Lisa Scottoline - Dead Ringer

“Oh, well, at least they’re clean,” David said. “Thanks.” He’d taken a shower, and the wet sheen of his hair caught the light of the overhead lamp. He leaned down to pat Bear, who had curled into a cinnamon doughnut on the rag rug in front of the sink.

“Want coffee?” Bennie asked, pouring him a cup and handing it to him. “I have no food in the house, I’ve been kind of busy. I do have cream and sugar, if you want dessert.”

He smiled. “I take it black.”

“Why am I not surprised?” Bennie touched her hair, suddenly self-conscious. It was wet from her shower, too, but she was dry again in her favorite work shirt and loose khaki shorts. He didn’t seem to notice one way or the other, though he stood sort of close and she could smell the fresh soap smell clinging to his skin. She tried not to inhale. It had been a long time since she’d had a soapy man in her kitchen. “So how do you know all that stuff?”

“What stuff?”

“How to save dogs and boats.”

David sipped his coffee. His eyes were kind and intelligent, with a sort of benevolent reserve about them. “Good coffee.”

“My goal in life. So what do you do for a living?” Bennie asked. “I already confessed to being a lawyer.”

“I’m taking some time off.”

“From what?”

“From work.”

“What kind of work?”

“Nothing important.” David leaned against the counter, sipping his coffee. His eyes were intense and brown, his nose long and straight, and he had a squarish chin. He was easily the most handsome man she’d ever had in her hemisphere, much less her kitchen, but he was hardly the most animated, especially in Capri pants. And he was clearly avoiding the question. He drained his cup and set it down, and Bennie felt a sudden twinge of nervousness coming out of nowhere. She really didn’t know much about him, and she’d let him into the house.

“Forgive me, but who are you and what do you do? I may sound paranoid, but someone is out to get me.”

“I should have thought of that. Sorry.” David grinned easily. “I was assistant director of the SEAL/BUDS command. I’m an instructor. I’m taking some time off.”

“You’re a SEAL?” Bennie asked, astonished even though she wasn’t sure exactly what that was. She just knew that it was something cool. “Okay, what’s a SEAL?”

“SEALs are a division of the Navy. BUDS is basic underwater demolition training.”

“And who do you instruct?”

“Cadets.”

“Where did you instruct them?”

“California.”

“What did you instruct them to do?”

“Become sea-air-land commandos.”

Eek . “How long does it take to become a SEAL?”

“If you make it, twenty-seven weeks.”

“Do a lot of people drop out?”

“If they don’t drown.”

Bennie was pretty sure he was kidding. “Do I have to take your deposition, or can you tell me a little more about yourself?”

“I would, but there’s not much more to tell. I’m a Navy captain, graduated class of eighty-four.”

“From the Naval Academy?”

“Yep. The Southern Maryland School of Boat and Barge. Went to BUDS in Coronado, southern California. Served two years in Central America, then Desert Storm, instructed for three years, then went operational again in the Middle East. Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia.”

Wow . “Fighting?”

David smiled. “Combat, yes.”

“Jeez. And in all those places. I’ve been to Pennsauken. It’s nice, in summer.” This would be in the category of saying anything, even dumb stuff. Bennie knew next to nothing about the military, from a lifetime of being philosophically opposed, and also a big chicken besides. And all she knew about SEALs she had learned from Hollywood. “I mean, wasn’t Demi Moore-”

“There are no female SEALs.”

“How nice for you.”

“Tell me more about your twin.”

“Oh, is this the enough-about-me part?” Bennie set down her coffee. It was kind of frustrating. “You don’t like to talk about yourself, do you, David?”

“No.”

“But you’re kind of intense.”

“Very.”

“So, why? Would you elaborate?”

David burst into laughter, a deep, rich masculine sound. “I don’t think I’ve elaborated in my life. If I were the kind of man who elaborated, I’d be the kind of man who liked talking about himself, wouldn’t I?”

“Okay, maybe.” Bennie couldn’t help but smile. At least he could laugh at himself. David was like an action figure, with bendable arms. And what arms .

“Now tell me about your twin. Alice. What did she serve time for?”

“Drug dealing, which she did, and murder, which she didn’t.”

“Wonder how she knew you’d be at the river.”

Bennie thought about it. “I used to row on a very regular schedule, but it was interrupted three weeks ago by this trial.”

“So she’s been following you for a month, at least, to know your schedule.”

Hearing it out loud gave Bennie the creeps. She sipped her coffee but the creeps were still there. Creeps are the only thing that coffee doesn’t cure.

“So what are you going to do, to protect yourself?”

“Protect myself?” Bennie hadn’t thought of it that way.

“Yes. You’re under attack. How will you counter it?”

“Well, I changed my clothes so she couldn’t dress like me. To make it harder for her to pose as me.”

“You changed your clothes?” David mock-shuddered. “Tough tactics. Watch out.”

“It’s just the first step,” Bennie said defensively. You try losing an identical twin . “I’ll do whatever I have to. I’ll figure it out. I always do.”

“Do you need help?”

“No, I don’t. Thanks, but I don’t need help.” Bennie knew it sounded like she needed help. She didn’t think she needed help, but she didn’t know how to make it sound better.

“I can help you. I’d be happy to.”

Bennie flushed red, with the three thousand emotions she was feeling at once. Gratitude. Embarrassment. Sheer schoolgirl crushiness. But his tone was so matter-of-fact that it didn’t sound like a come-on. His tone simply matched his words. It was an offer of help, straight up. Damn .

“Is this a hard one?” David asked, cocking his head. “A choice. Yes or no.”

“How can you help me with Alice?”

“I know stuff, as you put it. And I have the time.”

Bennie thought about it. He was a SEAL, but still, would that help? All he could do was raise the Titanic, save golden retrievers, and defend our democratic way of life. Still, he was a complete and total stranger. And it was confusing, letting him into her life in such a personal way. Plus he was way too hot and it distracted her. “You don’t have to help. Thanks, but no. I’m sure I can hire someone. A private detective, or a security guy.”

“Fine.” David nodded. “Though before I go, I am kind of curious how Alice got in here. Aren’t you?”

“Yes, of course. Obviously it wasn’t through the front door, since the cops had already broken in and nailed it shut.”

“Maybe we can find out.”

“But you’re not trained in stuff like that, are you?”

“No, but I’ll figure it out. I always do.”

Bennie smiled, against her better judgment. She wasn’t sure whether she wanted him involved even to that extent, but he had saved Bear, the cops were no help, and her investigator had prostate problems. She doubted that David had prostate problems. His prostate was probably pink and spongy and in perfect shape. She banished the thought. Definitely, on the make . “I can’t see how she got in. No forced entry, and it’s not like she pretended she was me.”