All right.
The guyLandongave a crisp nod. Good. He flipped open a cell phone.
In normal circumstances she would think it impolite to listen to someone elses phone conversation. But nothing about this encounter was normal, and she intended to hear what he said. This encounter had one thing going for it: it had taken her mind off her troubles, at least briefly.
Maddie? This is Landon. Just listen, will you?
This Maddie person must not be eager to talk to him, judging by his tone.
Im over at the Coffee Stop, and theres someone here you have to meet. I think she might have some answers about that odd package you received last week.
He paused while she talked, and Violet could hear the light notes of a female voice, but not the words.
No, this is not just an excuse to see you. He sounded as if he were trying to hold on to his patience.
More waiting, while the voice went on.
Okay, he said finally. Right. Well be here.
He clicked off, and then met Violets raised eyebrows with another flash of that smile. Five minutes. It wont take her any longer than that to get here. Her apartment is just down the street a block or so. And youll find meeting her interesting, I promise.
She glanced at her watch. Okay. Ill give you five minutes, no more.
Good. He rose, taking her coffee mug. Ill get you a refill. And you look as if you could use something a little more substantial than that croissant.
What do you
But hed already gone to the counter. She was tempted to pull out a mirror and look at herself, but that would betray the fact that she cared what he thought. Anyone would look frazzled after as many sleepless nights as shed had.
She glanced at her watch again as he came back with the coffee.
Still timing me? he asked, sitting down.
No. I was just thinking that theres a call I should make soon. Shed have to check in at the hospital to see if thered been any change. And try to track her brother down, if she could.
Go ahead, if you want.
He might be making an effort to be accommodating. Or he might be interested in who she was calling. She hadnt quite made up her mind yet about Mr. Landon Derringer.
Ill wait until Ive seen your mysterious friend, she said.
He glanced at the door. You wont have long to wait. Shes here.
The door swung open and a woman stepped inside. Slim, chic, sophisticated. And other than that, Violets exact double. Violets breath stopped. It was like being thrown from a horse, the wind knocked out of her. This couldnt be true, but it was. The evidence stood right in front of her.
* * *
Landon rose as Maddie turned toward them. She took a step, her cautious smile fading as she looked from Landon to his companion. Her eyes widened; her face paled.
Maddie, are you all right? He kicked himself mentally. He should have given her more of a warning.
She nodded and walked toward them as slowly as if she were wading through water. When she reached the table, he pulled a chair out and she sank into it, never taking her eyes from the other womans face.
He was having a bit of difficulty with that himself. He looked from one to the other, feeling almost dizzy. Same long, straight auburn hair, same chocolate-brown eyes, same delicate features. Aside from the obvious differences in style and clothing, it was like looking at mirror images.
Who are you? Maddie ignored him when she spoke, all her attention on the other woman. Hed been careful not to ask the womans name, since shed clearly been suspicious of him, and he waited, curious, to see how she responded to Maddie.
Violet Colby. She said the name, seeming perplexed for a moment, as if wondering if she really were who she thought she was.
Small wonder. How could anyone react when confronted by an exact duplicate?
The strangerVioletseemed to shake herself, as if in an effort to regain control. Who are you? Why She glanced from Maddie to Landon. Is this a trick of some kind? Her voice sharpened with suspicion as she looked at him.
How could it be a trick? he asked, spreading his hands to indicate innocence. When I saw you sitting here, I thought you were Maddie. Youre identical. I couldnt make that up.
Curiously, Maddies expression was equally suspicious as she looked at her duplicate. I dont believe it. Are you the person who sent me that note?
Violet looked confused. She shook her head, the long ponytail swinging, tendrils of hair freeing themselves to cluster on her neck. Maddie hadnt worn her hair that way since she was about fourteen, when she was in the middle of her horse-mania stage. It made him feel for a moment as if Violet were a kid.
Careful, he warned himself. You dont know anything about this woman, and Maddies family has money and position. This could be some sort of elaborate scam, and if so, it was his duty to protect Maddie. Hed promised her brother hed look after her.
When Maddie didnt speak, Violet seemed to feel more of a response was called for. I dont know what youre talking about. What note? How could I send you anything when I didnt even know you existed until just this moment?
They could go on dancing around the question all day, it seemed. Hed always rather go straight to the heart of the matter.
Look, its obvious that you two are identical twins. Just look at yourselves. Maddie, did you bring the note?
He expected a flare-up from Maddie at his assumption of authority, but she just nodded and fished in her bag. The shock of this encounter seemed to have knocked the stuffing out of her for the moment.
Maddie drew out a much-creased piece of notepaper and pushed it across the table. Violet spread the note flat and bent over to read it.
Landon didnt need to look at the page again to know what the note said. The words had been revolving in his mind since Maddie received it a couple of weeks ago.
I am sorry for what I did to you and your family. I hope you and your siblings, especially your twin, can forgive me as I ask the Lord to forgive me.
No signature, and the ink was a bit faded, as if it hadnt been written recently.
I dont understand, Violet said, pushing the paper back to Maddie. Where did this come from? Why would you think I had anything to do with it?
Because youre obviously the twin referred to in the note, he said, watching her closely. But he couldnt see any indication that she was faking. Her puzzlement and distress seemed natural.
Let me tell it, Maddie said, interrupting. Its my business.
Not yours, in other words. But he couldnt be pushed away so easily. In the absence of her father and brothers, Maddie needed someone to watch over her, even though she didnt think she did.
This letter appeared in my mailbox a couple of weeks ago. Maddie touched the note. It was tucked into a new Bible, with no indication of who it was from. She shrugged. It upset me at first. It seemed so weird. But then I assumed it had just been sent to the wrong person. I dont have a twin. She paused. Anyway, I didnt think so.
I didnt think so, either. Violet paused. They do say that everyone has a double somewhere. Maybe its just some sort of odd Her voice died off, probably because she realized how ridiculous that was.
The obvious solution is usually the right one, Landon said. If he didnt keep pushing, theyd never come to a conclusion. Would you mind telling us about your family, Violet? If you were adopted
She was already shaking her head. I know what youre thinking, that we could have been split up as babies and adopted by different couples. But it cant be. Everyone says I look just like my mother. A shadow crossed her face when she spoke of her motherdistress, fearhe wasnt sure what.
What is it? He reached impulsively for her hand. Is something wrong with your mother?
Violet took a deep breath, seeming to draw some sort of invisible armor around her. My mother was in an accident a few days ago. She had a bad fall from a horse. Shes been in a coma in a trauma center in Amarillo ever since.
Im sorry. The depth of her pain touched him, even though she was trying to hide it. Butwhat are you doing here in Fort Worth, then?
Violets lips trembled for an instant before she summoned up control. Iit was a crazy idea, I guess. But I thought maybe I could find my father.
Find your father? Now it was Maddies voice that shook a little. Is he missing?
Violet rubbed her temples, and he thought she was fighting tears. I dont know. Ive never known who my father was. I was sitting there in the hospital, praying that Mom would open her eyes, and suddenly I was longing to see my father. She gave a shaky laugh. I suppose I wanted someone to walk in and tell me it was going to be all right. Stupid, isnt it?
Maybe not so stupid, he said. It brought you here, didnt it? But why Fort Worth?
Because this is where I was born. My mother did tell my brother that when he kept badgering her about it, although then she closed up and wouldnt say any more. I thought I might find some records.
Do you know which hospital? At least that was something that could be checked. Landon would welcome some positive task that would lead to unraveling this puzzle.
Violet shook her head. Mom always clammed up whenever we asked her about it. So eventually I stopped asking. My brother, Jack, was more interested in finding out than I was, but she just always said we were better off not knowing.
I can run a check on hospital records. Whats your birthday? He pulled out his cell phone. The firm of private investigators his company sometimes used would know how to access that information.
January 26th. They made the reply almost in unison, and then looked at each other, some sort of bond seeming to form in that moment.
You dont need to do any checking, Maddie said. Its obvious, as you said. Were sisters. She reached across the table, touching Violets hand. They looked at each other, faces breaking into identical smiles.
You dont need to do any checking, Maddie said. Its obvious, as you said. Were sisters. She reached across the table, touching Violets hand. They looked at each other, faces breaking into identical smiles.
It couldnt help but warm his heart, but his rational mind sounded a note of caution. All they knew about this woman was what shed told them.
A couple of college boys came into the coffee shop, discussing baseball loudly as they approached the counter. Maddie gave them an annoyed look.