Page 95 of Guilty as Sin
“Her twin. They’re interchangeable?”
“They are.”
“Then they’re both in danger.”
“Who are we looking for?” Paige asked. Lily was taken care of, and she could take care of herself.
“Again—probabilities. You’re looking for an educated, intelligent woman who hasn’t achieved anything close to what that level of education and intelligence would suggest. Probably late twenties to late thirties. I’d expect her to have an erratic and unstable job and relationship history and an extremely limited circle of friends. If any. She’s met Jace, but she may not be openly engaging with him. Or rather—she probably engages with him, and then breaks it off rather than openly pursuing him. She’s built her fantasy life around him, but she doesn’t necessarily want it to ‘come true’ in the sense of actually getting together with him sexually. She wants him to think about her, and she wants to feel like he’s hers. She wishes he would engageher,but more in the way a teenager wishes it. Obsessive dreaming.”
“OK,” Paige said. “One more. The stalker refers to herself in her story as blonde and curvy. Is that true? And are the pictures of her?”
“It’s her idealized body image,” the professor said. “Whether she actually looks that way or not, I can’t say. But she’d like to. She imagines he’d find it sexy. And interestingly, other than the blonde part, the description fits Paige, which may also be fueling the stalker’s rage. Paige is where the stalker wishes she were in both her physical self and her relationship with Jace.”
“I’m blonde, actually,” Paige said. “Naturally. I’m blonde again now, because of the switch.”
“Oh.” Dr. St. John was silent a minute, then said, “So your sister is blonde as well?”
“Yes,” Paige said.
“Then be careful. Both of you. That’s about what I’ve got. I hope it was helpful. I also hope the police are aware of what’s going on, wherever it is you are. What’s that area code?”
“They’re aware,” Paige said. “I’m in Montana. And thank you so much. I think it will be helpful.”
“Good. Let me know where to send my bill.”
“To me,” Jace said, which was lucky.
“Thanks again,” Paige said after Jace had furnished his email address. “I still owe you.”
Dr. St. John said, “Well, I may ask you and your sister if you’d like to help out with a twin study. I have a colleague who’d salivate at the chance. That’s the risk you run when you say ‘identical twin’ to a psychologist.”
“I’ve found that out,” Paige said. “Just ask.”
In another minute, they’d hung up, and she looked at Jace and said, “Well, that was creepy. As expected. It makes sense, but…”
“But it doesn’t help much,” he said. “Except in possibly striking a few people off the list.”
She said, “I want to talk it over with you. I want to think it through. Where are we going tonight?”
“Right now,” he said, “up to the house.” The sun was setting in a romantic pink glow, and Jace smiled at her and said, “Lily made dinner.” Like this was normal, or he could make it that way. It was a seductive thought.
“We’re staying here?”
“No. We’re eating dinner here. And then you’re going to pack a bag, and we’re going to hide in plain sight. It was your sister’s idea.”
Despite what she’d told him, Jace discovered that Paige wasn’t about to do anything like sit and talk things over with him. She didn’t even tell Lily about the call. Instead, she ate dinner with her sister and talked about the shop, about the sale they were doing, about the goats. About anything thatwasn’tviolence and destruction. Maybe she needed a break, or maybe she thought Lily couldn’t handle it. Maybe both.
An hour later, he was watching the twins kiss each other goodbye. Pink sweaters, gray leggings, shiny blonde curls. Any man’s dream. Paige held her sister’s hand and told her, “Remember. One light on upstairs, one downstairs, like they’re on for security. Don’t go outside. Keep the alarm on. Nobody’s home. It’s got to look exactly that way. We’ll come back in the morning to take care of the animals. And if Tobias starts barking or if you see anything suspicious, call Jace first, then call 911. Jace will respond faster.”
Lily said, “I know. I got it.” She smiled, squeezed Paige’s hand back, and said, “The first three times. They’re not coming after me here. You’ll be too visible for that.”
Paige patted Tobias on the shoulder, rubbed his ears, and said, “Take care of my sister, boy.”
“He’s got it, too,” Jace said.
They left the house, Lily closing the door behind them, and Jace waited to hear her lock it, then walked to Paige’s car with her. She turned to him and said, “See you in the lobby?”
“No,” he said. “See you in the parking lot.” She knew what he meant, he was fairly sure—that he didn’t want to risk having her jumped there—but at least she didn’t argue.
