Page 51 of Double Take

He pulled into her drive. “While I make a few phone calls, why don’t you get whatever you need for a couple of days and we’ll stop and get my Jeep, then head out to the lake house?”

“I can’t believe I’m agreeing to this.”

“I’m glad you are. Now, let me just scope the area and then I’ll wait inside while you pack.”

While Lainie worked in her bedroom, James called Savannah Gleeson. Savannah worked in the Organized Crime Unit and, except for her hair, looked enough like Lainie that his plan might have a chance of working.

“James,” she said, “good to hear from you. What’s up?”

He paced to Lainie’s kitchen and looked in the fridge. Almost empty. He pulled out two water bottles. “I’ve got a favor to ask.”

“Ask.”

He explained the situation. “We both know the guy is dead, but someone is working awfully hard to convince her he’s still alive. How would you feel about doing some undercover stuff while I get Lainie away from everything?”

“And bring down a bad guy? My pleasure.”

“Potential bad guy. We just need him in custody so we can figure out what his end game is, but most importantly,whohe is. He didsome dangerous driving earlier and just about took out a motorcycle rider. It could have ended really bad. I want this guy off the streets, if nothing else. So, if you could basically house sit, wear a wig to make you look like Lainie from a distance, then nab the guy if he comes around...”

“I’ll need to clear it with the captain, but, yeah. I’ll let you know when I know.”

“Okay, assuming he says it’s fine, here’s the plan.” He ran what he was thinking by her, and she added her own thoughts until he was happy with the details. “I’ll text you as soon as I get the okay from Lainie.”

“And I’ll be getting clearance from my captain.”

The next call was to US Deputy Marshal Art Larson who, in answer to James’ inquiry, said, “Never heard of Adam Williams, and there’s nothing in the system that I can see. Not to say there couldn’t be something going on under the radar, but whoever said we were involved is lying. At least that’s my take on it.”

“I trust your take. One last question that I already know the answer to but have to ask. The marshals didn’t arrange for Adam to be transported to a private hospital in New York, right?”

“Well, since we have no record of him, I’m going to say that’s a negative. I can dig a little deeper and see if there was anything going on off the record, but...”

“Right. Thanks. Check, if you don’t mind.”

“Don’t mind. I’ll shoot you a text with anything I find out.”

“Appreciate it.”

He hung up, searched his contact list for the lab number, and hit call.

When he reached the lab tech, he was surprised he got a person and didn’t have to leave a message. “Any prints on the receipt?” he asked once he clarified what he was calling about.

“Not really. There are a few smudges and an oil stain, probably from the parking garage floor, but no usable prints. Could have been rubbed down to get rid of them, but I can’t tell.”

“Thanks.”

When Lainie returned to the great room, he filled her in on his and Savannah’s plan first.

Her eyes widened with each word. “I don’t know about that,” she finally said when he finished. “I don’t want to put anyone in danger.”

“She’s a trained detective and has been undercover multiple times. She can take care of herself. Plus, she’ll have someone watching from a distance in case she needs some backup.”

Still, she hesitated.

“What is it?”

“It’s not that I don’t think your detective friend can take care of herself, I just wonder if whoever this guy is will fall for it.”

“He might if she pulls your car into the carport and goes in the side door.”

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