “Emily, do you have any idea what may have happened to Meredith?”

      “I can’t remember,” she whispered. “It happened so fast, and it’s years ago now. I was crying and confused. My head hurt and Mom’s head was bleeding so much. I think I passed out. What I do remember is seeing another woman there who looked exactly like Mom. Then, I don’t remember anything until she brought me into the emergency room. I couldn’t figure out why she wasn’t bleeding anymore…”

      Wyatt slowly nodded. “Meredith must have disappeared between the accident and the emergency room, while you were unconscious.”

      Snatching another napkin from the dispenser, Emily scrubbed at her nose. “Mmm. That’s what I’ve always suspected. But no one believed me until now.”

      “We believe you, honey. We’re on your side and we’re here to help you.”

      “What about Mom?”

      Wyatt slipped an arm around her shoulders and brought the top of her head to his neck. “We’re working on that. Austin’s on her trail, as we speak.” He tried to inject a note of confidence into his voice. “What exactly happened the night you left?”

      In a halting voice, Emily spoke. “Someone tried to kill me. And, he nearly succeeded.”

      Three

      Wyatt drew a long, slow breath. Hearing the brutal truth had the bile rising into his throat. “I could use some fresh air. How about you?”

      Emily peeked up at the counter. Geraldine and Helen were still busy with customers and no one new had come in since she’d sat down. “Yes. I think that would be okay. If we don’t stay long.” She tucked into her apron pocket the envelope that Wyatt had brought, then waved her hand at the counter. “Geraldine?”

      “Yes, honey?” Geraldine took in the tear streaks on Emily’s cheeks and frowned at Wyatt.

      “I’m just gonna take a quick break. You guys okay without me?”

      Geraldine glanced around, then returned her suspicious gaze to Wyatt. “For a few minutes, sure.”

      “I’ll have her back pronto,” Wyatt assured her. “Don’t worry, she’s in good hands.”

      Geraldine looked skeptical.

      The doorbell chimed again as Wyatt held the door for Emily.

      “Noah! Alex!” Annie strained to hear above the hubbub of her children’s voices. “Pipe down for just a second, will you?”

      “Why?” Alex asked.

      “Because I’m trying to hear something,” Annie snapped, flapping her hands and making lip-zipping motions.

      Noah found her wild gesticulations most amusing and howled with laughter.

      “Whater ya trying to hear?” Alex pressed.

      Annie pressed her nose to the window and tried to see around front.

      Noah tapped her arm. “Whatcha see?”

      Her exasperated sigh fogged the pane of glass. “Nothing.”

      Wyatt took Emily’s hand and led her to a bench on the wooden sidewalk just outside Summer’s Autumn Antiques. He pulled her down beside him and once again, slipped an arm around her shoulders.

      “Someone tried to kill you.”

      Emily’s head bobbed beneath his chin.

      Sick at heart, Wyatt pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “I know it’s probably pretty hard to talk about, but the more you can tell me, the more we can help.”

      Emily glanced around. When she was satisfied that no one was listening, she continued. “I was on my way to bed when I noticed that my bedroom door was nearly closed. You remember how Dad would never let us kids close our doors until we were in bed? Even so, normally, I’d have just thought Inez made a mistake, but because of what had just happened at Dad’s birthday party a few months earlier I was still a little wary.”

      “Mmm.”

      Wyatt knew all about the attempt on Joe’s life. That night, Rand had called from the party, shaken. “Dad made a speech. There was a lot of confusion,” Rand had told him. “Balloons, confetti, sixty white doves flying everywhere. Then, Dad lifted his glass, and there was a shot. His glass shattered…I was stunned. We all were. Then people started to scream. At first we thought…we thought he might be dead, but thank God, the bullet only grazed his cheek. Nobody else was hurt. Dad grabbed Mom’s hand and pulled her to the ground for cover…” That night, Rand’s emotion-packed words had Wyatt’s skin crawling. Just as it was now. It was ironic, Wyatt mused, how Joe may have saved the life of the very person who wanted him dead.

      Emily’s shaky voice brought