Nik knew he’d be in trouble without Maya backing him up, covering his lapses and, by the shocked anger on her face, she hadn’t decided whether she would help him or not. Then he realized the reason why she hesitated. The lady wasn’t sure.
Was it him, or Max?
Strangely, he’d taken for granted she’d know him. Guess he looked more like Max than he’d thought. Living as a single child, not being around his twin as they grew up, meant he didn’t have the advantage of figuring out how Max would actually behave in moments like these. He had to go by what he’d been taught in the last few hours: what he’d noticed himself since they’d met, use common sense and adlib like crazy. Having it all dumped on him like this, he felt disoriented and weirdly out of his league. And bizarrely hurt that she didn’t recognize the man she’d kissed silly the night before.
Not wanting his emotions to show on his face, something he’d never had to worry about as a soldier; he glanced away and saw himself in the window.
Christ, I do look like exactly like Max!
No wonder she was acting strangely. It shocked the shit out of him and he
knew
who he was.
***
Thank goodness, Max had drilled him most of the previous evening and far into the night about all the things he’d need to know to pull off this switch. That is, until Linda had stomped into the room in her bikini-style PJs, and fired both barrels. “Enough, you two! Max, honey, you need your sleep. Remember, it’ll be me having to put up with the monster you’ll be from the lack of it. So, Nik, go home. Come back tomorrow if you must, but, please, for now, stop!”
Nik looked closely at his double and saw what she had already guessed. Exhausted, Max looked like hell. He’d kept going because he’d known that Nik needed this intelligence. To get away with the switch, he’d need even more. But for now it was sufficient. Worried, Nik headed for the door. “I’m going. Max, take your medication and go to bed.”
Ignoring the order, Max continued. “You got the appointment in the morning for the stylist and the spa, right?”
“Yeah, yeah! Fucking torture… ah, sorry, Linda. I mean, freakin’ ridiculous as far as I’m concerned.” The stubborn glare shot his way made him add, “I know! It’s necessary. I’ll do it already!” Max gathered his belongings.
“Linda, did you give him the outfit I sent you to get from my apartment? It’s what you need to change into after the spa treatment tomorrow.”
“He’s got it, Max. I told you earlier, remember? Plus, I tidied the apartment like you said. Wasn’t much to do, but it’s all ready for you to move in whenever you want, Nik.” She tossed him the keys that were on the table.
“Thanks, doll. Tonight, I’ll stay at the hotel. But as soon as I look like this ugly dude, I’ll head over there and set up.”
Max added, “You got the burner phone with my direct dial set up? Use it whenever you need to. I’ll have mine with me at all times.”
“Yes, sir. Got it, sir.” He saluted and chuckled. “Goodnight, you two.”
Slipping out the door at the top of the stairs, careful not to trip on the garment bag hanging from his arm, Nik went over to Max’s vehicle, flung off the tarp and slid inside. Not fussy about driving fancy wheels, Nik had always preferred a truck. But if he intended on carrying on with this farce, he would have to use his brother’s chick-magnet and like it.
He parked a street over from where his appointments would be the next day and made his way back to the hotel. Bushed, he’d approached his room only to stop dead at the open door and groan.
Julian, shirtless, wearing a haughty attitude across his expression and a pair of pink silk playboy shorts that barely covered his bottom, waited, his hands braced on both hips. “So, Nikky! You finally decided it was time to come home.”
“What the hell are you doing here? I told you, one night and then out.”
“Sure you did. But you never told me where I’m supposed to go. You know I’m on the run. And you know why. You want me to get shot at again? Maybe next time they’ll kill me.”
“One could only hope.” Nik dropped his armload and headed to the mini fridge for a cold beer. He flinched when he saw the tray of fancy sushi and salads arrayed beautifully. And the chilled bottle of wine.
Well, shit!
“Excuse me? Do I look like a ghost to you? Maybe I’d like a beer too. Ever think to ask?”
“You want a fucking beer, get your own.”
Julian swayed over to the fridge, ignoring Nik’s next line.
“I meant buy your own.” An
I-give-up
snort followed and a curse came soon after. “I’m amazed someone didn’t waste you a long time ago.”
Much friendlier, Julian took a swig and then nodded. “Yeah, me too. So, where have you been? Gotta tell you, your lady cop wasn’t happy with you. Neither was Nellie. That disappearing act got to both of them.” Julian sat on the edge of the sofa, where his blanket and pillow were heaped in the corner with the remote on top. The king-sized bed in the other end of the room still looked pristine. “From what I could gather, you’ve done it to both of them before.”
“Done what?”
“Vanished.”
“Yeah, well, a man’s gotta do what a—”
“Bull. Those ladies worry about you. Well, one does anyway.”
“Mom knows I can look after myself.”
“I wasn’t referring to Nellie. Maya was pretty upset. She drilled me. Wanted to know what I knew about you. Had me on the hot seat for an uncomfortable few minutes.”
“What did you tell her?”
“Nothing important.”
Intrigued, knowing that the woman had a very strong presence, the willpower of a mountain climber and the same gift of gab as a slippery politician, he had to ask. “How’d you pull that off?”
“I did what you did. Went to the bathroom and never came back.” Julian lifted his beer in Max’s direction and, chuckling, Max returned the salute.
The next morning, Nik purposely left while Julian was still in the bathroom. Looking for the garment bag that the pest had hung in the closet, he snagged it and packed whatever personal stuff he figured he’d need into his backpack and then slipped from the room. Yesterday, deciding not to vacate the place altogether, he’d paid for a month’s rent.
Hell, if the little guy wanted to hang out there, he really didn’t have a problem. In fact, he figured Julian’s knowledge might come in handy down the road. The pesky stalker could take him to the nightclub where he’d last worked and released the kidnapped girls. But that all had to happen after his transformation to Special Agent Maximilian.
Heading in the direction of the spa where his appointment time with the hairdresser loomed, he checked his surroundings, only to see the pain-in-the-ass he thought he’d left back in the room. How the little poser had caught up so fast, he’d never know.
“Thought you’d pull your vanishing stunt again.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Not impressed, Nik glared at his sidekick. “Why are you following me, Julian?”
“Juli.”
“Juli’s a girl’s name. Quit changing the subject. Why did you come after me?”
“Because you packed and left without a word.”
“I didn’t take everything.”
“Looked like it to me.”
“Well, I didn’t, you snoopy bastard. Look, I’ll be away for a few days, but the room’s paid for. Think you can survive that long without me?”
“You mean you’re gonna leave me all alone to fend for myself?”
“You’ll survive.” Nik stopped in his tracks. “Don’t walk like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like you’re some kind of a model on a runway for a fucking fashion show is what.” Remembering his appointment, Nik whirled away from Julian and stepped up his speed. He swore when Julian rushed to catch up, his hips swaying worse and his hands keeping time.
“I do not.”
“Yeah! You do. And I don’t like it. Either walk normal—stop swinging your hands all over the place—or go walk on the other side of the street.”
“So now you’re embarrassed to be seen with me?”
“That’s not what I said, and don’t put words into my mouth.”
“I guess you want me to walk like a man.” A faint jeer could be heard in Julian’s voice. “Like you?”
“What the hell is wrong with the way I walk?”
“Oh! Nothing. Nothing at all. You have a really sexy ass and the way you move it makes me swoon—you should be fined for incitement.”
In a flash, Nik had Julian up against the brick wall of the drugstore they were passing. “You keep your squinty eyes off my sexy ass, or
your
ass will be in a sling from the swift kick I plant there. Understand?”
“Hell yes! And just so you know, the way you have of being able to move like greased lightning is
such
a turn on… okay! Forget it.” With his hands held up in surrender, and an unholy twinkle in his eyes, Julian added, “I’m sorry, man. It’s just so damn easy to yank your chain.”
Eyes narrowed, warnings flashing, Nik ground his teeth and watched Julian’s eyes register. No way could he ever let the little twerp know that it was his way of stopping the laughter that the little shit had the ability to rouse in him. He’d never met anyone so unintimidated, and who seemed to have complete faith in the fact that Nik was all bark and no bite.
The truth was that he had bitten many in the past, part of the job. Pushed too far, he could and would again. But certainly not the little fellow whose eyes held only worship and warmth.
Shaking him loose, Nik went to pick up his garment bag and dropped backpack, just as a crazy teenager on a bike swooped past and snagged the strap. Peddling for all he was worth, the kid headed up the street with Nik giving chase. He’d have caught him too, but Julian, having taken a short cut through a restaurant yard, materialized on the street where the biker showed up. Leaping from the top of a parked car, Julian dumped the bike and began playing tug of war with the rider.
“Give that back.” Stubbornly, Julian held on.
Aiming his fist for Julian’s face, the teen’s jaw dropped when his opponent’s arm blocked the swing. He was even more shocked by the fancy defense moves when he tried to pull Julian down.
Fury etched on a face not yet shaving, the loser looked up to see Nik fast approaching. Shoving the bag sideways along with his attacker, he hopped back on his bike and took off, legs pumping madly.
Julian held out the scuffed, torn backpack, a proud grin lighting his face. “I got it.”
“Yeah, I saw. Thanks, man. Guess we’re even now.”
“Not by a long shot. You saved my life. I saved your bag. I’d say I’m one up.”
Nik cracked. He couldn’t help the chuckle that broke loose. “How do you figure that?” Heading to his appointment double-time, enjoying Julian trotting by his side, trying to keep up and still perform his asinine wiggle, Nik had to ask.
“Easy. If you’re dead, you don’t need stuff.”
“You’re one crazy dude, you know that?” Not getting any answer, Nik turned to his escort. Shocked, he realized he’d been walking alone, talking to the air. Scanning the street, he saw a black SUV heading towards their corner and no sign of the pest.
Talk about a vanishing act!
Later in the day, still smarting from the uncomfortable time spent with the boss, Nik followed close behind Maya as she headed towards their area and her piled-high desk. “You’re lucky Bitters didn’t throw your sad ass in jail for taking a leave of absence without permission, Max. And I wouldn’t have blamed him. I know you fed him that bullshit about being kidnapped and escaping yesterday, but I don’t buy it. Seriously, where the hell have you been?”
Maya watched Nik’s eyes narrow and those sexy lips of his tighten. When he clenched his mouth, the smile lines on each cheek deepened and one side dimpled. Mind you, on a face plastered over with scowls, one couldn’t mistake those grooves for anything but signs of anger.
Good!
He’s mad.
The asshole had pulled his stunts too often for her not to want to get some payback.
Just then, Henry Lassiter, Max’s favorite drinking buddy, grabbed Nik in a bear hug and gave his back a pounding. “Hey, Max, good to have you back. Gotta tell you, man, ever since you disappeared, Maya has been hitting the streets like a crazy person. She’s driven us a mad, working every angle, calling in favors, paying off snitches. And all for nothing. It was like you’d disappeared in a puff of smoke. We’d about given you up for dead.”
“Hey, Lassiter, how’re you doing? Gotta admit, as ugly as you are, you’re still a sight for sore eyes.” Nik allowed the familiarity with discomfort and forbearance.
“You too, man. Tonight at the place, the drinks are on me.”
“You’re on. See you after nine.” Before Maya could drag fake-Max from his co-workers, they all stepped up to welcome him back. Damn fool was liked by most in the office… there was something about his expectations that others automatically fulfilled.
She’d finally reached her breaking point. “Hey, big shot, maybe you’d like to try and get some work done? It’s why we’re here, why they pay us.” Maya’s biting tone didn’t surprise anyone. They were used to her caustic, dictatorial treatment of her partner. How many times had they seen her nose to the grindstone while Max threw wadded-up papers into a wastebasket, declaring it was his way of concentrating?
Nik, however, wasn’t used to being talked to in this manner and his stiffening was seen only by the woman who watched for it.
Yess! Hope I’m getting to you, partner. Now, it’s my turn!
Before Nik fashioned a comeback, Ron roared from the open door of his office. “Maya, Max, there’s trouble at the port, Napoleon Avenue Complex. Check the container terminal at the dock. They found a surprise in one of the containers.” Pointing at two others whose expressions were hopeful, he added. “Backup. Get moving.”
Trailing Maya to where she’d parked their wheels, unlike his brother, Nik said nothing. Normally Max hated her driving. But she’d get pissy if he insisted on taking the wheel. As a hot-headed teen, he’d wrecked a car and put a buddy in the hospital, which had effectively killed the speed monkey that had ridden his back through those early years.
Now, in her estimation, the jerk drove like a paranoid old lady. The reason he owned such a sweet ride, she’d surmised, was for acquiring chicks and creating envy. Whenever he’d be forced to punch it, he clearly suffered every minute his foot rode the pedal.
“So, are you going to tell me where you’ve been?” Maya swung the wheel hard and headed for the busy street.
“
So
—are you really going to play this game?”
“Game? Not sure where you’re coming from, Max, honey. I just wanted to understand why you left—”
“Maya. Stop. You know it’s me.”
“
Nik?
Oh my God, you
so
had me fooled.”
Nik grabbed the handle above his head tightly. His croaked, “Not even for a second,” made her laugh. Seems she’d found a sore spot with the hard-ass. He didn’t like her speeding either.
Good!
She punched the peddle down further and took another corner too quickly. Little did he know that she raced at the track on her off weekends. In fact, there wasn’t much in the way of wheels that she couldn’t drive. One of her crazy step-daddies had seen to that.
“How did you know I’d made you?” Ignoring her, the man stared straight ahead.
Face pale, wearing a stoic expression, he answered, “You stared at my mouth. Then you sneered. Figured you had no reason to be angry with Max. In fact, just the opposite. If you’ve been searching for him, like the other agents suggested, you’d have been thrilled when I appeared. You weren’t.”
“What did you expect? You know it’s against the law, impersonating an FBI agent, don’t you? No way do I want to get the book thrown at me for aiding and abetting. Far as I’m concerned, you’re Special Agent Max Foster, and no one else.”
“Fine with me. So now, are you going to bring me up to date on what you know about my brother’s disappearance?”
“You mean death?”
Peeling his eyes from the road, Nik’s head whipped in her direction. And he didn’t speak, he barked.
What the hell?
“Did you find him?”
“Not exactly.”
For a second, Nik had thought Max had turned up dead since the night before. Why that ridiculous thought had entered his mind, he’d never know. After all, both Maya and Bitters had accepted he could be Max just a short while ago. Daunting was the only way he could describe how much he cared for the brother he’d only recently met. It was like, for the first time in his life, he was whole—nothing missing—complete. Heart pounding fast and suffocatingly hard, he tried to relax.
“I finally found his snitch, and he swears Max was beaten so badly he couldn’t have lived through it.”
Rigid with instant rage, Nik said, “Hell, if he saw Max being assaulted so badly, why didn’t the asshole step in?”
“The guy’s an addict, uses every day and has no devotion to anything but the shit he shoots up with. Very little he could have done. Besides, he was terrified they’d kill him too.”
“Does he know who did it? Or who took his body?”
“No. He conked out. Says the adrenalin from the panic did him in and when he came to, Max was gone.”
“Strange coincidence, wouldn’t you say—that he just happened to be hanging out in the vicinity on that exact night.”
“No fluke. He says he’d found some evidence for Max and he needed a hit. Knew Max was good for a twenty, so he’d phoned him. Max had said he’d meet him behind the restaurant, but when the informant showed up, the goons had already started.”
“Evidence? What kind of evidence?”
“Wouldn’t say. Well, actually, he had a memory lapse. Guess he’d only talk to Max, and nothing I said could sway him.”
“Could he identify anyone?”
“Nah! Too dark. Too high. Hell… too stupid.” Maya drove through the open gates of the New Orleans cargo terminal and followed the signal from the uniform who was there to direct regular traffic away from the crime scene. The activity around one container appeared to be the place to stop. She pulled up with a screech of tires and a rattled partner.
Goodie!
He’d grabbed the dash and held on. Amazing how much better she felt. Until she saw the body…