Deadly Double

by Adrianne Byrd

  All this work, and it never occurred to you to move the money?

  Michelle didn’t answer. It was all she could do to control her rage. “D’Angelo can help me find her.”

  And how do you expect to pay him?

  She had no idea, but her thoughts were interrupted when her cell phone rang. Briefly, she entertained the thought that it was Josie. Who knows, maybe she was getting a good kick watching her make a fool of herself.

  Annoyed, Michelle dug through her purse and grabbed the phone. However, her anger evaporated into curiosity when she read Keystone Institute across the ID screen.

  #

  After hours on the phone, Josephine found the keys to William’s black Mercedes in his bedroom on the nightstand. She clutched the keys tightly in her hand before she made up her mind about what she should do next, and then finally decided to look up the nearest office of the Department of Motor Vehicles.

  As she climbed in behind the wheel, guilt settled heavily onto her shoulders. William trusted her to stay put, but her head clouded with thoughts of revenge.

  She started up the car and promised herself she would return before William came home. Minutes later, she pulled up to the DMV. After reporting her driver’s license lost, she obtained a new one with little to no hassle. Next, she stopped at a local Western Union, where she picked up the cash she’d wired to herself.

  She was back in business.

  Admittedly, she didn’t have a concrete plan, but she did know that there wasn’t enough room in the world for two Josephine Ferrells.

  Locating an army surplus store was more complicated than she expected, but she finally found one next to a low-key shooting range. The minute she entered the building though, she felt completely out of her element.

  At first, she thought the place was just a warehouse of army uniforms. Everywhere she looked were camouflage shirts, pants, hats, and even long johns.

  “Is there anything I can help you with, ma’am?”

  Josie turned toward a smiling blond female who took the edict: the higher the hair, the closer to Jesus, seriously. “Uh, I’m not sure. I was looking to purchase a gun.”

  “Sure.” The blond clapped. “You came to the right place. “My husband, Buddy, will be more than happy to help you.” She turned around and waved Josie to follow.

  “I always say that a woman needs something to protect herself. Society tries to tell us girls that all we need is a can of pepper spray. It’s crazy, I tell you. Oh, I’m Tammy, by the way.”

  Josie had only managed to open her mouth before Tammy rambled off her conspiracy theory of how she believed the government was trying to take away honest Americans’ constitutional right to bear arms.

  “Buddy! Customer!”

  Josie wiggled a finger in her ear to stop it from ringing.

  From the back of the shop, a General Schwarzkopt look a like emerged. His slow smile never quite reached his eyes and his firm handshake threatened to rip her arm from its socket. “Well, aren’t you a pretty little thing? What can I do for you?” “She’s looking for some protection.” Tammy supplied an answer for Josie. His smile widened as he tilted back his camouflage cap. “Is that right? Do you already have something in mind?” “No clue.” Josie pulled her hand from his, and then rubbed at her sore shoulder. “This is my first time buying a weapon.”

  “Ah. A first-timer.” He led her over to a glass counter top. “Now, I have to tell you that Georgia requires a ten day waiting period before I can actually sell you a gun. You can fill out an application, and we can go ahead and pick you out something.”

  Josie blinked. “Ten days?”

  Buddy chuckled and shrugged. “Government. They want to make sure that we don’t sell any weapons to convicts or any terrorist groups. They hold a monopoly on those sales.” “But I can’t wait ten days.” Tammy and Buddy gave her a curious look. Josie cleared her throat, but it didn’t stop her stammer. “I sort of need the weapon today.” There was new interest in Buddy’s eyes.

  “I’m not a convict or anything.” Not yet.

  “Then what’s the hurry?” he asked.

  “You know, that’s okay.” Josie backed away from the counter. “I’ll go somewhere else.” She turned away and rushed toward the front door.

  “Just a minute.” Tammy caught up with her and laid a restraining hand upon Josie’s shoulder.

  Josie faced the woman.

  “We might not be able to sell you something today,” Tammy whispered. “But if you need help, sugar. I know someone who can. We women have to stick together, right?”

  Josie smiled as she winked back. “Right.”

  #

  A bored D’Angelo leaned back in a metal chair and kicked his feet up on the corner of a table in the police interrogation room. It was another day, but the same old b.s. He didn’t know why he was dragged down here this time, and he didn’t care. Whatever it was, he was confident that these people didn’t have anything on him. He was just too smart to get caught. When the door finally opened, he recognized the tall, baby-faced Hispanic who’d interrogated him before. “Please tell me that you guys didn’t drag me back in here about Danny again.” Detective Hernandez said nothing as he swiped D’Angelo’s feet off the table. “Hey. I was just making myself comfortable.”

  “Well, don’t. You’re not at home.” Hernandez dragged a chair back from the table and planted himself in it. “Tell me about your relationship with Michelle Andrews.” “Who?” Hernandez’s lips sloped unevenly. “I’ve always thought of you as an intelligent man, D’Angelo.” “Why, thank you, amigo. I wish I could extend the same compliment.” Hernandez shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m pretty smart. I made it through Yale okay.”

  Resentment curled in D’Angelo’s belly. “It’s just like you college boys to throw that up in someone’s face. Book smarts don’t mean a damn thing in the streets. A certificate won’t stop a speeding bullet, know what I mean?” “So you and Michelle are from the streets?” “Damn right. Nothing was handed to us on a silver platter.” “Unlike Michelle’s twin sister.”

  Understanding dawned on D’Angelo and in turn he gave the cop a stiff smile. “I got to hand you your props. You knocked me off my game for a minute.”

  “Is that what this is to you? A game?”

  He shook his head and rolled his eyes. “I just call it like I see it.”

  Hernandez nodded. “Well, let me tell you how I see it. I see a man who’s bitten off more than he can chew. And all over a woman.”

  D’Angelo laughed. “Man, you don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “I’m talking about you two murdering Daniel Thornton, Dr. Meredith Bancroft, Dr. Ambrose Turner, and probably Michelle’s twin sister, Josephine Ferrell.” “That’s quite a list.” “Finally something we can agree on.” D’Angelo shrugged and laughed. “Hey, amigo. You got the wrong guy. ” “I’m supposed to believe you? A minute ago, you told me that you didn’t know Michelle Andrews.” “Look, I ain’t saying nothing else. I want my lawyer. I get a call, right?” Hernandez laughed. “Lines re down. Who knows when they’ll be back up.” D’Angelo’s eyes narrowed to small daggers, but Hernandez’s smile only blossomed.

  “So what’s it going to be?” Hernandez braided his hands on the table. “Do you want to rot in a cell and hope that one day we’ll remember you’re there...or do you want to tell us what you know about Michelle Andrews?”

  Chapter 31.

  Josie returned to William’s house while feeling the onslaught of a headache. She was proud of what she’d accomplished that day, but it wasn’t without its emotional baggage. In fact, her tattered emotions were getting the best of her.

  What she wouldn’t give for William to hold her. Maybe even tell her that she was doing the right thing.

  After clearing a spot on the bed, she sat down and felt the gun holster at the center of her back. It was one of the best places to pack a piece according to Tammy. The other was around the ankle. Josie removed the new Glock from
her back holster and the small .22 from her ankle. At this rate she would be ready to take on the Terminator.

  A chill raced down her spine as she took a moment to step outside of herself. Suddenly, she couldn’t find a correct angle in anything she’d planned.

  Her hands trembled, and, before she knew it, the tremor moved up her arms. Just when she thought she could bypass William’s advice and not take her shots this had to happen.

  Josie searched and found the leather duffel bag, but hesitated in giving herself a shot.

  She removed a vial and unwrapped a new hypodermic needle. But before she could administer the methadone, it was all over. That wasn’t so bad, she though. She released her held breath and relaxed back onto the bed.

  It angered her that Michelle was responsible for her condition. She was tired of being a victim. The loss of her career, father, and nearly her life was slowly driving her odd the deep end.

  An hour passed before she felt a hundred percent better, but during that time, she decided to take a peek at Michelle’s medical chart. She was disturbed by a lot of what was written. Most of it struck too close to home.

  When she found herself feeling sympathetic, her wrist itched like crazy. She looked down and was reminded of just why she was going after Michelle. It was time to settle a score.

  #

  Michelle entered Marcus Hines’s office with glowing contempt and her patience hanging on by a thin thread. “This better be good,” she said, and then stopped short when she saw a team of men in black suits.

  She turned toward Hines as he closed the door. “What’s this all about?”

  “Ms. Ferrell, I’d like you to meet some of our attorneys.” He gestured to the only vacant chair in front of his desk. “Would you like to take a seat?” “Attorneys?” she asked. “Did I miss something?” Hines’s smile fluttered weakly. “I invited you here to discuss a possible settlement.” She didn’t budge from her spot by the door. “Shouldn’t I have brought my own lawyers as well?” “We just want to make an offer. You’re more than welcome to discuss any of this with your attorneys later.”

  Michelle frowned, but then she realized that if Josie had contacted all the financial institutions, she just as likely had contacted her family’s law firm as well. That meant all of this was moot, anyway.

  “I would love to talk about a settlement, but I really think this sort of thing needs to be discussed when all our lawyers are present.” She turned toward the door.

  Hines jumped and blocked her exit.

  Michelle took a retreating step as she frowned at him. “Is there a problem?”

  “No, uh. I just wanted to at least go over some items with you. Who knows, if we can agree, we could get a check to you as soon as tomorrow?”

  “A check tomorrow?”

  Hines’s smile returned. “That’s if we can reach an agreement.”

  Michelle said nothing as she mulled over this latest development and her palms itched with greed. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt to hear you out.”

  “Great.” He sighed with obvious relief. “Won’t you have a seat?”

  She turned toward the group of men. “Don’t mind if I do.”

  Sashaying her way into the center, Michelle was certain the men were all drawn to her curvaceous figure. She peeled the soft Chinchilla from her shoulders and lowered into the chair.

  “Can I get you something to drink?” Hines turned to the cart beside his desk and reached for the glass pitcher of water.

  “Some water would be nice.” She flashed everyone a cordial smile as she slid her fingers from her gloves and accepted the offered glass. “Thank you.”

  “You’re more than welcome.”

  #

  Josie retrieved the spare key to her father’s estate from a potted plant near the garage. She was more than a little disappointed that Michelle wasn’t there to greet her. The sooner she confronted her, the sooner she could end this.

  Entering through the front door, she stepped into the spacious foyer that brought tears to her eyes. Home.

  It was disheartening to see the place empty of life. Growing up, there had always been servants scurrying about while something delicious baking in the kitchen wafted throughout the house.

  Now, the place was just...cold.

  Josie closed the door and moved deeper into the house. The place was still reasonably clean, but that all changed when she climbed the spiral staircase and visited each bedroom.

  Michelle had ransacked the place. The worst room was Josephine’s old room. In no time at all, Josie had deduced how Michelle had gotten her hands on everything from financial information to Josie’s social security number.

  “She left no stone unturned.” Josie stepped over a pile of boxes to open her old closet. It was just all stuffnothing that meant anything.

  The saddest thing in all of this, she thought, was how she would have gladly shared it all with Michelle. They were all material things anyway. All Josie wanted was a family, to be a part of something. To just belong.

  Josie moved away from the closet and walked over to her old vanity. Melancholy, she picked up a few crystal bottles and sprayed their fragrances into the air. However, her mood worsened, and she fell the steady pulse of a new migraine.

  Heaving an exhausted breath, she headed to the adjoining bathroom to see if she still had a bottle of Excedrin in the medicine cabinet.

  #

  William whizzed through his patent schedule. If it was all possible, he wanted to get out of there early, but Hines wasn’t kidding when he said that he was dealing with a diminishing and nervous staff. Everywhere he turned he was interrupting someone with the latest gossip about what had happened with Dr. Bancroft and Dr. Turner. The most popular story he’d heard was that their missing patient, Michelle Andrews, was knocking off the doctors to extract revenge on how she was treated while she was at Keystone.

  After two hours of tolerating the low whispers, William’s nerves had sharpened to a fine point. To get through his day, he kept reminding himself that this would be over soon and everyone would know the truth. Of course, he wasn’t entirely sure what that meant for him. Would he lose his job, or worse, his license?

  “Oh, Dr. Hayes.”

  William turned and saw Dr. Coleman racing toward him. “Can’t talk now, Rae. I’ll catch up with you later.” He stepped onto the elevator and was grateful when the doors closed before Rae reached them.

  Hishoulders slumped with relief. If Dr. Coleman had managed to corner him, heaven only knows when he would be able to escape. The elevator slowed to a stop; but when the doors slid open, William came face to face with Michelle Andrews.

  Chapter 32

  Ming entered Marcus Hines’s office and extended a hand. “I can’t tell you how much we appreciate your assistance in this matter.”

  Hines cleared his throat and smiled sheepishly at her as he accepted her hand. “I’m happy to do whatever I can to help the authorities.” She smiled and turned toward the other four officers who’d posed as attorneys. “Do we have what we need?” One cop was still bent over and dusting for prints from Michelle’s empty water glass. “Just about through.” Hines shook his head. “I still can’t believe it. Michelle Andrews masquerading as her twin sister.” “Technically, it’s still a theory,” Ming said. “That’s what the fingerprints are for.” “But if she’s Michelle, where is the real Josephine?”

  Ming held little doubt that Josephine Ferrell had met the same fate as the others who stood in the way. “We’re still looking,” she said. “We’re still looking.”

  # “Oh, it’s you again.” Michelle smiled as she stepped into the elevator. “Going down?” A faint smile curved William’s lips. “As a matter of fact, I am.”

  “Perfect.” She glanced at the panel and punched for the lobby. When her eyes darted back over to William, she turned flirtatious and sauntered toward him. “What is your name again?”

  “William,” he answered. “Dr. William Hayes.”

&n
bsp; She winked. “You know, I’ve always had a thing for doctors.”

  “Really?” How ironic.

  “Uh, huh.” She backed him into a corner and was bold enough to run a finger down the center of his chest. “You know, I’ll be leaving town soon and I’d hate to miss the opportunity to play doctor with such a handsome one like you.”

  It was odd for him to watch a replica of the face he’d loved so dearly be possessed with such a crazed malevolence. “I’ll have to pass.” Michelle’s brows rose as the elevator slowed. “Don’t worry. No strings attached. I promise.” He forced on a smile. “As tempting as your offer may be, I’m afraid you’re not my type.” Michelle’s hands fell to her sides as annoyance flashed in her eyes. “Your loss.”

  The doors slid open, and Dr. Coleman stopped in the doorway. Her gaze zeroed in on the cozy scene in the corner, and her mouth gaped open in shock.

  Michelle winked, turned, and glided past the stunned doctor.

  William drew a shaky breath, but he wasn’t foolish enough to stick around to hear a lecture from the queen of gab. He stepped forward to exit the elevator, but was completely thrown off guard when Rae pushed him back into the corner, pressed a floor, and then turned on him. “Have you lost your mind? Do you know who that woman is? “Rae, I don’t want to discuss this.” That woman might be suing us soon, or have you forgotten about that?”

  Annoyance crept along his spine, but he was careful not to let the emotion show. “Rae, thanks for the advice, but nothing happened.”

  Once again, the elevator slowed to a stop, and William was spared more of his nosey colleagues’ comments when a group of formidable men and an uncharacteristically tall Asian woman stepped inside. Rae maneuvered her way out of the cramped quarters and waved at William to follow. “I’m going down,” he informed her. She opened her mouth to protest, but the doors slid closed.

  William sighed and slacked his shoulders in relief. “Close call,” he mumbled, and then darted a gaze to the other five persons occupying the small box. The only one who met his gaze was the attractive woman, but her expressionless features quickly turned toward the door when the elevator returned to the lobby.