Mistaken Identity

Mistaken Identity - Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Standing in the train station waiting on the woman behind the Plexiglas to hand him their tickets, Duncan wanted to curse. She was popping her bubble gum and chomping like there was no tomorrow. Her bright red hair was up in a twisted mess and the only thing redder was her nails that kept tapping on the Formica counter and her lipstick that was smeared on her front teeth. If she called him “hun” one more time, he was going to figure out a way behind the Plexiglas and strangle her with her fake pearl necklace.

She batted her blue eye-shadow covered lashes at him and said, “Sorry hun, it’s the best I can do.”

They had missed the previous train to the mountains of north Georgia by only twenty minutes, now they were forced to wait two hours for another train. Two hours in the open waiting for a madman to catch them.

Tickets in hand, Addie looked up at him. “Duncan, I hate to ask, but since we’re stuck here anyway, can we get something to eat, I’m starved?” It was at that moment that Addie’s stomach let out a growl that would rival a mountain lion.

“Sure princess!” Duncan laughed.

“Princess?” Addie laughed, “Sorry, but I don’t think any princess would be caught dead in this outfit.”

Feeling horrible for only offering her a bottle of water three hours ago in his apartment and for only giving her baggy sweats that did not flatter her perfect figure, looking at his watch as the dinner hour approached, Duncan nodded his head. “I noticed a diner a block over, why don’t we go there and eat. Then we will work on getting you some better clothes.”

Addie nodded and this time she took his hand she leaned closer standing almost on her tiptoes to whisper, “Duncan, it’s okay, we will be fine. We lost him.”

He allowed his head to nod, but he knew he would not feel that way until he had both Bethany and Addie secure in the cabin, in the locked safe room if needed.

******

Settling into a booth at the back of the diner, with a view of all the doors, Duncan ordered a hamburger and fries, knowing that if they had to run it would be something that he could grab and take with him quickly. Addie ordered potato and leek soup and a salad. Duncan shook his head thinking that obviously Addie did not think ahead, his lip lifted in a slight grin.

Looking over at Addie, he said, “You know, you do look a lot like her. Now that I look closely, it is more like a mirror image. The mole you have there,” Duncan pointed to her left cheek, “is on Beth’s right cheek. Your eyes have gold flecks that twinkle when you are excited or angry. Beth doesn’t have the gold flecks. But other than that, you are identical.” It was too much of a coincidence for Duncan, but he would keep that to himself for now.

Addie shrugged her shoulder. “I guess we’ll find out soon enough.” Taking a sip of her sweet tea, another convenience in the states that wasn’t available in Guatemala, she added, “I hear everyone has a twin in the world. This Beth must just be mine.”

“Lord help mine!” Duncan said with a laugh. At first the sound took her by surprise, she had not heard anything like it. His laugh was a rich wonderful sound and Addie realized how much she enjoyed hearing him laugh.

“Why would you say that?” Addie picked up a couple of sugar packets and began playing with them, flipping them through her fingers. He was the most attractive man she had ever seen and he had a rugged beauty to his chiseled features. She wouldn’t mind seeing double!