Page 23 of Twin Deception

The screen showed the Bayshore Residences number, and I cautiously answered.

Esmeralda Floresnevercalled me. She never initiated contact, and it was no wonder. She’d cut me out of her life many, manyyears ago. Even before her mental status declined further, she’d never wanted anything to do with me because I was a reminder of her husband.

“Hello?”

“Isabel?” the woman asked. “This is Sandy from Bayshore Residences.”

“Oh, hi.” I’d spoken with the head of nursing many times. Even if my mother never wanted to speak with me, I could play the part of being a dutiful daughter and check in on her.

“I wanted to call and give you an update on your mother. I know we spoke just a couple of weeks ago, at the beginning of the month, but I wanted to give you as much of a notice as possible.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Your mother is showing consistent signs of more decline. Her heart is starting to fail at a faster rate than what we’ve seen in recent months.”

I dropped to sit on the edge of the bed. Impervious to feeling too strongly about this news, I nodded even though Sandy couldn’t see my reaction. A nod seemed best because I didn’t know what to say. Yes, this was sad news, but also, it was a display of potential mercy. Esme couldn’t belivingthere, not to any degree that she’d enjoy her life. Between the damage from the drugs all her life and psychological issues, she was nothing more than a husk of a person in that rehab facility.

Yet, it would be sad. Of course, her death would come sooner than later with the life she’d led, but once she was gone…

Then that would be it.I’d have no one. I’d well and truly be alone in this world, and that only pushed more dread and gloom, moredepressing loneliness on my shoulders. Burdened by the weight of too many ugly emotions, I listened to the rest of her details, thanked her for the news, and then disconnected the call.

Now I’ll really have no one in the world.

It was a sobering, sad thought to bring to lunch, but I couldn’t shake it off. From the heated intimacy with my stalker last night to the remote threat of being all alone with my mother passing away soon, I was caught up in whiplash from the opposite ends of the spectrum.

Staring at the empty seat across from me as I ate my lunch, I couldn’t help but wonder what it’d be like if I weren’t here dining alone, but somewhere else with him. If I were back in that club, with his hands holding me captive and his lips searing me to want more. He’d sparked me into wanting his company, but I caught myself before I let my thoughts get carried away.

He wouldn’t be good for me. He was astalker, nothing more.

He wasn’t interested in being with me for the sake of spending time together.

That man had only been after me with the assumption that I could be a pawn in something bigger, something I’d sworn to never get involved with again.

9

MIGUEL

Ilost her. Isabel didn’t just weasel away from me at that club.

She’d tried to disappear.

I refused to admit that she had disappeared. She couldn’t be that good. But for all intents and purposes, it was as though she’d vanished. As if she’d only been a fantasy of mine, an unfulfilled one that was cut short far too soon.

After I searched through the crowd outside the club, I walked back to her hotel. She’d already checked out. That was how good she was. That was how quick she was to react to our first meeting—to distance herself.

It still galled me that she’d even known that I was following her. I wasn’t an amateur at this shit. I knew how to cover my bases, and it was a surprise that she could as well.

I’d tracked many targets, and half of them were paranoid fuckers who would try to go underground and hide from the inevitable. When they fucked around and realized they’d gone too far, they’d freak out and try to lose me or anyone else wanting to eliminate them.

So if you want to try to run and hide, sweetheart…

It could only mean one thing.

She was guilty of something. Or she knew something.

But what?

She was a fucking artist, a mural painter who seemed to travel quite a bit to do work for nonprofit organizations. What secrets could she have? What crimes could she have done?

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