Page 52 of Duplicity

But now wasn’t the time to be thinking about her full lips and how it would feel to kiss them. Even if it was an epically bad idea, he would likely still find it enjoyable. Too bad he tried to not be that guy these days. Lena had torn his heart to shreds. He refused to turn around and do the same thing to someone like Cat. Lena would deserve it, if revenge was his thing. Cat definitely did not.

She must’ve caught the look on his face and read something into it because she touched his cheek. Cat lifted up on her toes and kissed the other cheek. “Call me if you need anything.”

Simon’s cheeks heated.

She trailed out with the officer. A guy stepped in along with a couple of cops, one of whom was the on-scene lieutenant. The guy was probably in his fifties and wore wrinkled slacks and a Seattle NFL sweater. His short hair stuck up on one side as if he’d been sleeping on it.

Peter slapped Simon on the back. “Real slick…I was gonna sayRomeobut that doesn’t really apply now. That guy leaves broken hearts everywhere he goes.”

“Hopefully, only one at a time.”

Peter didn’t get the chance to ask Simon what he meant because Simon just shrugged it off.

“Guys?” The lieutenant interrupted their silent exchange.

“Peter.” He shook the cop’s hand, then the plainclothes sleepy guy. “This is my brother, Simon.”

“You guys are twins.” The football fan glanced between them.

Neither of them confirmed what was completely obvious. The lieutenant said, “This is Max Kendall. He’s the manager.”

Peter asked, “Can you tell us who was working tonight?”

Simon needed access to the surveillance the store surely had to deter thieves. “And where your computer is?”

“There should be two girls working, but I need to check the schedule.” Kendall led them to the back hall and a tiny officewith wood wainscoting on the walls. He shook the mouse, then sat and woke up the computer. “Sarah and Becky should both be here.”

He lifted the phone and dialed a number.

A cell rang elsewhere. Peter disappeared and came back with the ringing phone. Kendall hung up.

Peter said, “This was on the table in the break room.”

“I’ll try Becky.”

No phones in the building rang. While Kendall talked to Becky, Simon waved him back from the computer. Simon had found the software they used to digitally record from the surveillance cameras and opened it. Four boxes on the screen gave him views of the inside of the store. One camera was behind a mirror. Another showed the cash register, perhaps to make sure employees weren’t stealing. The third showed the cops out front on the sidewalk. The last one had an error symbol. The back doors?

Simon glanced at his brother. “One of the cameras is out.”

Peter left the office.

Kendall set the phone down and looked at the lieutenant. “After I threatened to fire her, Becky told me Sarah clocks in for her. Becky was on her way—she went to a party first.” His lips twisted. “Sarah is seventeen. She shouldn’t be the only employee on the premises.”

The lieutenant said, “There were no employees here when we showed up. And her phone was still here. We need to find her.”

Simon said, “I’ll pull up the feed and see where she went.”

Peter walked back in while he scrolled back in time to see Sarah behind the register. “Camera out back is busted. Someone smashed it.”

Kendall muttered something about unnecessary expense.

Simon hit play. Romeo walked down the aisle where he’d been looking for mints. And the man in the next one overwatched him realize who was close by. The guy was on the phone. He pulled a gun and pistol-whipped Romeo over the top of the aisle. Then he hopped down, dropping the phone. He didn’t bother to pick it up.

“He hit Officer Alvarez, dropped the phone, and ran for the girl. She’d sprinted to the back hall when he jumped up and smacked the cop.” He had to refer to Cat’s brother that way so that it left out their connection.

Kendall said, “Our employees are taught to run and hide after they hit the panic button under the counter. Which I’m not sure she did.”

“She fled. He chased her,” Simon said. “But we don’t have footage of what happened after he followed her down the hall.”

---