As Good as Dead (20 page)

"And you both like banana pudding," Caleb added, a big grin on his face.

"When do you expect to get the DNA results?" Jim asked.

"Within a week, possibly sooner," Reve replied.

"And what will y'all do if it turns out that you are indeed twin sisters?" Reba asked.

"I want to find out who our parents were," Reve said. "I plan to hire Griffin Powell, who heads an exclusive protection and investigation agency in Knoxville, to unearth the truth about our births."

Reba turned to Jazzy. "What does your aunt have to say about all this?"

"Aunt Sally swears that her sister gave birth to only one baby"

"Well, considering that Sally Talbot is a rather"-Reba paused as if searching for the correct word-"eccentric old woman, it's possible she's confused, that her memory isn't what it should be."

Jazzy nodded. "Yes, that's possible."

"Or she could be out and out lying," Reve said, then wished the words back, realizing how bitter she'd sounded. But she was bitter. Someone had thrown her into a Dumpster, as if i she was trash. And that same someone had kept Jazzy. But why? Dear God, why?

"I vaguely remember Corrine Talbot," Jim said. "A right pretty woman, as I recall. She and Sally resembled each other some, but Corrine was younger by ten years and a lot prettier." Jim studied Jazzy's face. "I don't see any resemblance."

"No, I've seen pictures of Corrine and I agree that I look nothing like her," Jazzy said.

"Aunt Sally always told me that she thought I must look just like my daddy, whoever the son of a bitch was."

"Have you ever considered the possibility that Corrine Talbot wasn't your mother?"

Reba's question gained everyone's attention. When all eyes were on her, she shrugged.

"Well, it is possible, isn't it?"

"Then how did I become a part of the Talbot family?" Jazzy's voice quivered. "It's not as if Aunt Sally found me in a cabbage patch."

Corrine Talbot wasn’t your mother. Wasn’t your mother. Miss Reba's words echoed inside Reve's mind. If it was possible that Sally Talbot's younger sister didn't give birth to Jazzy, then who had? Who gave birth to twin girls thirty years ago? Who handed over one baby to Sally Talbot and tossed the other baby in the trash?

"I think we should talk to your aunt," Reve said. "I'd like to ask her a few questions."

Jazzy gave Reve a puzzled look. "You want to talk to Aunt Sally even before the DNA tests confirm that we're sisters?"

"If you'd prefer to wait, we can. But I think we both know what those DNA results will prove."

"We're twin sisters," Jazzy said.

"Yes, we're twin sisters." Reve admitted the truth to herself as well as to the others, for the first time since she'd laid eyes on Jazzy. "Why wait for the DNA results? You set up a time for us to talk to your aunt as soon as possible. And first thing in the morning, I'll call Griffin Powell and have him instigate an investigation. Someone somewhere knows who our mother was and why she disposed of us the way she did."

Reve had tried to beg off having supper with Caleb and Jazzy, but when they both insisted she join them at Jasmine's, she had reluctantly agreed. Now that they were at the restaurant and she saw how happy and at ease her dinner companions were, she was actually glad she'd tagged along. Even though she had connected on a personal level with Re-ba Upton this afternoon, their three-hour visit with Caleb's grandparents had been less than pleasant for everyone involved, but especially for Jazzy. And as odd as it felt to Re-ve, something truly strange seemed to be happening to her. She was beginning to feel protective where Jazzy was concerned, protective in a big-sister kind of way.

You 're being foolish, she told herself. You don't know for certain she's your sister and
you 're not even sure you like her.
Ah, but she did know Jasmine Talbot was her sister.

She knew deep down inside. She knew instinctively, had probably known all along, ever since this past spring when she'd first met Jazzy; but she was only now admitting the truth to herself. Okay, so they were sisters. That didn't mean she was the elder of the two, did it? Yes, it did. She felt that instinctively, too, that she was the one born first.

"What'll it be, folks?" the waitress asked. "Our special tonight is-"

"Denise, I want pork chops, with the works," Jazzy said. "I'm starving. I didn'teat much for lunch today."

"I'll take a hamburger steak, creamed potatoes and green beans," Caleb said. "And don't forget the cornbread."

"And for you, ma'am?" Denise asked Reve.

She glanced up at the young waitress and smiled. "Just a Caesar salad, please."

"Iced tea all around?" Denise asked.

Jazzy and Reve replied affirmatively, but Caleb said, "Coffee for me."

Once Denise was out of earshot, Caleb looked across the table at Reve. "So, what did you think of my grandparents?" He grinned devilishly. "And why didn't you take my grandmother up on her offer to stay there with them?"

He'd certainly put her on the spot, hadn't he? Being known as a blunt-spoken person, Reve saw no reason to shy away from complete honesty.

"I liked them both. Your grandfather has a great sense of humor, and Miss Reba reminds me of my mother."

"Poor you," Jazzy said.

"I beg your pardon?" Reve's gaze connected with Jazzy's.

"Sorry. I'm sure your mother was a lovely person. It's just that-" Jazzy huffed. "Hell, what difference does it make? I should have known that you and Miss Reba would hit it off like a house afire." Glaring at Reve, she continued, "You do know what she was up to with that gracious invitation for you to stay with them, don't you?"

"Yes, I believe I do. And that's the very reason I declined. I don't want to become involved in any of Miss Reba's matchmaking schemes. It's quite obvious that she would prefer for Caleb to be romantically involved with me instead of you."

"Smart lady," Caleb said.

"Thank you." Reve liked Caleb,and if he wasn't madly in love with Jazzy, she might be interested in him. Despite being a little rough around the edges, he was a handsome, intelligent man. And he was almost as rich as she was, or would be someday when he inheri-ted the Upton millions.

Frowning, a slight catch in her voice, Jazzy turned to Caleb. "Miss Reba will do her best to stop us from getting married. You know that, don't you? Trying to use Reve to co-me between us is only the first item in her bag of tricks. I know her. I've been fighting her since I was sixteen, and she always wins."

"Not this time." Caleb slipped his arm around Jazzy's shoulders.

"Miss Reba has made two mistaken assumptions," Reve said in a matter-of-fact manner. "She actually thought that because Jazzy and I are look-a-likes, you might easily transfer your affections from the unsuitable sister to the suitable one." Snapping her head around, Jazzy's eyes widened as she glowered at Reve. "Since you seem to know so damn much about Miss Reba, maybe you'd be kind enough to tell us what you think her second mistaken assumption was?"

"Certainly. I'd be glad to. She believes you simply transferred your desire to marry Jamie to Caleb. And you did this simply because he's now the heir to the Upton fortune,"

Reve said. "But that isn't true, is it?"

Jazzy shook her head. "No, that's not true." She looked at Caleb. "You know that's not true, don't you?"

"Yes, I know." He kissed her on the mouth. A quick yet passionate affirmation.

Reve was so absorbed in Caleb's tender, loving concern for Jazzy that she didn't realize at first that two people were heading toward their table at the back of the restaurant.

"Now I know why y'all are sitting way back here away from the other customers," Dallas Sloan said. "It's easier for you to steal a few kisses without being noticed."

Chuckling as he released Jazzy, Caleb then stood immediately and held out his hand to the chief of police. "What are you two doing in town this evening?"

"We're planning on having dinner out tonight," Genny said.

"Then sit right down here and join us." Jazzy pointed to the empty chairs at their table.

"We've got plenty of room."

"We'd love to, if y'all are sure you don't mind?" Genny looked directly at Reve. "Jacob will be joining us shortly, as soon as he finishes with the press conference."

Reve's spine stiffened at the mention of the sheriff's name. And just when she thought she might enjoy this evening, circumstances proved her wrong. Her worst nightmare was probably on his way over here right now.

"Why is Jacob giving a press conference?" Jazzy asked.

"Itls an official announcement about the murder of a local girl," Dallas said. "A young prostitute named Becky Olmstead. She'd been missing less than twelve hours when her body was found over in Jefferson County, in Douglas Lake."

"Does this have anything to do with the murder of that man out on Clinton Road last night?" Caleb asked.

"We think so, considering Timmons was her pimp, but we'd prefer-" Dallas stopped talking the moment Denise appeared.

"Do y'all need menus?" Denise asked.

"I don't," Dallas replied. "Do you, honey?"

"No, thanks. I know what I want I'd like potato soup and a house salad, with lots of crackers," Genny said. "And Thousand Island dressing on the side. And a large glass of milk."

"Make mine chicken and dumplings, with cornbread."

"Tea?" Denise asked.

Dallas nodded, then pulled out a chair for his wife, who sat down beside Reve. He then sat across from her alongside Caleb, leaving the chair on the other side of Reve empty.

"I'd also like hot decaf tea, as well as the milk," Genny replied to Denise's question, then pivoted in her chair so that she faced Reve. "So, how are you?"

"I'm fine, thank you."

Genny spoke directly to Reve, her voice soft and low. "You were smiling when we first arrived, but I noticed the moment I mentioned that Jacob would be joining us, you got a peculiar look on your face."

Genny Sloan was much too perceptive. Of course she is, Reve reminded herself. The woman is psychic, isn’t she? Reve wasn't sure she believed in psychic powers, but she prided herself on having an open mind. For the time being, perhaps she should give Genny the benefit of the doubt. "I, uh, I'm not sure how to respond to that."

Genny's dark gaze penetrated the barrier Reve kept in place to prevent the world from getting too close. For a split second she sensed someone probing into her mind.

"Sorry," Genny whispered. "I didn't mean for that to happen."

Reve stared at her, startled by the unexpected invasion.

"Sometimes I can't control it," Genny explained.

Slightly shaken by the odd experience, Reve nodded. "The sheriff and I got off on the wrong foot when we first met and nothing has changed. I'm afraid we simply don't like each other."

"That's a slight understatement," Caleb said. "To outside observers, you two seem to despise each other."

Reve hadn't realized the others were listening to her conversation with Genny. She shot Caleb a defensive glare. "I believe despise is too strong a word."

Dallas grinned. "Well, however you feel about him, how about going easy on him this evening? The guy's had a rough twenty-four hours. He hasn't slept since night before last.

And today he had to be present when a woman identified her eighteen-year-old daughter's body."

Reve was certain Dallas hadn't meant his statement as a chastisement, but that's how it felt to her. "Perhaps it would be better for Jacob if I simply left now and-"

Genny grasped Reve's arm when Reve started to stand. "Please, don't go."

Reve settled back into her chair.

"Being in the same profession gives Dallas and Jacob a common bond," Genny said.

"Other than their relationships with me, of course. Dallas didn't mean to be rude. It's just mat he's concerned about Jacob and these new murders."

Reve nodded, but thought it best not to reply verbally. In some dim corner of her mind, the thought of how difficult Jacob Butler's job must be elicited some unwanted sympathy pangs. She did not want to feel anything for the man, least of all warm, kind thoughts.

"I apologize if what I said came off sounding rude." Dallas smiled at Reve. "Lucky for me, I have a diplomatic wife."

Reve forced herself to return Dallas's smile, and everyone at the table breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'm going to share some info with y'all that can't go beyond this table," Dallas said.

"And the only reason I'm telling y'all is because… well, because both Jazzy and Reve ha-ve something in common with our victim."

A heavy knot of unexplained fear tightened in Reve's belly.

"Our victim was a redhead." Dallas leaned over the table and spoke quietly, so his words wouldn't carry beyond their small circle. "She's not the first redhead killed in a similar manner in northeast Tennessee. In the past three years, there have been seven murders in all, that we know about. These redheaded women had one other thing in common-each one was either a prostitute or had a bad reputation."

Reve looked right at Jazzy.

"Well, I guess I'm next up, huh, since I qualify on both counts." Jazzy's sarcastic laugh sent a chill up Reve's spine. "I'm definitely a redhead, and nobody in Cherokee Pointe has a worse reputation than I do."

"An undeserved reputation." Genny reached across the table and grasped Jazzy's hand.

Jazzy squeezed her friend's hand, then glanced around the table at everyone there. "Not entirely undeserved. Let's face it, I'm no saint. And if this nut is killing bad-girl redheads, he won't need to look any farther than"-she tapped the center of her chest-"little old me."

"Nobody's going to hurt you," Caleb vowed.

"That's the reason I'm sharing this strictly confidential info with you," Dallas told Caleb. "I knew you'd keep a close eye on Jazzy. Just in case."

"What about Reve?" Jazzy asked. "Or since she doesn't qualify on both counts, is she safe?"

"Possibly," Dallas replied. "Probably."

"Just to be on the safe side, maybe she needs her own personal protector," Genny said.