The Unknown Twin

Alex stared at the cartoon. If this wasn’t a message, he didn’t know what would be. Right then, he saw her exit the building. He got out of his truck as she walked toward her car, which, apparently, happened to be near his. Must be fate, he decided.

She came up to him. “Something wrong?”

His grin was cocky. He held up the newspaper. “Not that I can see. I read today’s Dee and Me.”

Talk about being uncomfortable. She shifted on her feet. “Oh, did you, um, like it?”

“Lauren, you really do want to go out with me, don’t you?”

“I said I didn’t think it was a good idea.”

He tapped the newspaper on his leg. “Then why did you write this?”

“It’s a cartoon, Alex.” But he could see her blush. “And from the input on the Web site, readers like the hook of the muscle-bound boy.”

“I think your unconscious mind knows you want to go out with me.”

Her smile was dazzling. It gave the sun competition. “Are you always this persistent?”

“I don’t usually have to be.” Never in his life had he pursued a woman so aggressively. Like jealousy, it just wasn’t in his dating repertoire.

The arrogant comment drew a smile from her. “I don’t doubt that.” His phone rang. “Well,” she said, like a prisoner given a late pardon. “You’d better get that.”

“I will.” He grasped her wrist, his fingers easily encircling it. “You are staying, however.” He dug out his phone and flipped it open. “Shields.”

“Alex, this is Sam Prophet.” The arson investigator. “The cause of the fire at the newspaper office has been officially declared arson.”

He saw Lauren’s quizzical look.

“I see.”

“We’ve already done interviews with everybody, but we’re going to talk to your men again, as well as the occupants of the building that night.”

That would include Lauren. “Sam, hold on a second.” He covered the mouthpiece. “The fire was arson.”

“Oh, dear.”

“The investigator wants to talk to you again.”

“Of course.”

Sliding his fingers from her wrist to her hand, he spoke into the phone. “Sam, I’m with Lauren Conway. You should talk to her right away.”

“I’m swamped this afternoon.”

“I think you’ll want to do it soon. Her house was broken into last night.”

The investigator muttered an expletive. “Do you think the incidents are connected?”

“I wouldn’t rule it out.”

“Can she come over right now?”

Her face had paled when Alex told her about the arson. Now that he’d made a connection with the break-in, she was ashen. He felt an urge to protect her.

“Lauren, can you talk to the investigator now?”

She nodded.

“I’ll bring her,” he told Prophet, and clicked off.

She squared her slim shoulders and withdrew her hand from his. So she had some grit. That trait reminded him of Dana. Thoughts of his friend made him wonder if Lauren’s resemblance to Dana had any bearing here. He’d been…disconcerted by that right from the start. Was the fire somehow linked to her similarity to Dana? Was there something sinister in that connection?

She said, “You think the fire and the break-in at my house are connected?”

“Let’s just say it’s a big coincidence.”

“So you think…” Her voice broke off. Fear flashed in those dark brown eyes. “You think somebody wants to harm me?”

“It’s a possibility. Come on, let’s go see Prophet.” He took her elbow and began to usher her around to the other side of his Blazer.

“My car…”

“We’ll come back and get it.”

She looked away. “All right. Thanks, I appreciate you going with me.”

He grinned, trying to lighten the moment. “Well, I’m sure Dee would approve.”

She smiled and he opened the car door for her.

SAM PROPHET WAS a big man—they seemed to grow them that way here in Courage Bay. He was over six feet tall with dark blond hair and smoky gray eyes. Though he smiled, he was all business. “Ms. Conway, nice to see you again.”

Lauren stared at the arson investigator. This whole thing was turning into a surreal dream. “Nice to see you again, too.”

He shook his head, watching her. “I can’t get over how much you look like Dana Ivie. I thought that when I first met you.”

“Everyone’s been saying so.”

“It’s somewhat uncanny.”

She shrugged.

“I take it you’ve recovered from the fire.”

Nodding, she said, “The smoke inhalation wasn’t that bad.”

“So, it’s arson.” Alex sat beside her facing the captain. She glanced at him when he spoke. His long, rangy body was stuffed into a small chair, and his legs were stretched out to accommodate his size.