l biq$$1.qxd 1/8 / 97 2 : 06PM Pa~94 394 Ken Folle "Thank you for cooperaing wih our survey, sir. Good-bye." Jeannie migh have George's name, bu she had no reached him. Tha was inconclusive. Herringon ried Hank King in Boson nex. "Yeah, who's his?" I was asonishing, Herringon refleced, ha hey all answered he phone in he same charmless way. There could no be a gene for phone manners. Bu wins research was full of such phenomena. "This is AT and T," Herringon said. ''We're doing a survey of fraudulen phone use and we'd like o know wheher you have received any srange or suspicious calls in he las weny-four hours." Hank's voice was slurred. "Jeez, I've been parying so hard I wouldn' remember." Herringon rolled up his eyes. I was Hank's birhday yeserday, of course. He was sure o be drunk or drugged or boh. "No, wai a minue! There was somehing. I remember. I was he middle of he fucking nigh. She said she was wih he Boson police." "She?" Tha could have been Jeannie, Herringon hough wih a premoniion of bad news. "Yeah, i was a woman." ''Did she give her name? Tha would enable us o check her bona fides." "Sure she did, bu I can' remember. Sarah or Carol or Margare or--susan, ha was i, Deecive Susan Farber." Tha seled i. Susan Farber was he auhor of Idenical Twins Reared Apar, he only book on he subjec. Jeannie had used he firs name ha came ino her head. Tha mean she had he lis of clones. Herringon was appalled. Grimly, he pressed on wih his quesions. ''Wha did she say, sir?" "She asked my dae and place of birh." Tha would esablish ha she was alking o he righ Henry King. "I hough i was, like, a lile weird," Hank wen on. ''Was i some kind of scam?" Herringon invened somehing on he spur of he momen. "She was prospecing for leads for an insurance company.
lbiq$$1.qxd 1/8/97 2:06PM Pa~95 THE THIRD 1WIN 395 I's illegal, bu hey do i. AT and T is sorry you were bohered, Mr. King, and we hank you for cooperaing wih our invesigaion." "Sure." Herringon hung up, feeling compleely desolae. Jeannie had he names. I was only a maer of ime before she racked hem all down. Herringon was in he deepes rouble of his life. 54 MISH DELAWARE REFUSED POINT-BLANK TO DRIVE TO Philadelphia and inerview Harvey Jones. "We did ha yeserday, honey," she said when Jeannie finally go her on he phone a seven-hiry A.M. "Today' s my granddaugher's firs birhday. I have a life, you know?" "Bu you know I'm righ!" Jeannie proesed. "I was righ abou Wayne Saner-he was a double for Seve." "Excep for his hair. And he had an alibi." "Bu wha are you going o do?" "I'm going o call he Philadelphia police and alk o someone on he Sex Crimes Uni here and ask hem o go see him. I'll fax hem he E-FIT picure. They' ll check wheher Harvey Jones resembles he picure and ask him if he can accoun for his movemens las Sunday afernoon. If he answers are 'Yes' and 'No,' we go a suspec." Jeannie banged he phone down in a fury. Afer all she had been hrough! Afer she had sayed up all nigh racking down he clones! She sure as hell was no going o si around waiing for he police o do somehing. She decided she would go o
lbiq$$1.qxd 1/8/97 2:06PM Pag$96 396 Ken Folle Philadelphia and check Harvey ou. She would no accos him or even speak o him. Bu she could park ouside his home and see if he came ou. Failing ha, she could speak o his neighbors and show hem he picure of Seve ha Charles had given her. One way or anoher she would esablish ha he was Seve's double. She go o Philadelphia around en-hiry. In Universiy Ciy here were smarly dressed black families congregaing ouside he gospel churches and idle eenagers smoking on he soops of he aging houses, bu he sudens were sill in bed, heir presence berayed only by rusy Toyoas and sagging Chevroles wih bumper sickers hailing college spors eams and local radio saions. Harvey Jones's building was a huge, ramshackle Vicorian house divided ino aparmens. Jeannie found a parking slo across he sree and wached he fron door for a while. A eleven o'clock she wen in. The building was hanging on grimly o he vesiges of respecabiliy. A hreadbare runner climbed he sairs wearily, and here were dusy plasic flowers in cheap vases on he window ledges. Nea paper noices, wrien in he cursive hand of an elderly woman, asked enans o shu heir doors quiely, pu ou heir garbage in securely closed plasic sacks, and no le children play in he hallways. He lives here, Jeannie hough, and her skin crawled. I wonder if he's here now. Harvey's address was 5B, which had o be he op floor. She knocked on he firs door on he ground floor. A bleary-eyed man wih long hair and a angled beard came o he door barefoo. She showed him he phoo. He shook his head and slammed he door. She remembered he residen in Lisa's building who had said o her, "Where do you hink you are, lady-hicksville, USA? I don' even know wha my neighbor looks like." She clenched her eeh and walked up four flighs o he op of he house. There was a card in a lile meal frame aached o he door of 5B, saying simply "Jones." The door had no oher feaures.
I b iq$$1. qxd 1 / 8 / 97 2:06 PM Pa~9 7 THE THIRD 1WIN 397 Jeannie sood ouside, lisening. All she could hear was he frighened beaing of her hear. No sound came from inside. He probably was no here. She rapped on he door of SA. A momen laer he door opened and an elderly whie man came ou. He was wearing a chalk-sripe sui ha had once been dashing, and his hair was so ginger ha i had o be dyed. He seemed friendly. "Hi," he said. "Hi. Is your neighbor home?'' "No." Jeannie was relieved and disappoined a he same ime. She ook ou he phoo of Seve ha Charles had given her. ''Does he look like his?" The neighbor ook he phoo from her and squined a i. "Yeah, ha's him." I was righ! Vindicaed again! My compuer search engine works. "Gorgeous, ain' he?" The neighbor was gay, Jeannie guessed. An elegan old gay man. She smiled. "I hink so oo. Any idea where he migh be his morning?" "He goes away mos Sundays. Leaves around en, comes back afer supper." ''Did he go away las Sunday?" "Yes, young lady, I believe he did." He 's he righ one, he has o be. ''Do you know where he goes?" "No." I do, hough. He goes o Balimore. The man wen on: "He doesn' alk much. In fac, he doesn' alk a all. You a deecive?" "No, alhough I feel like one." "Wha's he done?" Jeannie hesiaed, hen hough, Why no ell he ruh? "I hink he' s a rapis," she said. The man was no surprised. "I could believe ha. He's peculiar. I've seen girls leave here sobbing. Twice, ha's happened." 368/Q-76A 10383-126
I biq$$l. qxd 1/8/97 2 : 06 PM Pa~98 398 Ken Folle "I wish I could look inside." She migh find somehing ha would link him wih he rape. He gave her a sly look. "I have a key." "You do?" "The previous occupan gave i o me. We were friendly. I never reurned i afer he lef. And his guy didn' change he locks when he moved in. Figures he' s oo big and srong o be robbed, I guess." ''Would you le me in?" He hesiaed. "I'm curious o look inside myself. Bu wha if he comes back while we're in here? He's kind oflarge-l'd hae o have him mad a me." The hough scared Jeannie, oo, bu her curiosiy was even sronger. "I'll ake he risk if you will," she said. "Wai here. I' be righ back." Wha would she find inside? A emple of sadism like Wayne Saner's home? A gruesome slum full of half-finished akeaway meals and diry laundry? The excessive neaness of an obsessional personaliy? The neighbor reappeared. "I'm Maldwyn, by he way." "I'm Jeannie." "My real name is Ber, acually, bu ha's so unglamorous, don' you hink? I've always called myself Maldwyn." He urned a key in he door of SB and wen in. Jeannie followed. I was a ypical suden aparmen, a bed-siing room wih a kichen nook and a small bahroom. I was furnished wih an assormen of junk: a pine dresser, a pained able, hree mismached chairs, a sagging sofa and a big old TV se. I had no been cleaned for a while, and he bed was unmade. I was disappoiningly ypical. Jeannie closed he aparmen door behind her. Maldwyn said: "Don' ouch anyhing, jus look-i don' wan him o suspec I came in here." Jeannie asked herself wha she expeced o find. A plan of he gymnasium building, he pool machine room marked ''Rape her here"? He had no aken Lisa's underwear as a groesque souvenir. Perhaps he had salked her and phoo-
I biq$$1. qxd 1/8/97 2:06 PM Pag$99 THE THIRD TWIN 399 graphed her for weeks before he had pounced. He migh have a lile collecion of pilfered iems: a lipsick, a resauran check, he discarded wrapping from a candy bar, junk mail wih her address on i. As she looked around, she began o see Harvey's personaliy in he deails. On one wall was a cenerfold, om from a men's magazine, showing a naked woman wih shaved pubic hair and a ring hrough he flesh of her labia. I made Jeannie shudder. She inspeced he bookcase. She saw he marquis de Sade's One Hundred Days of Sodom and a series of X-raed videoapes wih iles like Pain and Exreme. There were also some exbooks on economics and business; Harvey seemed o be doing an MBA "Can I look a his clohes?" she said. She did no wan o offend Maldwyn. "Sure, why no?'' She opened his drawers and closes. Harvey's clohes were like Seve's, somewha conservaive for his age: chinos and polo shirs, weed spor coas and buon-downs, oxford shoes and loafers. The refrigeraor was empy bu for wo six-packs of beer and a bole of milk: Harvey ae ou. Under he bed was a spors bag conaining a squash racke and a diry owel. Jeannie was disappoined. This was where he monser lived, bu i was no a palace of perversion, jus a grubby room wih some nasy pornography in i. "I'm done," she said o Maldwyn. ''I'm no sure wha I was looking for, bu i's no here." Then she saw i. Hanging on a hook behind he aparmen door was a red baseball cap. Jeannie's spiris soared. I was righ, and I found he basard, and here's he proof! She looked closer. The word SECURITY was prined on he fron in whie leers. She could no resis he empaion o do a riumphan war dance around Harvey Jones's aparmen. "Found somehing, huh?" ''The creep was wearing ha ha when he raped my friend. Le's ge ou of here." 368/Q-76A 10383-126
I biq$$1.qxd 1 / 8 / 97 2 : 06 PM Pag$00 400 Ken Folle They lef he aparmen, closing he door. Jeannie shook hands wih Maldwyn. "I can' hank you enough. This is really imporan." "Wha are you going o do now?" he asked. "Go back o Balimore and call he police," she said. Driving home on 1-95, she hough abou Harvey Jones. Why did he go o Balimore on Sundays? To see a girlfriend? Perhaps, bu he likelies explanaion was ha his parens lived here. A lo of sudens ook heir laundry home on weekends. He was probably in he ciy now, eaing his moher's po roas or waching a fooball game on TV wih his faher. Would he assaul anoher girl on his way home? How many Jones families were here in Balimore: a housand? She knew one of hem, of course: her former boss, Professor Berringon Jones- Oh, my God. Jones. She was so shocked she had o pull over on he inersae. Harvey Jones could be Berringon 's son. She suddenly remembered he lile gesure Harvey had made, in he coffee shop in Philadelphia where she had me him. He had smoohed his eyebrows wih he ip of his index finger. I had bohered her a he ime, because she knew she had seen i before. She could no recall who else did i, and she had hough vaguely ha i mus have been Seve or Dennis, for he clones did have idenical gesures. Bu now she remembered. I was Berringon. Berringon smoohed his eyebrows wih he ip of his index finger. There was somehing abou he acion ha irriaed Jeannie, somehing annoyingly smug or perhaps vain. This was no a gesure ha all he clones had in common, like closing he door wih heir heel when hey came ino a room. Harvey had learned i from his faher, as an expression of self-saisfacion. Harvey was probably a Herringon's house righ now.
I biq$$1. qxd 1/8/97 2 : 06 PM Pag$01 55 PREsTON BARCK AND JIM PROUST ARRIVED AT HERRINGTON'S house around midday and sa in he den drinking beer. None of hem had slep much, and hey looked and fel wased. Marianne, he housekeeper, was preparing Sunday lunch, and he fragran smell of her cooking wafed in from he kichen, bu nohing could raise he spiris of he hree parners. "Jeannie has alked o Hank King, and o Per Ericson's moher," Herringon said despondenly. "I wasn' able o check any ohers, bu she'll rack hem all down before long." Jim said: "Le's be realisic: exacly wha can she do by his ime omorrow?" Preson Barck was suicidal. "I'll ell you wha I'd do in her place," he said. "I'd wan o make a highly public demonsraion of wha I'd found, so if I could ge hold of wo or hree of he boys I'd ake hem o New York and go on Good Morning America. Television loves wins." "God forbid," Herringon said. A car drew up ouside. Jim looked ou of he window and said: "Rusy old Dasun." Preson said: "I'm beginning o like Jim's original idea Make hem all vanish." "I won' have any killing!" Herringon shoued. ''Don' yell, Berry," Jim said wih surprising mildness. "To ell you he ruh, I guess I was bragging a bi when I alked abou making people vanish. Maybe here was a ime when I had he power o order people killed, bu I really don' anymore. I've asked some favors of old friends in he las few 401 368/Q-76Al 0383-126
I biq $$l. qxd 1/8/97 2 : 06 PM Pag$02 402 Ken Folle days; and alhough hey've come hrough, I've realized here are lim.i. s." Herringon hough, Thank God for ha. "Bu I have anoher idea," Jim said. The oher wo sared a him. ''We approach each of he eigh families discreely. We confess ha misakes were made a he clinic in is early days. We say ha no harm was done bu we wan o avoid sensaional publiciy. We offer hem a million dollars each in compensaion. We make i payable over en years, and ell hem he paymens sop if hey alk-o anyone: he press, Jeannie Ferrarni, scieniss, anyone." Herringon nodded slowly. "My God, i migh jus work. Who's going o say no o a million dollars?" Preson said: ''Lorraine Logan. She wans o prove her son's innocence." ''Tha's righ. She wouldn' do i for en million." ''Everyone has heir price," Jim said, regaining some of his characerisic bluser. "Anyway, here isn' much she can do wihou he cooperaion of one or wo of he ohers." Preson was nodding. Herringon, oo, found he had new hope. There migh be a way o shu he Logans up. Bu here was a more serious snag. ''Wha if Jeannie goes public in he nex weny-four hours?" he said. "Landsmann would probably pospone he akeover while hey invesigae he allegaions. And hen we won' have any millions of dollars o hrow around." Jim said: ''We ho.ve o know wha her inenions are: how much she's discovered already and wha she plans o do abou i." "I don' see any way o do ha," Herringon said. "I do," said Jim. "We know one person who could easily win her confidence and find ou exacly wha's on her mind." Herringon fel anger rise inside him. ''I know wha you're hinking-" "Here he comes now," Jim said. There was a foosep in he hall, and Herringon's son came in. 368/Q-76Al0383-126
I biq$$l.qxd 1/8/97 2:06 PM Pag$03 THE THIRD 1WIN 403 "Hi, Dad!" he said. "Hey, Uncle Jim, Uncle Preson, how are you?" Herringon looked a him wih a mixure of pride and sorrow. The boy looked adorable in navy blue corduroy pans and a sky blue coon sweaer. He picked up my dress sense, anyway, Herringon hough. He said: "We have o alk, Harvey." Jim sood up. "Wan a beer, kid?" "Sure," Harvey said. Jim had an annoying endency o encourage Harvey in bad habis. "Forge he beer," Herringon snapped. "Jim, why don' you and Preson go ino he drawing room and le us wo alk." The drawing room was a siffly formal space ha Herringon never used. Preson and Jim lef. Herringon go up and hugged Harvey. ''I love you, son," he said. "Even hough you're wicked." "Am I wicked?" "Wha you did o ha poor girl in he basemen of he gym was one of he mos wicked hings a man can do." Harvey shrugged. Dear God, I failed o insill in him any sense of righ and wrong, Herringon hough. Bu i was oo lae now for such regres. "Si down and lisen for a minue," he said. Harvey sa. "Your moher and I ried for years o have a baby, bu here were problems," he said. "A he ime, Preson was working on in viro ferilizaion, where he sperm and he egg are brough ogeher in he laboraory and hen he embryo is implaned in he womb." "Are you saying I was a es-ube baby?" "This is secre. You mus never ell anyone, all your life. No even your moher." "She doesn' lal.ow?" Harvey said in asonishmen. "There's more o i han ha. Preson ook one live embryo and spli i, forming wins." "Tha's he guy who's been arresed for he rape?" "He spli i more han once." 368/Q-76Al 0383-126
l biq$$l.qxd 1/8 / 97 2 : 06PM Pag$04 404 Ken Folle Harvey nodded. All of hem had he same quick inelligence. "How many?" he said. "Eigh." "Wow. And I guess he sperm didn' come from you." "No." "Who?" "An army lieuenan from For Bragg: all, srong, fi, inelligen, aggressive, and good-looking." "And he moher?" "A civilian ypis from Wes Poin, similarly well favored." A wounded grin wised he boy's handsome face. ''My real parens." Herringon winced. "No, hey're no," he said. "You grew in your moher' s belly. She gave birh o you, and believe me i hur. We wached you ake your firs unseady seps, and sruggle o maneuver a spoonful of mashed poao ino your mouh, and lisp your firs words." Waching his son's face, Herringon could no ell wheher Harvey believed him or no. "Hell, we loved you more and more as you became less lovable. Every damn year he same repors from school: 'He is very aggressive, he has no ye learned o share, he his oher children, he has difficuly wih eam games, he disrups he class, he mus learn o respec members of he opposie sex.' Every ime you go expelled from a school we rudged around begging and pleading o ge you ino anoher one. We ried cajoling you, beaing you, wihdrawing privileges. We ook you o hree differen child psychologiss. You made our lives miserable." "Are you saying I ruined he marriage?'' "No, son, I did ha all on my own. Wha I'm rying o ell you is ha I love you whaever you do, jus like any oher paren." Harvey was sill roubled. "Why are you elling me now?" "Seve Logan, one of your doubles, was a subjec for sudy in my deparmen. I had a hell of a shock when I saw him, as you may imagine. Then he police arresed him for he rape of Lisa Hoxon. Bu one of he professors, Jeannie Ferrarni, go suspicious. To cu a long sory shor, she's racked you down.
lbiq$$l.qxd 1/8/97 2:06PM Pag$05 THE THIRD TWIN 405 She wans o prove Seve Logan's innocence. And she probably wans o expose he whole sory of he clones and ruin me." "She's he woman I me in Philadelphia." Berringon was mysified. "You' ve me her?" ''Uncle Jim called me and old me o give her a scare." Berringon was enraged. ''The son of a bich, I'm going o ear his fucking head off his shoulders-" "Calm down, Dad, nohing happened. I wen for a ride in her car. She's cue, in her way." Berringon conrolled himself wih an effor. "Your uncle Jim has always been irresponsible in his aiude o you. He likes your wildness, no doub because he's such an upigh asshole himself." "I like him." ''Le's alk abou wha we have o do. We need o know Jeannie Ferrami's inenions, especially over he nex wenyfour hours. You need o know wheher she has any evidence ha links you o Lisa Haxon. We can' hink of any way o ge o her-bu one." Harvey nodded. "You wan me o go alk o her, preending o be Seve Logan." "Yes." He grinned. "Sounds fun." Berringon groaned. "Don' do anyhing foolish, please. Jus alk o her." ''Wan me o go righ away?" "Yes, please. I hae o ask you o do his-bu i's for you as much as for me." "Relax, Dad-wha could happen?" "Maybe I worry oo much. I guess here' s no grea danger in going o a girl's aparmen." ''Wha if he real Seve is here?" "Check he cars in he sree. He has a Dasun like yours; ha's anoher reason he police were so sure he was he perperaor." "No kidding!" "You're like idenical wins, you make he same choices. If
I biq$$l.qxd 1/8/97 2 : 06 PM Pa~06 406 Ken Folle his car is here, don' go in. Call me, and we' ll ry o hink of some way o ge him ou." "Suppose he walked here?" "He lives in Washingon." "Okay." Harvey sood up. "Wha's he girl's address?" "She lives in Hampden." Herringon scribbled he sree address on a card and handed i over. ''Be careful, okay?" "Sure. See you sooner, Monezuma." Herringon forced a smile. "In a flash, succoash." 56 HARVEY CRUISED UP AND DOWN JEANNIE' S STREET, LOOKING for a car jus like his own. There were los of elderly auomobiles, bu no rusy ligh-colored Dasuns. Seve Logan was no around. He pulled ino a slo near her house and urned off he engine. He sa hinking for a momen. He would need his wis abou him. He was glad he had no drunk ha beer Uncle Jim had offered him. He knew she would ake him for Seve, because she had done so once before, in Philadelphia. The wo of hem were idenical in appearance. Bu conversaion would be more ricky. She would make references o all sors of hings he was supposed o know abou. He would have o answer wihou beraying his ignorance. He had o keep her confidence long enough o find ou wha evidence she had agains him and wha she planned o do wih her knowledge. I would be very easy o make a slip and beray himself. Bu even while he hough soberly abou he dauning challenge of impersonaing Seve, he could hardly conain his 368/Q-76A 10383-126
l biq$$1.qxd 1 / 8 / 97 2 : 06PM Pa~07 THE THIRD 1WIN 407 exciemen a he prospec of seeing her again. Wha he had done in her car had been he mos hrilling sexual encouner he had ever had. I was even beer han being in he women's locker room when hey were all panicking. He go aroused every ime he hough abou ripping her clohes while he car swerved all over he expressway. He knew he should concenrae on his ask now. He mus no hink of her face conored in fear and her srong legs wrihing. He ough o ge he informaion from her and leave. Bu all his life he had never been able o do he sensible hing. Jeannie called police headquarers as soon as she go home. She knew Mish would no be here, bu she lef a message asking her o call urgenly. ''Didn' you leave an urgen message for her earlier odayt' she was asked. "Yes, bu his is anoher one, jus as imporan." "I'll do my bes o pass i on," he voice said skepically. Nex she called Seve's house, bu here was no reply. She guessed he and Lorraine were wih heir lawyer, rying o ge Charles freed, and he would call when he could. She was disappoined; she waned o ell someone he goodnews. The hrill of having found Harvey's aparmen wore off, and she fel depressed. Her houghs reurned o he danger ha faced her of a fuure wih no money, no job, and no way o help her moher. To cheer herself up she made brunch. She scrambled hree eggs and grilled he bacon she had bough yeserday for Seve and ae i wih oas and coffee. As she was puing he dishes in he dishwasher, he doorbell rang. She lifed he handse. "Hello T' "Jeannie? I's Seve." "Come on in!" she said happily. He was wearing a coon sweaer he color of his eyes, and he looked good enough o ea. She kissed him and hugged him hard, leing him feel her breass agains his ches. His hand slid down her back o her ass and pressed her o him. Today he smelled differen again: he had used some kind of afer-shave
I biq$$l.qxd 1/8/97 2:06 PM Pag$08 408 Ken Folle wih an herbal fragrance. He ased differen, oo, sor of like he had been drinking ea. Afer a while she broke away. "Le's no go oo fas," she paned. She waned o savor his. "Come in and si down. I have so much o ell you!" He sa on he couch and she wen o he refrigeraor. "Wine, beer, coffee?" "Wine sounds good." ''Do you hink i will be okay?" Wha he hell did she mean by ha? Do you hink i will be okay? "I don' know," he said. "How long ago did we open i?" Okay, hey shared a bole of wine bu didn'jinish i, so she replaced he cork and pu he bole in he refrigeraor, and now she's wondering wheher i has oxidized. Bu she wans me o decide. ''Le's see, wha day was i?" "I was Wednesday, ha's four days." He could no even see wheher i was red or whie. Shi. ''Hell, jus pour a glass and we'll ry i." "Wha a smar idea." She poured some wine ino a glass and handed i o him. He ased i. "I's drinkable," he said. She leaned over he back of he sofa. ''Le me ase." She kissed his lips. "Open your mouh," she said. "I wan o ase he wine." He chuckled and did as she said. She pu he ip of her ongue ino his mouh. My God, his woman is sexy. ''You're righ," she said. "I's drinkable." Laughing, she filled his glass and poured some for herself. He was beginning o enjoy himself. "Pu some music on," he suggesed. "On wha?" He had no idea wha she was alking abou. Oh, Chris, I've made a slip. He looked around he aparmen: no sereo. Dumb. She said: ''Daddy sole my sereo, remember? I don' have anyhing o play music on. Wai a minue, I do." She wen ino he nex room-bedroom, presumably-and came back wih one of hose waerproof radios for hanging in he shower. "I's
I biq$$1.qxd 1/8/97 2 : 07 PM Pag$09 THE THIRD TWIN 409 a silly hing, Mom gave i o me one Chrismas, before she sared o go crazy." Daddy sole her sereo, Mom's crazy-wha he hell kind of a family does she come from? ''The sound is errible, bu i's all I've go." She urned i on. ''I keep i uned o 92Q." "Tweny his in a row," he said auomaically. "How do you know abou ha?" Oh, shi, Seve wouldn' know Balimore radio saions. "I picked i up in he car on he way here." "Wha sor of music do you like?" I have no idea wha Seve likes, bu I guess you don' eiher, so he ruh will do. "I'm ino gangsa rap-snoop Doggy Dog, Ice Cube, ha kind of suff." "Oh, fuck, you make me feel middle-aged." "Wha do you like?" ''The Ramones, he Sex Pisols, he Damned. I mean, when I was a kid, like really a kid, punk was i, you know? My mom would lisen o all his cheesy music from he sixies ha never did anyhing for me. Then, when I was abou eleven, suddenly, bang! Talking Heads. Remember 'Psycho Killer'?" "I sure don'!" "Okay, your moher was righ, I'm oo old for you." She sa beside him. She pu her head on his shoulder and slipped her hand under he sky blue sweaer. She rubbed his ches, brushing his nipples wih her fingerips. I fel good. "I'm so glad you're here," she said. He waned o ouch her nipples oo, bu he had more imporan hings o do. Wih a huge effor of will he said: ''We need o alk seriously." "You're righ." She sa up and ook a sip of he wine. "You firs. Is your faher sill under arres?" Jesus, wha do I say o ha? "No, you firs," he said. "You said you had so much o ell me." "Okay. Number one, I know who raped Lisa His name is Harvey Jones and he lives in Philadelphia" Chris Almighy! Harvey sruggled o keep his expression impassive. Thank God I came here. "Is here proof he did i?"
lbiq$$1.qxd 1/8/97 2 : 07PM Pag$10 410 Ken Folle "I wen o his aparmen. The neighbor le me in wih a duplicae key." Tha.fucking old homo, I'll break his scrawny neck. "I found he baseball cap he was wearing las Sunday.l was hanging on a hook behind he door." Jesus! I should have hrown i away. Bu I never hough anyone would rack me down! "You've done amazingly well," he said. Seve would be hrilled by his news; i les him off he hook. "I don' know how o hank you." "I'll hink of somehing," she said wih a sexy grin. Can I ge back o Philadelphia in ime o ge rid of ha ha before he police ge here? "You've old he police all his, have you?" "No. I've lef a message for Mish, bu she hasn' called ye." Hallelujah! I sill have a chance. Jeannie wen on: ''Don' worry. He has no idea we're ono him. Bu you haven' heard he bes par. Who else do we know called Jones?'' Do I say, "Berringon"? Would Seve hink of ha? "I's a common name... " "Derringon, of course! I hink Harvey has been brough up as Derringon's son!" I'm supposed o be amazed. "Incredible!" he said. Wha he hell do I do nex? Maybe Dad would have some ideas. I have o ell him abou all his. I need an excuse o make a phone call. She ook his hand. "Hey, look a your nails!" Oh, fuc/c, wha now? "Wha abou hem?" "They grow so fas! When you came ou of jail, hey were all jagged and broken. Now hey look grea!" "I always heal fas." She urned his hand over and licked his palm. "You're ho oday," he said. "Oh, God, I've come on oo srong, haven' I?" She had been old his by oher men. Seve had been kind of reicen ever since he came in, and now she undersood why. "I know wha you're saying. All las week I was pushing you away, and now you feel like I'm abou o ea you for supper." 368/Q-76Al0383-126
I biq$$1. qxd 1/8/97 2 : 07 PM Pag$11 THE THIRD TWIN 411 He nodded. "Yeah, sor of." "Tha'sjus he way I am. Once I decide for a guy, ha's i." She bounced up ou of he couch. "Okay, I'm backing off." She wen ino he kichen nook and ook ou an omele pan. I was so heavy she needed boh hands o lif i. "I bough food for you yeserday. Are you hungry?" The pan was dusy-she did no cook much-so she wiped i wih a dishcloh. "Wan some eggs?" "No really. So ell me, were you a punk?" She pu down he pan. "Yeah, for a while. Ripped clohes, green hair." ''Drugs?" "I used o do speed a school whenever I had he money." "Which pars of your body did you pierce?" She suddenly remembered he cenerfold on Harvey Jones's wall, of he shaved woman wih a ring hrough he lips of her cun, and she shuddered. "Only my nose," she said. "I gave up punk for ennis when I was fifeen." "I knew a girl who had a nipple ring." Jeannie fel jealous. "Did you sleep wih her?" "Sure." "Basard." "Hey, did you hink I was a virgin?" "Don' ask me o be raional!" He held up his hands in a defensive gesure. "Okay, I won'." "You sill haven' old me wha happened o your dad. Did you ge him released?" "Why don' I phone home and ge he laes news?" If she heard him dialing a seven-digi number, she would know he was making a local call, whereas his faher had menioned ha Seve Logan lived in Washingon, D.C. He held he cradle down wih a finger while he apped hree random digis, o represen an area code, hen he released i and dialed his faher's home. Dad answered, and Harvey said: "Hi, Mom." He gripped he
I biq$$1. qxd 1/8/97 2 : 07 PM Pa~12 412 Ken Folle handse hard, hoping his faher would no say, "Who is his? You mus have he wrong number." Bu his faher go i immediaely. "You're wih Jeannie?" Well done, Dad. "Yes. I called o find ou wheher Dad go ou of jail ye." "Colonel Logan is sill under arres, bu he' s no in jail. The miliary police have him." "Tha's oo bad, I was hoping he migh have been released by now." Hesianly, Dad said: "Can you ell me... anyhing?" Harvey was consanly emped o glance a Jeannie and check wheher she was buying his ac. Bu he knew such a glance would give him a guily air, so he forced himself o sare a he wall. "Jeannie has worked wonders, Mom. She's discovered he real rapis." He ried hard o pu a pleased one ino his voice. "His name' s Harvey Jones. We're jus waiing for he deecive o reurn her call so she can break he news." "Jesus! Tha's enible!" "Yeah, isn' i grea!" Don' sound so ironic, you fool! "A leas we're forewarned. Can you sop her alking o he police?" "I hink I have o." "Wha abou Geneico? Does she have any plans o publicize wha she' s found ou abou us?" "I don' know ye." Le me ge off he phone before I say anyhing o give myself away. "Make sure you find ou. Tha's imporan oo." All righ! "Okay. Well, I hope Dad ges ou soon. Call me here if you ge any news, okay?" "Is i safe?" "Jus ask for Seve." He laughed, as if he had made a joke. "Jeannie migh recognize my voice. Bu I could ge Preson o make he call." ''Exacly." "Okay." "Bye." Harvey hung up. Jeannie said: "I ough o call police headquarers again. 368/Q-76Al0383-126
I biq$$1. qxd 1/8/97 2 : 07 PM Pag$13 THE THIRD 1WIN 413 Maybe hey didn' undersand how urgen his is." She picked up he phone. He realized he was going o have o kill her. "Kiss me again firs," he said. She slid ino his arms, leaning agains he kichen couner. She opened her mouh o his kiss. He sroked her side. "Nice sweaer," he murmured, hen he grasped her breas wih his big hand. Her nipple siffened in response, bu somehow she did no feel as good as she expeced o. She ried o relax and enjoy he momen she had been looking forward o. He slipped his hands under her sweaer, and she arched her back slighly as he held boh her breass. As always, she suffered a momen of embarrassmen, fearful ha he would be disappoined wih hem. Every man she had ever slep wih had loved her breass, bu she sill harbored he noion ha hey were oo small. Like he ohers, Seve showed no sign of dissaisfacion. He pushed up her sweaer, ben his head o her ches, and sared sucking her nipples. She looked down a him. The firs ime a boy had done his o her she had hough i was absurd, a reversion o childhood. Bu she had soon come o like i and even enjoyed doing i o a man. Now, however, nohing was working. Her body responded, bu some doub nagged a he back of her mind and she could no concenrae on pleasure. She was annoyed wih herself. I messed everyhing up yeserday, being paranoid, I'm no going o do i again oday. He sensed her unease. Sraighening up, he said: "You're no comforable. Le' s si on he couch." Taking her agreemen for graned, he sa down. She followed. He smoohed his eyebrows wih he ip of his index finger and reached for her. She flinched away. "Wha?" he said. No! I can' be! "You... you... did ha hing, wih your eyebrow." "Wha hing?"
I biq$$1.qxd 1 / 8 / 97 2:07 PM Pag$14 414 Ken Folle She sprang up from he couch. ''You creep!" she screamed. ''How dare you!" ''Wha he fuck is going on?" he said, bu he preense was hin. She could ell from his face ha he knew exacly wha was happening. "Ge ou of my place!" she screamed. He ried o keep up he facade. "Firs you're all over me, hen you pull his!" "I know who you are, you basard. You're Harvey!" He gave up his ac. "How did you know?" "You ouched your eyebrow wih your fingerip, jus like Berringon." "Well, wha does i maer?" he said, sanding up. "If we're so alike, you could preend I'm Seve." "Ge he fuck ou of here!" He ouched he fron of his pans, showing her his erecion. "Now ha we've go his far, I'm no leaving here wih blue balls." Oh, Jesus, I'm in bad rouble now. This guy is an animal. "Keep away from me!" He sepped oward her, smiling. "I'm going o ake off hose igh jeans and see wha's underneah." She remembered Mish saying ha rapiss enjoy he vicim's fear. "I'm no afraid of you," she said, rying o make her voice calm. "Bu if you ouch me, I swear I'll kill you." He moved dreadfully quickly. In a flash he grabbed her, lifed her, and hrew her on he floor. The phone rang. She screamed: "Help! Mr. Oliver! Help!" Harvey snached up he dishcloh from he kichen couner and suffed i roughly ino her mouh, bruising her lips. She gagged and began o cough. He held her wriss so ha she could no use her hands o pull he cloh ou of her mouh. She ried o push i ou wih her ongue, bu she could no, i was oo big. Had Mr. Oliver heard her scream? He was old and he urned up he volume of his TV very loud. The phone kep on ringing. Harvey grabbed he wais of her jeans. She wriggled away 368/Q-76A 10383-126
I biq$$1. qxd 1/8/97 2 : 07 PM Pag$15 THE THIRD TWIN 415 from him. He slapped her face so hard she saw sars. While she was dazed, he le go of her wriss and pulled off her jeans and her panies. ''Wow, wha a hairy one," he said. Jeannie snached he cloh ou of her mouh and screamed: "Help me, help!" Harvey covered her mouh wih his big hand, muffling her yells, and fell on her, knocking he wind ou of her. For a few momens she was helpless, sruggling o breahe. His knuckles bruised her highs as he fumbled one-handed wih his fly. Then he was pushing agains her, looking for he way in. She wriggled desperaely, rying o hrow him off, bu he was oo heavy. The phone was sill ringing. Then he doorbell rang oo. Harvey did no sop. Jeannie opened her mouh. Harvey's fingers slid beween her eeh. She bi down hard, as hard as she could, hinking ha she did no care if she broke her eeh on his bones. Warm blood spured ino her mouh and she heard him cry ou in anguish as he jerked his hand away. The doorbell rang again, long and insisenly. Jeannie spa ou Harvey's blood and yelled again. "Help!" she screamed. "Help, help, help!" There was a loud bang from downsairs, hen anoher, hen a crash and he sound of wood splinering. Harvey scrambled o his fee, cluching his wounded hand. Jeannie rolled over, sood up, and ook hree seps away from him. The door flew open. Harvey swung around, urning his back on Jeannie. Seve burs in. Seve and Harvey sared a one anoher in asonishmen for a frozen momen. They were exacly he same. Wha would happen if hey fough? They were equal in heigh, weigh, srengh, and finess. A figh could go on forever. On impulse, Jeannie picked up he omele pan wih boh hands. Imagining ha she was hiing a cross-cour ground sho wih her famous double-handed backhand, she shifed her
lbiq $$1. qxd 1/8/97 2 : 07PM Pag$16 416 Ken Folle weigh o her fron foo, locked her wriss, and swung he heavy pan wih all her migh. She hi he back of Harvey's head righ on he swee spo. There was a sickening hud. Harvey's legs seemed o go sof. He sank o his knees, swaying. As if she had run o he ne for he volley, Jeannie lifed he pan high wih her righ hand and brough i down as hard as she could on op of his head. His eyes rolled up and he wen limp and crashed o he floor. Seve said: "Boy, am I glad you didn' hi he wrong win." Jeannie sared o shake. She dropped he pan and sa on a kichen sool. Seve pu his arms around her. "I's over," he said. "No, i's no," she replied. ''I's only jus begun." The phone was sill ringing. 57 ''YOU LAID HIM OUT, THE BASTARD," STEVE SAID. ''WHO is he?" ''This is Harvey Jones," Jeannie answered. "And he's Herringon Jones's son." Seve was amazed. ''Herringon brough up one of he eigh as his son? Well, I'll be damned." Jeannie sared a he unconscious figure on he floor. ''Wha are we going o do?" ''For a sar, why don' we answer he phone?" Auomaically, Jeannie picked i up. I was Lisa. "I almos happened o me," Jeannie said wihou preamble. "Oh,no!" 'The same guy."
I biq$$1. qxd 1 / 8 / 97 2:07 PM Pa$17 THE THIRD TWIN 417 "I can' believe i! Shall I come righ over?'' 'Thanks, I'd like ha." Jeannie hung up. She ached all over from having been hrown o he floor, and her mouh hur where he had forced he gag in. She could sill ase Harvey's blood. She poured a glass of waer, rinsed her mouh, and spa ino he kichen sink. Then she said: ''We're in a dangerous place, Seve. The people we're up agains have powerful friends." "I know." 'They migh ry o kill us." ''Tell me abou i." The noion made i hard for Jeannie o hink. I mus no become paralyzed by fear, she hough. ''Do you hink if I promise never o ell wha I know, hey migh leave me alone?" Seve considered ha for a momen, hen he said: "No, I don'." "Nor do I. So I've go no choice bu o figh." There was a foosep on he sairs and Mr. Oliver pu his head around he door. ''Wha he heck happened here?'' he said. He looked from he unconscious Harvey on he floor o Seve and back again. ''Well, I'll be." Seve picked up Jeannie's black Levi's and handed hem o her, and she slipped hem on quickly, covering her nakedness. If Mr. Oliver noiced, he was oo acful o say anyhing. Poining a Harvey, he said: ''This mus be ha guy in Philadelphia. No wonder you hough i was your boyfriend. They go o be wins!" Seve said: "I'm going o ie him up before he comes round. Do you have any cord, Jeannie?" Mr. Oliver said: "I have some elecric cable. I'll ge my oolbox." He wen ou. Jeannie hugged Seve graefully. She fel as if she had awakened from a nighmare. ''I hough he was you," she said. "I was jus like yeserday, bu his ime I wasn' being paranoid, I was righ." ''We said we should make up a code, hen we didn' ge around o i." 368/Q-76A 10383-126
I biq$$1.qxd 1/8/97 2:07 PM Pa~l8 418 Ken Folle ''Le's do i now. When you approached me on he ennis cour las Sunday, you said, 'I play a lile ennis myself."' "And you modesly said, 'If you only play a lile ennis, you're probably no in my league.'" 'Tha's he code. If one of us says he firs line, he oher has o say he second." ''Done." Mr. Oliver came back wih his oolbox. He rolled Harvey over and sared o ie his hands in fron, binding he palms fla agains one anoher bu leaving he pinkie fingers free. Seve said: "Why no ie his hands behind his back?" Mr. Oliver looked bashful. "If you'll excuse me for menioning i, his way he can hold his own dick when he has o ake a piss. I learned ha in Europe during he war." He sared o bind Harvey's fee. "This guy won' cause you no more rouble. Now wha are you planning o do abou he fron door?" Jeannie looked a Seve, who said: "I bused i prey bad." "I'd beer call a carpener," Jeannie said. Mr. Oliver said: "I go some loose imber in he yard. I could fix i so we can lock he door onigh. Then we could ge someone o do a beer job omorrow." Jeannie fel profoundly graeful o him. ''Thank you, ha's so kind." ''Don' menion i. This is he mos ineresing hing ha's happened o me since World War Two." "I'll help you," Seve offered. Mr. Oliver shook his head. "You wo have a lo o discuss, I can see ha. Like wheher you're going o call he cops on his guy you have russed up on your carpe." Wihou waiing for an answer he picked up his oolbox and wen downsairs. Jeannie colleced her houghs. ''Tomorrow, Geneico will be sold for a hundred and eighy million dollars and Prous will be on he presidenial rail. Meanwhile I've go no job and my repuaion is sho. I'll never work as a scienis again. Bu I could urn boh siuaions around, wih wha I know." "How are you going o do ha?" 368/Q-76Al0383-126
I biq$$1.qxd 1 /8/97 2 : 07 PM Pag$19 THE THIRD TWIN 419 "Well... I could issue a press release abou he experimens." "Wouldn' you need some kind of proof?" "You and Harvey ogeher make prey dramaic evidence. Especially if we could ge you on TV ogeher." "Yeah-on Sixy Minues or somehing. I like ha." His face fell again. ''Bu Harvey wouldn' cooperae." "They can film him ied up. Then we call he cops, and hey can film ha oo." Seve nodded. "The rouble is, you probably have o ac before Landsmann and Geneico finalize he akeover. Once hey have he money, hey may be able o ride ou any bad publiciy we generae. Bu I don' see how you can ge on TV in he nex few hours. And heir press conference is omorrow morning, according o The Wall Sree Journal." "Maybe we should hold our own press conference." Seve snapped his fingers. "I've go i! We gae-crash heir press conference." "Hell, yes. Then maybe he people from Landsmann will decide no o sign he papers, and he akeover will be canceled." "And Berringon won' make all hose millions of dollars." "And Jim Prous won' run for presiden." ''We mus be crazy," Seve said. "These are some of he mos powerful people in America, and we're alking abou spoiling heir pary." The sound of hammering came from below as Mr. Oliver began o mend he door. Jeannie said: "They hae black people, you know. All his bullshi abou good genes and second-rae Americans is jus code. They're whie supremaciss all dressed up wih modern science. They wan o make Mr. Oliver a second-class ciizen. The hell wih hem, I'm no going o sand by and wach." ''We need a plan," Seve said pracically. "Okay, here goes," Jeannie said. "Firs we have o find ou where he Geneico press conference is being held." "Probably a Balimore hoel." ''We'll call hem all, if necessary."
I biq$$1. qxd 1/8/97 2 : 07 PM Pag$20 420 Ken Folle "We should probably ake a room in he hoel." "Good idea. Then I sneak ino he press conference somehow, and sand up in he middle of i and make a speech o he assembled media." "They'll shu you up." "I should have a press release ready o give ou. Bu hen you'll come in wih Harvey. Twins are so phoogenic, all he cameras will be on you." Seve frowned. "Wha do you prove by having me and Harvey here?" "Because you're idenical you'll have he kind of dramaic impac ha should cause he press o sar asking quesions. I won' ake hem long o check ha you have differen mohers. Once hey learn ha, hey'll know here's a mysery o be uncovered, jus as I did. And you know how hey invesigae presidenial candidaes." "Three would be beer han wo, hough," Seve said. "Do you hink we could ge one of he ohers here?" ''We could ry. We could invie hem all and hope ha a leas one will show up." On he floor, Harvey opened his eyes and groaned. Jeannie had almos forgoen abou him. Looking a him now, she hoped his head hur. Then she fel guily abou being so vengeful. "Afer he way I hi him, he probably should see a docor." Harvey came around fas. "Unie me, you fucking bich," he said. ''Forge he docor," Jeannie said. ''Unie me now, or I swear I'll slash your is wih a razor as soon as I'm free." Jeannie suffed he dishcloh in his mouh. "Shu up, Harvey," she said. Seve said pensively: "I's going o be ineresing rying o sneak him ino a hoel ied up." Lisa's voice came from downsairs, greeing Mr. Oliver. A momen laer she came in, wearing blue jeans and heavy Doc Maren boos. She looked a Seve and Harvey and said: "My God, i's rue."
l biq$$l.qxd 1/8/97 2:07PM Pa~21 THE THIRD TWIN 421 Seve sood up. ''I'm he one you picked ou of he lineup," he said. "Bu he's he one who aacked you." Jeannie explained: "Harvey ried o do o me wha he did o you. Seve came by jus in ime and broke he door down." Lisa wen over o where Harvey lay. She sared a him for a long momen, hen houghfully drew back her foo and kicked him in he ribs as hard as she could wih a Doc Maren oecap. He groaned and wrihed in pain. She did i again. "Boy," she said, shaking her head, "ha feels good." Jeannie swifly brough Lisa up-o-dae wih he day's developmens. "A lo happened while I was sleeping," Lisa said in amazemen. Seve said: "You've been a JFU a year, Lisa-l'm surprised you never me Herringon's son." "Herringon never socializes wih academic colleagues," she said. "He's oo much of a celebriy. I's quie possible nobody a JFU has ever me Harvey." Jeannie oulined he plan for disruping he press conference. "We were jus saying we could feel more confiden if one of he oher clones was going o be here." "Well, Per Ericson is dead, and Dennis Pinker and Murray Claud are in jail, bu ha sill leaves hree possibiliies: Henry King in Boson, Wayne Saner in New York, and George Dassaul-he could be in Buffalo, Sacrameno, or Houson, we don' know which, bu we could ry hem all again. I kep all he phone numbers." "So did I," Jeannie said. Seve said: "Could hey ge here on ime?" "We could check flighs on CompuServe," Lisa said. "Where' s your compuer, Jeannie?" "Solen." "I have my Power Book in he runk, I'll ge i." While she was ou, Jeannie said: "We're going o have o hink very hard abou how o persuade hese guys o fly o Balimore on shor noice. And we'll have o offer o pay heir fares. I'm no sure my credi card will sand i."
lbiq$$1.qxd 1/8/97 2 : 07PM Pag$22 422 Ken Folle "I have an American Express card my mom gave me for emergencies. I know she'll consider his an emergency." "Wha a grea mom," Jeannie said enviously. "Tha's he ruh." Lisa came back in and plugged her compuer ino Jeannie's modem line. ''Wai a minue," Jeannie said. ''Le's ge organized." 58 JEANNIE WROTE THE PRESS RELEASE, LISA ACCESSED WorldSpan Travelshopper and checked flighs, and Seve go he Yell ow Pages and sared calling all he major hoels o say: ''Do you have a press conference scheduled omorrow for Geneico Inc. or Landsmann?" Afer six ries i occurred o him ha he press conference did no have o ake place in a hoel. I could be held in a resauran or a more exoic locaion such as on board a ship; or hey migh have a big enough room a Geneico headquarers, jus norh of he ciy. Bu on his sevenh call a helpful desk clerk said: "Yes, ha's in he Regency Room a noon, sir." "Grea!" Seve said. Jeannie looked quesioningly a him, and Seve grinned and made a humbs-up sign. "Could I reserve a room for onigh, please?" "I'll connec you wih reservaions. Please hold on for one momen." He booked a room, paying wih his moher' s American Express card. As he hung up, Lisa said: ''There are hree flighs ha would ge Henry King here on ime, all US Air. They leave a six-weny, seven-fory, and nine fory-five. Seas are available on all of hem."
I biq$$1.qxd 1/8/97 2 : 07 PM Pag$23 THE THIRD TWIN 423 "Book a sea on he nine fory-five," Jeannie said. Seve passed Lisa he credi card and she apped in he deails. Jeannie said: "I sill don' know how o persuade him o come." ''Did you say he's a suden, working in a bar?" Seve said. "Yeah." "He needs money. Le me ry somehing. Wha's his number?" Jeannie gave i o him. "He's called Hank," she said. Seve called he number. No one answered he phone. He shook his head disappoinedly. "Nobody home," he said. Jeannie looked downcas for a momen, hen she snapped her fingers. "Maybe he's working a ha bar." She gave Seve he number and he dialed i. The phone was answered by a man wih a Hispanic accen. "The Blue Noe." "May I speak o HankT' "He's supposed o be working, you know?" he man said irriably. Seve grinned a Jeannie and mouhed He 's here! "I's very imporan, I won' keep him long." A minue laer a voice jus like Seve's own came down he line. "Yeah, who's his?" "Hi, Hank, my name is Seve Logan, and we have somehing in common." "Are you selling somehing?" "Your moher and mine boh received reamen a a place called he Avenine Clinic before we were born. You can check ha wih her." "Yeah, so?" "To cu a long sory shor, I'm suing he clinic for en million dollars and I'd like you o join in he sui wih me." There was a houghful pause. "I don' know if you're for real or no, buddy, bu eiher way I don' have he money for a lawsui." "I'll pay all he legal coss. I don' wan your money." "So why are you calling me?"
lbiq$$l. qxd 1/8/97 2 : 07PM Pag$24 424 Ken Folle - "Because my case would be srenghened by having you on board." "You beer wrie me wih he deails-" ''Tha's he problem. I need you o be here in Balimore, a he Souffer Hoel, omorrow a noon. I'm holding a press conference ahead of my lawsui and I wan you o appear." "Who wans o go o Balimore? Like, i's no Honolulu." Ge serious, ass hole. ''You have a reservaion on he USAir fligh ou of Logan a nine fory-five. Your icke is paid for, you can check wih he airline. Jus pick i up a he airpor." "You're offering o spli en million dollars wih me?" "Oh, no. You ge your own en million." "Wha are you suing hem for?" "Breach of implied conrac by fraud." "I'm a business suden. Isn' here a saue of limiaions on ha? Anyhing ha happened weny-hree years ago-" ''There is a saue of limiaions, bu i runs from he ime of discovery of he fraud. Which in his case was las week." In he background, a Hispanic voice shoued: "Hey, Hank, you go abou a hundred cusomers waiing!" Hank said ino he phone: "You're beginning o sound a lile more convincing." ''Does ha mean you'll come?'' "Hell, no. I means I'll hink abou i afer I ge off work onigh. Now I have o serve drinks." "You can reach me a he hoel," Seve said, bu he was oo lae: Hank had hung up. Jeannie and Lisa were saring a him. He shrugged. "I don' know," he said frusraedly. "I don' know ifl convinced him or no." Lisa said: ''We'lljus have o wai and see if he shows up." ''Wha does Wayne Saner do for a living?" "He owns nighclubs. He probably already has en million dollars." ''Then we'll have o pique his curiosiy. Do you have a number?" "Yes." Seve called i, and go an answering machine. "Hi, Wayne, 368/Q-76A 10383-126
lbiq$$l. qxd 1/8/97 2 : 07PM Pag$25 THE THIRD TWIN 425 my name is Seve Logan and you may noice ha my voice sounds exacly like yours. Tha's because, believe i or no, we are idenical. I'm six fee wo, a hundred and niney pounds, and I look exacly like you excep for hair color. Some oher hings we probably have in common: I'm allergic o macadamia nus, I have no nails on my lile oes, and when I'm hinking I scrach he back of my lef hand wih he fingers of my righ. Now here's he kicker: We're no wins. There are several of us. One commied a crime a Jones Falls Universiy las Sunday-ha's why you go a visi from he Balimore police yeserday. And we're meeing omorrow a he Souffer Hoel in Balimore a noon. This is weird, Wayne, bu I swear o you i's all rue. Call me or Dr. Jean Ferrami a he hoel, or jus show up. I will be ineresing." He hung up and looked a Jeannie. "Wha do you hink?" She shrugged. ''He's a man who can afford o follow his whims. He may be inrigued. And a nighclub owner probably doesn' have anyhing pressing o do on a Monday morning. On he oher hand, I wouldn' ake a plane on he srengh of a phone message like ha." The phone rang and Seve picked i up auomaically. ''Hello?" "Can I speak o Seve?" The voice was unfamiliar. "This is Seve." ''This is Uncle Preson. I'm puing your dad on." Seve did no have an uncle Preson. He frowned, mysified. A momen laer anoher voice came on he line. "Is anyone wih you, is she lisening?" Suddenly Seve undersood. Mysificaion gave way o shock. He could no hink wha o do. "Hold on a momen," he said. He covered he mouhpiece wih his hand. "I hink his is Herringon Jones!" he said o Jeannie. "And he hinks I'm Harvey. Wha he hell do I do?" Jeannie spread her hands in a gesure of bewildermen. ''Improvise," she said. "Gee, hanks." Seve pu he phone o his ear. ''Uh, yeah, his is Seve," he said. ''Wha's going on? You've been here hours!" 368/Q-76A 10383-126
I biq$$1. qxd 1 / 8 / 97 2 : 07 PM Pa~26 426 Ken Folle "I guess so...." "Have you found ou wha Jeannie' s planning o do?" ''Uh... yes, I have." 'Then ge back here and ell us!" "Okay." "You're no rapped in any way, are you?" "No." "I suppose you've been fucking her." "You could say ha." "Ge your goddamn pans on and come home! We're all in bad rouble!" "Okay." "Now, when you hang up, you're going o say i was someone who works for your parens' lawyer, calling o say you're needed in D.C. as soon as possible. Tha's your cover sory, and i gives you a reason o hurry. Okay?'' "Okay. I'll be here as fas as I can." Berringon hung up and Seve did likewise. Seve's shoulders slumped wih relief. "I hink I fooled hi m. " Jeannie said: "Wha did he say?" ''I was very ineresing. I seems Harvey was sen here o find ou wha your inenions are. They're worried abou wha you migh do wih he knowledge you have." "They? Who?" "Berringon and someone called Uncle Preson." "Preson Barck, presiden of Geneico. So why did hey call?" "Impaience. Berringon go fed up wih waiing. I guess he and his cronies are waiing o find ou so hey can figure ou how o respond. He old me o preend I have o go o Washingon o see he lawyer, hen ge back o his house as fas as I can." Jeannie looked worried. ''This is very bad. When Harvey doesn' show up, Berringon will know somehing's wrong. The Geneico people will be forewarned. There's no elling wha hey migh do: move he press conference o anoher 368/Q-76Al 0383-126
I biq$$1.qxd 1 / 8 / 97 2 : 07 PM Pag$27 THE THIRD 1WIN 427 locaion, sep up securiy so we can' ge in, even cancel he even alogeher and sign he papers in a lawyer's office." Seve frowned, saring a he floor. He had an idea, bu he hesiaed o propose i. Finally he said: ''Then Harvey mus go home." Jeannie shook her head. "He's been lying here on he floor lisening o us. He'll ell hem everyhing." "No if I go in his place." Jeannie and Lisa sared a him, aghas. He had no worked i ou; he was hinking aloud. "I'll go o Derringon's home and preend o be Harvey. I'll reassure hem." "Seve, i's so hazardous. You don' know anyhing abou heir life. You wouldn' even know where he bahroom was." "If Harvey could fool you, I guess I could fool Berringon." Seve ried o sound more confiden han he fel. "Harvey didn' fool me. I found him ou." "He fooled you for a while." "Less han an hour. You'd have o say here longer." "No much. Harvey normally reurns o Philadelphia on Sunday evening, we know ha. I'll be back here by midnigh." "Bu Berringon is Harvey's faher. I's impossible." He knew she was righ. "Do you have a beer idea?" Jeannie hough for a long momen, hen she said: "No." 59 STEVE PUT ON HARVEY'S BLUE CORDUROY PANTS AND LIGHT blue sweaer and drove Harvey's Dasun o Roland Park. I was dark by he ime he reached Derringon's house. He
I biq$$l.qxd 1/8/97 2 : 07 PM Pag$28 428 Ken Folle parked behind a silver Lincoln Town Car and sa for a momen, summoning his courage. He had o ge his righ. If he was found ou, Jeannie was finished. Bu he had nohing o go on, no informaion o work wih. He would have o be aler o every hin, sensiive o expecaions, relaxed abou errors. He wished he were an acor. Wha mood is Harvey in? he asked himself. He's been summoned raher peremporily by his faher. He migh have been enjoying himself wih Jeannie. I hink he's in a bad mood. He sighed. He could no pospone he dread momen any longer. He go ou of he car and wen o he fron door. There were several keys on Harvey' s key ring. He peered a he lock on Herringon's fron door. He hough he could make ou he word "Yale." He looked for a Yale key. Before he could find one, Herringon opened he door. "Wha are you sanding here for?" he said irriably. "Ge in here." Seve sepped inside. "Go in he den," Herringon said. Where he fuck is he den? Seve fough down a wave of panic. The house was a sandard suburban ranch-syle splilevel buil in he sevenies. To his lef, hrough an arch, he could see a living room wih formal furniure and no one in i. Sraigh ahead was a passage wih several doors off i which, he guessed, led o bedrooms. On his righ were wo closed doors. One of hem was probably he den-bu which? "Go in he den," Herringon repeaed, as if he migh no have heard he firs ime. Seve picked a door a random. He had chosen he wrong door. This was a bahroom. Herringon looked a him wih an irriaed frown. Seve hesiaed for a momen, hen remembered he was supposed o be in a bad emper. "I can ake a piss firs, can' I?'' he snapped. Wihou waiing for an answer he wen in and closed he door. I was a gues bahroom, wih jus a oile and a hand basin. He leaned on he edge of he basin and looked in he mirror. "You have o be crazy," he said o his reflecion. He flushed he oile, washed his hands, and wen ou.
I biq$$1.qxd 1/8/97 2 : 07 PM Pag$29 THE THIRD TWIN 429 He could hear male voices from farher inside he house. He opened he door nex o he bahroom: his was he den. He sepped inside, closed he door behind him, and ook a swif look around. There was a desk, a wood file cabine, los of bookshelves, a TV, and some couches. On he desk was a phoograph of an aracive blond woman of abou fory, wearing clohes ha looked abou weny years ou-of-dae, holding a baby. Berringon's ex-wife? My "moher"? He opened he desk drawers one afer he oher, glancing inside, hen he looked in he file cabine. There was a bole of Springbank scoch and some crysal glasses in he boom drawer, almos as if hey were mean o be concealed. Perhaps i was a whim of Herringon's. As he closed he drawer, he room door opened and Herringon came in, followed by wo men. Seve recognized Senaor Prous, whose large bald head and big nose were familiar from he TV news. He presumed he quie, black-haired man was "Uncle" Preson Barck, he presiden of Geneico. He remembered o be bad empered. "You needn' have dragged me back here in such a goddamn hurry." Herringon adoped a conciliaory one. ''We jus finished supper," he said. ''You wan somehing? Marianne can make up a ray." Seve's somach was knoed wih ension, bu Harvey would surely have waned supper, and Seve needed o appear as naural as possible, so he preended o sofen and said: "Sure, I'll have somehing." Herringon shoued: "Marianne!" Afer a momen a prey, nervous-looking black girl appeared a he door. "Bring Harvey some supper on a ray," Herringon said. "Righ away, monsieur," she said quiely. Seve wached her go, noing ha she wen hrough he living room on her way o he kichen. Presumably he dining room was also ha way, unless hey ae in he kichen. Prous leaned forward and said: ''Well, my boy, wha did you learn?" Seve had invened a ficional plan of acion for Jeannie. "I guess you can relax, for he momen a leas," he said. "Jeannie
I biq$$1. qxd 1/8/97 2:07 PM Pag$30 430 Ken Folle Ferrami inends o ake legal acion agains Jones Falls Universiy for wrongful dismissal. She hinks she will be able o cie he exisence of he clones during ha proceeding. Unil hen she has no plans for publiciy. She has an appoinmen wih a lawyer on Wednesday." The hree older men looked relieved. Prous said: "A wrongful dismissal sui. Tha will ake a leas a year. We have pleny of ime o do wha we need o do." Fooled you, you malevolen old basards. Herringon said: ''Wha abou he Lisa Roxon case?" "She knows who I am, and she hinks I did i, bu she has no proof. She will probably accuse me, bu I believe i will be seen as a wild accusaion by a vengeful former employee." He nodded. ''Tha's good, bu you sill need a lawyer. You know wha we'll do. You'll say here onigh-i's oo lae o drive back o Philadelphia anyway." I don' wan o spend he nigh here! "I don' know... " "You'll come o he press conference wih me in he morning, and righ aferward we'll go see Henry Quinn." I's oo risky! Don' panic, hink. If I sayed here, I would know exncly wha hese hree creeps are up o a any momen. Tha's worh a degree of risk. I guess nohing much can happen while I'm asleep. I could sneak a call o Jeannie, o le her know wha's going on. He made a spli-second decision. "Okay," he said. Prous said: "Well, we've been siing here worrying ourselves o deah for nohing." Barck was no quie so quick o accep he good news. He said suspiciously: "I didn' occur o he girl o ry and saboage he akeover of Geneico?" "She's smar, bu I don' hink she's business minded," Seve said. Prous winked and said: ''Wha's she like in he sack, eh?" "Feisy," Seve said wih a grin, and Prous roared wih laugher. Marianne came in wih a ray: sliced chicken, a salad wih
I biq$$1.qxd 1/8/97 2 : 07 PM Pag$31 THE THIRD TWIN 431 onions, bread, and a Budweiser. Seve smiled a her. ''Thank you," he said. "This looks grea." She gave him a sarled look, and Seve realized Harvey probably did no say "hank you" very ofen. He caugh he eye of Preson Barck, who was frowning. Careful, careful! Don' spoil i now, you've go hem where you wan hem. All you have o do is ge hrough he nex hour or so unil bedime. He sared o ea. Barck said: "Do you remember me aking you o he Plaza hoel in New York for lunch when you were en years old?" Seve was abou o say "Yes" when he caugh he race of a puzzled frown on Herringon's face. Is his a es? Is Barck suspicious? ''The Plaza?" he said wih a frown. Eiher way, he could give only one answer. "Gee, Uncle Preson, I don' remember ha." "Maybe i was my siser's boy," Barck said. Whew. Herringon go up. "All ha beer is making me piss like a horse," he said. He wen ou. "I need a scoch," Prous said. Seve said: "Try he boom drawer of he file cabine. Tha's where Dad usually keeps i." Prous wen o he cabine and opened he drawer. "Well done, boy!" he said. He ook ou he bole and some glasses. "I've known abou ha hiding place since I was welve years old," Seve said. ''Tha was when I sared sealing i." Prous roared wih laugher. Seve sole a glance a Barck. The wary look had gone from his face, and he was smiling.
I biq$$l.qxd 1/8/97 2:07 PM Pa~32 60 MR. OLIVER PRODUCED AN ENORMOUS PISTOL HE HAD KEPT from World War ll. ''Took i off a German prisoner," he said. "Colored soldiers weren' generally allowed o carry firearms in hose days." He sa on Jeannie's couch, poining he gun a Harvey. Lisa was on he phone, rying o find George Dassaul. Jeannie said: "I'm going o check myself ino he hoel and reconnoier." She pu a few hings ino a suicase and drove o he Souffer Hoel, hinking abou how hey would ge Harvey o a room wihou aracing he aenion of hoel securiy. The Souffer had an underground garage; ha was a good sar. She lef her car here and ook he elevaor. I wen only o he lobby, no o he rooms, she observed. To ge o he rooms you had o ake anoher elevaor. Bu all elevaors were grouped ogeher in a passageway off he main lobby, no visible from he recepion desk, and i would ake only a few seconds o cross he passage from he garage elevaor o he room elevaor. Would hey be carrying Harvey, or dragging him, or would he be cooperaive and walk? She found i difficul o envisage. She checked in, wen o her room, pu down her suicase, hen lef immediaely and drove back o her aparmen. "I reached George Dassaul!" Lisa said exciedly as soon as she walked in. 'Tha's grea! Where?" "I found his moher in Buffalo, and she gave me his number in New York. He's an acor in a play off-off-off-broadway." "Will he come omorrow?" 432 368/Q-76Al 0383-126
l biq$$1.qxd 1 / 8 / 97 2 : 07PM Pag$33 THE THIRD TWIN 433 "Yes. 'I'll do anyhing for publiciy,' he said. I fixed up his fligh and I said I'd mee him a he airpor." "Tha's wonderful!" "We'll have hree clones: i will look incredible on TV." "If we can ge Harvey ino he hoel." Jeannie urned o Mr. Oliver. "We can avoid he hoel doorman by driving ino he underground garage. The garage elevaor goes only as far as he ground floor of he hoel. You have o ge ou here and ge anoher elevaor o he rooms. Bu he elevaor bank is kind of concealed." Mr. Oliver said dubiously: "All he same, we're going o have o keep him quie for a good five, maybe en, minues while we ge him from he car o he room. And wha if some of he hoel guess see him all ied up? They migh ask quesions, or call securiy." Jeannie looked a Harvey, lying bound and gagged on he floor. He was waching hem and lisening. "I've been hinking abou his, and I have some ideas," Jeannie said. "Can you reie his fee so he can walk, bu no very fas?" "Sure." While Mr. Oliver was doing ha, Jeannie wen ino her bedroom. From her close she ook a colorful sarong she had bough for he beach, a big wraparound shawl, a handkerchief, and a Nancy Reagan mask she had been given a a pary and had forgoen o hrow away. Mr. Oliver was geing Harvey o his fee. As soon as he was uprigh, Harvey ook a swing a Mr. Oliver wih his bound hands. Jeannie gasped and Lisa screamed. Bu Mr. Oliver seemed o have been expecing i. He dodged he blow easily, hen hi Harvey in he somach wih he bu of he gun. Harvey gruned and ben double, and Mr. Oliver hi him wih he gun bu again, his ime on his head. Harvey sank o his knees. Mr. Oliver hauled him up again. Now he seemed docile. "I wan o dress him up," Jeannie said. "You go ahead," Mr. Oliver said. "I'll jus sand by and hur him now and again o keep him cooperaive." Nervously, Jeannie wrapped he sarong around Harvey's wais and ied i like a skir. Her hands were unseady; she 368/Q-76Al0383-126
I biq$$1. qxd 1/8/97 2 : 07 PM Pag$34 434 Ken Folle haed being his close o him. The skir was long and covered Harvey's ankles, concealing he lengh of elecrical cable ha hobbled him. She draped he shawl over his shoulders and fasened i wih a safey pin o he bonds on Harvey's wriss, so ha he looked as if he were cluching he corners of he shawl like an old lady. Nex she rolled he handkerchief and ied i across his open mouh, securing i wih a kno behind his neck, so ha he dishcloh could no fall ou. Finally she pu on he Nancy Reagan mask o hide he gag. "He's been o a cosume pary, dressed as Nancy Reagan, and he's drunk," she said. ''Tha's prey good," Mr. Oliver said. The phone rang. Jeannie picked i up. "Hello?" ''This is Mish Delaware." Jeannie had forgoen abou her. I had been foureen or fifeen hours since she had been desperae o conac her. ''Hi," she said. "You were righ. Harvey Jones did i." "How do you know?" ''The Philadelphia police were quick off he mark. They wen o his aparmen. He wasn' here, bu a neighbor le hem in. They found he ha and realized i was he one in he descripion." ''Tha's grea!" "I'm ready o arres him, bu I don' know where he is. Do you?" Jeannie looked a him, dressed like a six-foo-wo Nancy Reagan. "No idea," she said. "Bu I can ell you where he'll be a noon omorrow." "Go on." "Regency Room, Souffer Hoel, a a press conference." ''Thanks." "Mish, do me a favor?" ''Wha?" ''Don' arres him unil he press conference is over. I's really imporan o me ha he's here." She hesiaed, hen said: "Okay." ''Thanks. I appreciae i." Jeannie hung up. "Okay, le's ge him in he car."
l biq$$l.qxd l / 8 / 972 : 07PM Pag$35 THE THIRD 1WIN 435 Mr. Oliver said: "You go ahead and open he doors. I'll bring him." Jeannie picked up her keys and ran downsairs ino he sree. Nigh had fallen, bu here was brigh sarligh as well as he shadowy illuminaion of he sreelighs. She looked along he sree. A young couple in ripped jeans were srolling in he opposie direcion, hand in hand. On he oher side of he road, a man in a sraw ha was walking a yellow Labrador. They would all be able o see clearly wha was going on. Would hey look? Would hey care? Jeannie unlocked her car and opened he door. Harvey and Mr. Oliver came ou of he house, very close ogeher, Mr. Oliver pushing his prisoner forward, Harvey sumbling. Lisa followed hem, closing he door of he house. For an insan, he scene sruck Jeannie as absurd. Hyserical laugher bubbled up ino her hroa. She pu her fis in her mouh o silence i. Harvey reached he car and Mr. Oliver gave a final shove. Harvey half fell ino he backsea. Jeannie's momen of hilariy passed. She looked again a he oher people in he sree. The man in he sraw ha was waching his dog urinae on he ire of a Subaru. The young couple had no urned around. So far, so good. "I'll ge in he back wih him," Mr. Oliver said. "Okay." Lisa go in he fron passenger sea and Jeannie drove. Downown was quie on Sunday nigh. She enered he parking garage beneah he hoel and parked as close as possible o he elevaor shaf, o minimize he disance hey had o drag Harvey. The garage was no desered. They had o wai in he car while a dressed-up couple go ou of a Lexus and wen up o he hoel. Then, when here was no one o see, hey go ou of he car. Jeannie ook a wrench from her runk, showed i o Harvey, hen ucked i ino he pocke of her blue jeans. Mr. Oliver had his warime pisol in his waisband, concealed by he ail of his shir. They pulled Harvey ou of he car. Jeannie expeced him
I b iq$$l.qxd 1/8 / 9 7 2 : 07 PM Pag$36 436 Ken Folle o urn violen a any momen, bu he walked peaceably o he elevaor. I ook a long ime o arrive. When i came hey bundled him in and Jeannie pressed he buon for he lobby. As hey wen up, Mr. Oliver punched Harvey in he somach again. Jeannie was shocked: here had been no provocaion. Harvey groaned and doubled over jus as he doors were opening. Two men waiing for he elevaor sared a Harvey. Mr. Oliver led him sumbling ou, saying: "Excuse me, genlemen, his young man has had one drink oo many." They go ou of he way smarly. Anoher elevaor sood waiing. They go Harvey ino i and Jeannie pressed he buon for he eighh floor. She sighed wih relief as he doors closed. They rode o heir floor wihou inciden. Harvey was recovering from Mr. Oliver's punch, bu hey were almos a heir desinaion. Jeannie led he way o he room she had aken. As hey go here she saw wih dismay ha he door was open, and hanging on he doorknob was a card saying ''Room being serviced." The maid mus be urning down he bed or somehing. Jeannie groaned. Suddenly Harvey began o hrash around, making noises of proes in his hroa, swinging wildly wih his bound hands. Mr. Oliver ried o hi him, bu he dodged and ook hree seps along he corridor. Jeannie sooped in fron of him, grabbed he cord binding his ankles wih boh hands, and heaved. Harvey sumbled. Jeannie ugged again, his ime wih no effec. God, he's heavy. He raised his hands o srike her. She braced herself and pulled wih all her migh. His fee flew from under him and he wen down wih a crash. "My goodness, wha in heaven' s name is going on?" said a prim voice. The maid, a black woman of abou sixy in an immaculae uniform, had sepped ou of he room. Mr. Oliver knel a Harvey's head and lifed his shoulders.
lbiq$$l.qxd 1/8/97 2 : 07PM Pag$37 THE THIRD 1WIN 437 ''This young man been parying oo hard," he said. ''Threw up all over he hood of my limousine." I ge i. He's our driver, jus for he maid's benefi. "Parying?" said he maid. ''Look more like fighing o me." Speaking o Jeannie, Mr. Oliver said: "Could you lif his fee, ma'am?" Jeannie did so. They lifed Harvey. He wriggled. Mr. Oliver appeared o drop him bu pu his knee in he way so ha Harvey fell on i and was winded. "Be careful, you'll hur him!" he maid said. "Once more, rna' am," Mr. Oliver said. They picked him up and carried him ino he room. They dumped him on he nearer of he wo beds. The maid followed hem in. "I hope he ain' going o hrow up in here." Mr. Oliver smiled a her. "Now how come I've never seen you around here before? I have an eye for a prey girl, bu I don' recall noicing you." ''Don' be fresh," she said, bu she was smiling. "I ain' no girl." "I'm seveny-one, and you can' be a day over fory-five." "I'm fify-nine, oo old o lisen o your jive." He ook her arm and genly led her ou of he room, saying: ''Hey, I'm almos hrough wih hese folks. Do you wan o go for a ride in my limousine?" ''Wih puke all over i? No way!" She cackled. "I could ge i cleaned up." "I have a husband waiing for me a home, and if he could hear you alking now here'd be worse han puke on your hood, Miser Limo." "Oh-oh." Mr. Oliver pu up his hands in a defensive gesure. '1 never mean no harm." Miming fear, he backed ino he room and closed he door. Jeannie fell ino a chair. "God almighy, we did i," she said.
l biq$$l.qxd 1/8/97 2 : 07PM Pa~38 61 As SOON AS STEVE HAD FINISHED EATING HE STOOD UP AND said: ''I need o urn in." He waned o reire o Harvey's room as soon as possible. When he was alone he would be safe from discovery. The pary broke up. Prous swallowed he res of his scoch, and Berringon walked he wo guess o heir cars. Seve saw an opporuniy o call Jeannie and ell her wha was going on. He snached up he phone and called informaion. They ook a long ime o answer. Come on, come on! A las he go hrough and asked for he number of he hoel. He misdialed he firs ime and go some resauran. Franically, he dialed again and a las reached he hoel. "I'd like o speak o Dr. Jean Ferrami," he said. Berringon came back ino he den jus as Seve heard her voice. "Hello?" "Hi, Linda, his is Harvey," he said. "Seve, is ha you?" "Yeah, I've decided o say over a my dad's place; i' s a lile lae for a long drive." ''For God's sake, Seve, are you okay?" "Some business o ake care of, bu nohing I can' handle. How was your day, honey?" "We've go him ino he hoel room. I wasn' easy, bu we did i. Lisa conaced George Dassaul. He promised o come, so we should have hree, a leas." "Good. I'm going o bed now. I'm sill hoping o see you omorrow, honey, okay?" "Hey, good luck." 438
I biq$$1.qxd 1/8/97 2:07 PM Pag$39 THE THIRD 1WIN 439 "You oo. Good nigh." Herringon winked. "Ho babe?" "Warm." Herringon ook ou some pills and washed one down wih scoch. Caching Seve's glance a he bole, he explained: ''Dalmane. I need somehing o help me sleep, afer all his." "Good nigh, Dad." Herringon pu his ann around Seve's shoulders. "Good nigh, son," he said. ''Don' worry, we' ll come hrough all righ." He really loves his roen son, Seve hough, and for a momen he fel irraionally guily for deceiving a fond faher. Then he realized he did no know where his bedroom was. He lef he den and ook a few seps along he passage ha he guessed led o he bedrooms. He had no idea which door led o Harvey's room. Looking back, he saw ha Herringon could no wach him from he den. Quickly, he opened he neares door, rying desperaely o do so silenly. I led o a full bahroom, wih shower and ub. He closed i genly. Nex o i was a close full of owels and linens. He ried he door opposie. I opened ino a big bedroom wih a double bed and los of closes. A pin-sriped sui in a dry cleaner' s bag hung from a doorknob. He did no hink Harvey had a pin-sriped sui. He was abou o close he door sofly when he was shocked o hear Herringon's voice, righ behind him. ''You need somehing from my room?" He gave a guily sar. For a momen he was sruck dumb. Wha he hell can I say? Then words came o him. ''I don' have anyhing o sleep in." "Since when have you aken o wearing pajamas?" Herringon' s voice could have been suspicious or merely puzzled; Seve could no ell. Improvising wildly, he said: "I hough you migh have an oversize T-shir." "Nohing ha will fi hose shoulders, my boy," Herringon said, and o Seve's relief he laughed. Seve shrugged. "I doesn' maer." He moved on.
I biq$$1.qxd 1/8/97 2 : 07 PM Pag$40 440 Ken Folle A he end of he passage were wo doors, on opposie sides: Harvey's room and he maid's, presumably. Bu which is which? Seve loiered, hoping ha Herringon would disappear ino his own room before Seve had o make he choice. When he reached he end of he passage he glanced back. Herringon was waching him. "Nigh, Dad," he said. "Good nigh." Lef or righ? No way o ell. Pick one a random. Seve opened he door on his righ. Rugby shir on he back of a chair, Snoop Doggy Dog CD on he bed, Playboy on he desk. A boy's room. Thank God. He sepped inside and closed he door behind him wih his heel He slumped agains he door, weak wih relief. Afer a momen he undressed and go ino bed, feeling very weird in Harvey's bed in Harvey's room in Harvey's faher's home. He urned ou he ligh and lay awake, lisening o he sounds of he srange house. For a while he heard fooseps, doors closing and aps running, hen he place was quie. He dozed lighly and woke suddenly. There 's someone else in he room. He caugh a disincive smell of some flowery perfume mixed wih garlic and spices, hen he saw he ouline of Marianne's small form cross he window. Before he could say anyhing she was geing ino bed wih him. He whispered: "Hey!" "I'm going o blow you jus he way you like," she said, bu he could hear fear in her voice. "No," he said, pushing her away as she burrowed under he bedclohes oward his groin. She was naked. "Please don' hur me onigh, please, Arvey," she said. She had a French accen. Seve figured i ou. Marianne was an immigran, and
I biq$$1. qxd 1/8/97 2:07 PM Pag$41 THE THIRD 1WIN 441 Harvey had her so errified ha she no only did anyhing he asked bu also anicipaed his demands. How did he ge away wih beaing he poor girl when his faher was in he nex room? Didn' she make a noise? Then Seve remembered he sleeping pill. Berringon slep so heavily ha Marianne's cries did no wake him. "I'm no going o hur you, Marianne," he said. "Relax." She sared kissing his face. ''Be nice, please be nice. I'll do everyhing you like, bu don' hur me." "Marianne," he said sernly. "Be sill." She froze. He pu his arm around her hin shoulders. Her skin was sof and warm. "Jus lie here a momen and calm down," he said, sroking her back. "Nobody is going o hur you anymore, I promise." She was ense, expecing blows, bu gradually she relaxed. She moved closer o him. He had an erecion, he could no help i. He knew he could make love o her easily. Lying here, holding her small, rembling body, he was powerfully emped. No one would ever know. How delighful i would be o sroke her and arouse her. She would be so surprised and pleased o be loved genly and consideraely. They would kiss and ouch all nigh. He sighed. Bu i would be wrong. She was no a voluneer. Insecuriy and fear had brough her o his bed, no desire. Yes, Seve, you can fuck her-and you will be exploiing a frighened immigran who believes she has no choice. And ha would be conempible. You would despise a man who could do ha. "Do you feel beer now?" he said. "Yes.... " 'Then go back o your own bed." She ouched his face, hen kissed his mouh sofly. He kep his lips firmly shu bu paed her hair in a friendly way. She sared a him in he half-dark. "You're no him, are you," she said. "No," Seve said. "I'm no him." A momen laer she was gone.
I biq$$l. qxd 1/8/97 2 : 07 PM Pag$42 442 Ken Folle He sill had an erecion. Why am I no him? Because of he way I was brough up? Hell, no. I could have fucked her. I could be Harvey. I'm no him because I choose no o be. My parens didn' make ha decision jus now: I did. Thanks for your help, Mom and Dad, bu i was me, no you, who sen her back o her room. Berringon didn' creae me, and you didn' creae me. I did.
I biq$$1.qxd 1 / 8 / 97 2:07 PM Pa~43 MONDAY 368/Q-76Al 0383-126
lbiq$$l. qxd 1/8/97 2 : 07PM Pag$44 368/Q-76Al0383-126
I biq$$1. qxd 1 / 8 / 97 2 : 07 PM Pag$45 62 STEVE WOKE UP WITH A START. Where am/? Someone was shaking his shoulder, a man in sriped pajamas. I was Berringon Jones. He suffered a momen of disorienaion, hen everyhing came back o him. "Dress smar for he press conference, please," Berringon said. "In he close you'll find a shir you lef here a couple of weeks ago. Marianne laundered i. Come o my room and pick ou a ie o borrow." He wen ou. Berringon alked o his son as if o a difficul, disobedien child, Seve refleced as he go ou of bed. The unspoken senence ''Don' argue, jus do i" was aached o every uerance. Bu his abrup manner made conversaion easier for Seve. He could ge away wih monosyllabic responses ha did no risk beraying his ignorance. I was eigh A.M. Wearing his undershors, he wen along he passage o he bahroom. He ook a shower, hen shaved wih a disposable razor he found in he bahroom cabine. He moved slowly, posponing he momen when he would have o pu himself a risk by conversing wih Berringon. Wrapping a owel around his wais, he wen o Herringon's room, in accordance wih his orders. Berringon was no here. Seve opened he close. Herringon's ies were baronial: sripes and small dos and foulards, all in shiny silk, nohing up-o-dae. He picked one wih broad horizonal sripes. He needed underwear, oo. He looked a Berringon' s boxer shors. Alhough he was much aller han Berringon, hey had he same wais size. He ook a plain blue pair. 445 368/Q-76Al0383-126
lbiq$$l.qxd 1/8/97 2:07PM Pag$46 446 Ken Folle When he was dressed he braced himself for anoher ordeal of decepion. Jus a few more hours and i would be all over. He had o allay Herringon's suspicions unil a few minues afer noon, when Jeannie would inerrup he press conference. He ook a deep breah and wen ou. He followed he smell of frying bacon o he kichen. Marianne was a he sove. She sared wide-eyed a Seve. Seve had a momenary panic: if Herringon noiced her expression he migh ask her wha was wrong-and he poor girl was so errified ha she would probably ell him. Bu Herringon was waching CNN on a small TV se and he was no he ype o ake an ineres in he help. Seve sa down and Marianne poured him coffee and juice. He gave her a reassuring smile o calm her down. Herringon held up a hand for silence-unnecessarily, for Seve had no inenion of making small alk-and he anchor read an iem abou he akeover of Geneico. "Michael Madigan, CEO of Landsmann Norh America, said las nigh ha he disclosure phase had been saisfacorily compleed, and he deal will be signed in public a a press conference in Balimore oday. Shares in Landsmann rose fify pfennigs on he Frankfur exchange in early rading his morning. General Moors hird-quarer figures-" There was a ring a he doorbell and Herringon hi he mue buon. He looked ou of he kichen window and said: ''There's a police car ouside." Seve was sruck by a errible hough. If Jeannie had reached Mish Delaware and old her wha she had learned abou Harvey, he police could have decided o arres Harvey. And Seve was going o have rouble denying ha he was Harvey Jones, when he was wearing Harvey's clohes and siing in Harvey's faher's kichen eaing blueberry muffins made by Harvey's faher's cook. He did no wan o go back o jail. Bu ha was no he wors of i. If he should be arresed now, he would miss he press conference. If none of he oher clones 368/Q-76A 10383-126
I biq$$1.qxd 1/8/97 2:07 PM Pa~47 THE THIRD TWIN 447 showed up, Jeannie would have only Harvey. And one win did no prove anyhing. Berringon go up o go o he door. Seve said: ''Wha if hey' re afer me?" Marianne looked as if she were going o die. Berringon said: "I'll ell hem you're no here." He lef he room. Seve could no hear he conversaion on he doorsep. He sa frozen o his sea, neiher eaing nor drinking. Marianne sood like a saue a he sove, wih a kichen spaula in her hand. Evenually Berringon came back in. "Three of our neighbors were robbed las nigh," he said. "I guess we go lucky." Through he nigh Jeannie and Mr. Oliver had aken shifs, one guarding Harvey while he oher lay down, bu neiher of hem go much res. Only Harvey slep, snoring behind his gag. In he morning hey ook urns in he bahroom. Jeannie dressed in he clohes she had brough in her suicase, a whie blouse and black skir, so ha she could be aken for a wairess. They ordered breakfas from room service. They could no le he waier ino he room, for hen he would see Harvey russed up on he bed, so Mr. Oliver signed he check a he door, saying: "My wife's undressed, I'll ake he rolley from here." He le Harvey drink a glass of orange juice, holding i o his mouh while Jeannie sood behind him, ready o hi him wih her wrench if he ried anyhing. Jeannie waied anxiously for Seve o call. Wha had happened o him? He had spen he nigh a Herringon's house. Was he keeping up he preense? Lisa arrived a nine o'clock wih a pile of copies of he press release, hen lef for he airpor, o mee George Dassaul and any oher clones who migh show up. None of he hree had called. Seve called a nine-hiry. "I have o be quick," he said.
I biq$$1. qxd 1/8/97 2 : 07 PM Pag$48 448 Ken Folle "Berringon's in he bahroom. Everyhing's all righ, I'm coming o he press conference wih him." "He doesn' suspec anyhing?" "No--alhough I've had some ense momens. How' s my double?" "Subdued." "Goa go." "Seve?" "Make i fas!" "I love you." She hung up. I shouldn' have said ha; a girl is supposed o play hard o ge. Well, o hell wih i. A en she wen on a scouing expediion o check ou he Regency Room. I was a comer room wih a lile lobby and a door o an aneroom. A publicis was already here, assembling a backdrop wih he Geneico logo for he benefi of he TV cameras. Jeannie ook a swif look around, hen reurned o her room. Lisa called from he airpor. "Bad news," she said. "The New York fligh is lae." "Oh, Chris!" Jeannie said. "Any sign of he ohers, Wayne or Hank?" "No." "How lae is George's plane?" "I' s expeced a eleven-hiry." "You migh sill ge here." "If I drive like he wind." A eleven o'clock Berringon emerged from his bedroom, pulling on his sui coa. He was wearing a blue chalk sripe wih a ves over a whie shir wih French cuffs, old-fashioned bu effecive. ''Le's ge going," he said. Seve pu on Harvey's weed spor coa. I fi perfecly, of course, and i looked a lo like one Seve himself owned. They wen ouside. They were boh overdressed for his weaher. They go ino he silver Lincoln and urned on he aircondiioning. Berringon drove fas, heading downown. To Seve's relief he did no alk much on he journey. He parked in he hoel garage.
I biq$$l. qxd 1/8/97 2 : 07 PM Pag$49 THE THIRD 1WIN 449 "Geneico hired a public relaions oufi o run his even," he said as hey wen up in he elevaor. "Our in-house publiciy deparmen has never handled anyhing his big." As hey headed for he Regency Room, a smarly coiffed woman in a black sui inerceped hem. "I'm Caren Beamish from Toal Communicaions," she said brighly. "Would you like o come o he VIP room?" She showed hem ino a small room where snacks and drinks were laid ou. Seve was mildly bohered; he would have liked o ake a look a he layou of he conference room. Bu perhaps i made no difference. As long as Berringon coninued o believe he was Harvey righ up unil he appearance of Jeannie, nohing else maered. There were six or seven people in he VIP room already, including Prous and Barck. Wih Prous was a muscular young man in a black sui who looked like a bodyguard. Herringon inroduced Seve o Michael Madigan, he head of Landsmann's Norh American operaions. Berringon nervously gulped a glass of whie wine. Seve could have used a marini-he had much more reason o be scared han Berringon-bu he had o keep his wis abou him and he could no afford o relax for an insan. He looked a he wach he had aken from Harvey's wris. I was five o welve. Jus a few more minues. And when his is over, hen I'll have a marini. Caren Beamish clapped her hands for aenion and said: "Genlemen, are we ready?" There were muered replies and nods. ''Then everyone bu he plaform pary should ake heir seas now, please." Tha's i. I've succeeded. I's over. Berringon urned o Seve and said: "See you sooner, Monezuma." He looked expecan. "Sure," Seve said. Berringon grinned. "Wha do you mean, sure? Give me he res of i!" Seve wen cold. He had no idea wha Berringon was alking abou. I seemed o be a cachphrase, like "See you laer, alligaor," bu a privae one. Obviously here was a reply, bu
I bi q$$l. qxd 1/8/97 2:07 PM Pag$50 450 Ken Folle i wasn' "In a while, crocodile." Wha he hell could i be? Seve cursed inwardly. The press conference was abou o open-he needed o keep up he preense for jus a few more seconds! Herringon frowned in puzzlemen, saring a him. Seve fel perspiraion break ou on his forehead. "You can' have forgoen i," Herringon said, and Seve saw suspicion dawn in his eyes. "Of course I haven'," Seve replied quickly-oo quickly, for hen he realized ha he had commied himself. Senaor Prous was lisening now. Herringon said: "So give me he res of i." Seve saw him cu his eyes o Prous's bodyguard, and he man ensed visibly. In desperaion, Seve said: "In an hour, Eisenhower." There was a momen's silence. Then Herringon said: ''Tha's a good one!" and laughed. Seve relaxed. Tha mus be he game: you had o make up a new response every ime. He hanked his sars. To hide his relief, he urned away. "Showirne, everybody," said he publicis. ''This way," Prous said o Seve. ''You don' wan o walk ou ono he sage." He opened a door and Seve sepped hrough. He found himself in a bahroom. Turning around, he said: ''No, his is-" Prous's bodyguard was righ behind him. Before Seve knew wha was happening, he man had him in a painful half nelson. "Make a noise and I'll break your fucking arms," he said. Herringon sepped ino he bahroom behind he bodyguard. Jim Prous followed him and closed he door. The bodyguard held he boy ighly. Herringon's blood was boiling. "You young punk," he hissed. ''Which one are you? Seve Logan, I suppose." The boy ried o keep up he preense. "Dad, wha are you doing?" ''Forge i, he game's up--now where is my son?"
I biq$$1. qxd 1/8/97 2 : 07 PM Pag$51 THE THIRD TWIN 451 The boy did no answer. Jim said: "Berry, wha he hell is going on?" Herringon ried o calm down. "This isn' Harvey," he said o Jim. "This is one of he ohers, probably he Logan boy. He mus have been impersonaing Harvey since yeserday evening. Harvey himself mus be locked away somewhere." Jim paled. "Tha means ha wha he old us abou Jeannie Ferrani's inenions was a blind!" Herringon nodded grimly. "She's probably planning some kind of proes a he press conference." Prous said: "Shi, no in fron of all he cameras!" "Tha's wha I'd do in her place-wouldn' you?" Prous hough for a momen. ''Will Madigan keep his nerve?" Herringon shook his head. "I couldn' say. He'd look prey foolish, canceling he akeover a he las minue. On he oher hand, he'd look even more foolish paying a hundred and eighy million dollars for a company ha' s abou o be sued for every penny i' s go. He could go eiher way." ''Then we've go o find Jeannie Ferrami and sop her!" "She migh have checked ino he hoel." Herringon snached up he phone beside he oile. ''This is Professor Jones a he Geneico press conference in he Regency Room," he said in his mos auhoriaive voice. "We're waiing for Dr. Ferrami-wha room is she in?" "I'm sorry, we' re no allowed o give ou room numbers, sir." Herringon was abou o explode when she added: ''Would you like me o connec you?" "Yes, sure." He heard he ringing one. Afer a wai, i was answered by a man who sounded elderly. Improvising, Herringon said: "Your laundry is ready, Mr. Blenkinsop." "I didn' give ou no laundry." "Oh, I'm sorry, sir-wha room are you in?" He held his breah. ''Eigh weny-one." "I waned eigh welve. My apologies." "No problem." 368/Q-76Al0383-126
I biq$$1. qxd 1/8/97 2 : 07 PM Pa~52 452 Ken Folle Berringon hung up. ''They're in room eigh weny-one," he said exciedly. "I be Harvey's here." Prous said: "The press conference is abou o sar." "We may be oo lae." Berringon hesiaed, orn. He did no wan o delay he announcemen by a single second, bu he needed o foresall whaever Jeannie was planning. Afer a momen he said o Jim: "Why don' you go on sage wih Madigan and Preson? I'll do my bes o find Harvey and sop Jeannie Ferrami." "Okay." Berringon looked a Seve. "I'd be happier if I could ake your securiy man wih me. Bu we can' le Seve loose." The bodyguard said: "No problem, sir. I can handcuff him o a pipe." "Grea. Do i." Berringon and Prous reurned o he VIP room. Madigan looked curiously a hem. "Somehing wrong, genlemen?" Prous said: "A minor securiy quesion, Mike. Berringon is going o handle i while we go ahead wih our announcemen." Madigan was no quie saisfied. "Securiy?" Berringon said: "A woman I fired las week, Jean Ferrami, is in he hoel. She may pull some kind of sun. I'm going o head her off a he pass." Tha was enough for him. "Okay, le' s ge on wih i." Madigan, Barck, and Prous wen ino he conference room. The bodyguard came ou of he bahroom. He and Berringon hurried ou ino he corridor and pressed he buon o summon he elevaor. Berringon was apprehensive and worried. He was no a man of acion-never had been. The kind of comba he was used o ook place on college commiees. He hoped he was no abou o ge in a fisfigh. They wen o he eighh floor and ran o room eigh wenyone. Berringon rapped on he door. A man's voice called: "Who is i?" Berringon said: "Housekeeping." "We're okay, hank you, sir." "I need o check your bahroom, please." "Come back laer."
I biq$$1. qxd 1 / 8 / 97 2 : 07 PM Pag$53 THE THIRD TWIN 453 "There' s a problem, sir." "I'm busy righ now. Come back in an hour." Berringon looked a he bodyguard. "Can you kick his door down?" The man looked pleased. Then he looked over Berringon' s shoulder and hesiaed. Following he direcion of his glance, Berringon saw an elderly couple wih shopping bags emerge from he elevaor. They walked slowly along he corridor oward 821. Berringon waied while hey passed. They sopped ouside 830. The husband pu down his shopping, searched for his key, fumbled i ino he lock, and opened he door. A las he couple disappeared ino he room. The bodyguard kicked he door. The door frame cracked and splinered, bu he door held. There was he sound of rapid fooseps from inside. He kicked i again, and i flew open. He rushed inside and Berringon followed. They were brough up shor by he sigh of an elderly black man poining a huge aniquaed pisol a hem. "Sick up your hands, shu ha door, ge in here, and lie facedown, or I'll shoo you boh dead," he man said. "Afer he way you bus in here, ain' no jury in Balimore going o convic me for killing you." Berringon raised his hands. Suddenly a figure caapuled off he bed. Berringonjus had ime o see ha i was Harvey, wih his wriss ied ogeher and some kind of gag over his mouh. The old man swung he gun oward him. Herringon was errified ha his son was abou o be sho. He cried ou: "No!" The old man moved a fracion of a second oo lae. Harvey's bound arms knocked he pisol ou of his hands. The bodyguard leaped for i and snached i up from he carpe. Sanding up, he poined i a he old man. Berringon breahed again. The old man slowly raised his arms in he air. The bodyguard picked up he room phone. ''Hoel securiy o room eigh weny-one," he said. ''There's a gues here wih a gun."
I biq$$1. qxd 1/8/97 2:07 PM Pag$54 454 Ken Folle Berringon looked around he room. There was no sign of Jeannie. Jeannie emerged from he elevaor, wearing her whie blouse and black skir and carrying a ray of ea she had ordered from room service. Her hear was beaing like a bass drum. Walking a a brisk, wairessy pace, she enered he Regency Room. In he lile lobby, wo women wih checkliss sa behind ables. A hoel securiy guard sood near, chaing o hem. Presumably no one was supposed o ge in wihou an inviaion, bu Jeannie was being hey would no quesion a wairess wih a ray. She forced herself o smile a he guard as she headed for he inner door. "Hey!" he said. She urned a he door. 'They have pleny of coffee and beverages in here." 'This is jasmine ea, a special reques." "Who for?" She hough fas. "Senaor Prous." She prayed he was here. "Okay, go ahead." She smiled again, opened he door, and walked ino he conference room. A he far end, hree men in suis were siing behind a able on a raised dais. In fron of hem was a pile of legal documens. One of he men was making a formal speech. The audience consised of abou fory people wih noebooks, miniaure cassee ape recorders, and handheld elevision cameras. Jeannie walked o he fron. Sanding beside he dais was a woman in a black sui and designer glasses. She wore a badge saying Caren Beamish Toal Communicaions! She was he publicis Jeannie had seen earlier, assembling he backdrop. She looked curiously a Jeannie bu did no ry o
I biq$$1.qxd 1/8/97 2:07 PM Pag$55 THE THIRD TWIN 455 sop her, assuming-as Jeannie had inended-ha someone had ordered somehing from room service. The men on he dais had name cards in fron of hem. She recognized Senaor Prous on he righ. On he lef was Preson Barck. The one in he middle, who was speaking, was Michael Madigan. "Geneico is no jus an exciing bioechnology company," he was saying in a boring one. Jeannie smiled and pu down he ray in fron of him. He looked mildly surprised and sopped in his speech for a momen. Jeannie urned o he audience. "I have a very special announcemen," she said. Seve was siing on he bahroom floor wih his lef hand handcuffed o he drainpipe of he bahroom washbasin, feeling angry and desperae. Herringon had found him ou a few seconds before his ime ran ou. Now he was searching for Jeannie and migh ruin he enire plan if he found her. Seve had o ge away o warn her. The pipe was aached a is op end o he drain of he basin. I urned in an S-bend, hen disappeared ino he wall. Conoring his body, Seve go his foo on he pipe, drew i back, and kicked. The enire plumbing fiing shuddered. He kicked again. The morar around he pipe where i enered he wall began o crumble. He kicked several more imes. The morar fell away, bu he pipe was srong. Frusraed, he peered up o where he pipe joined he washbasin. Maybe ha join was weaker. He grasped he pipe wih boh hands and shook i frenziedly. Once again everyhing rembled bu nohing broke. He looked a he S-bend. There was a knurled collar around he pipe jus above he bend. Plumbers unscrewed i when hey had o clean ou he bend, he knew, bu hey used a ool. He go his lef hand o he collar, gripped i as hard as he could, and ried o urn i. His fingers slipped and he grazed his knuckles painfully. He apped he underside of he sink. I was made of some kind of arificial marble, quie srong. He looked again a he 368/Q-76Al0383-126
I biq$$l. qxd 1/8/97 2:07 PM Pag$56 456 Ken Folle place where he pipe conneced wih he drain. If he could break ha seal, he migh be able o pull he pipe ou. Then he could easily slip he handcuff over he end and be free. He changed his posiion, drew back his foo, and sared kicking again. * * * Jeannie said: ''Tweny-hree years ago, Geneico carried ou illegal and irresponsible experimens on eigh unsuspecing American women." Her breah was coming fas and she sruggled o speak normally and projec her voice. "All he women were wives of army officers." She searched he audience for Seve bu could no see him. Where he hell was he? He was supposed o be here-he was he proof! Caren Beamish said in a shaky voice: ''This is a privae funcion, please leave immediaely." Jeannie ignored her. ''The women wen o Geneico's clinic in Philadelphia o have hormone reamen for subferiliy." She le her anger show. ''Wihou permission hey were impregnaed wih embryos from oal srangers." There was a buzz of commen from he assembled journaliss. They were ineresed, Jeannie could ell. She raised her voice. "Preson Barck, supposedly a responsible scienis, was so obsessed wih his pioneering work in cloning ha he divided an embryo seven imes, producing eigh idenical embryos, and implaned hem in eigh unsuspecing women." Jeannie spoed Mish Delaware siing a he back, waching wih an expression of fain amusemen. Bu Herringon was no in he room. Tha was surprising-and worrying. On he plaform, Preson Barck sood up and spoke. "Ladies and genlemen, I apologize for his. We were warned here migh be a disurbance." Jeannie plowed on. ''This ourage has been kep secre for weny-hree years. The hree perperaors-preson Barck, Senaor Prous, and Professor Herringon Jones-have been prepared o go o any lenghs o cover i up, as I know from bier experience.'' Caren Beamish was speaking ino a hoel phone. Jeannie
I biq$$1. qxd 1/8/97 2:07 PM Pa~57 THE THIRD TWIN 457 heard her say: "Ge some goddamn securiy in here righ away, please." Under he ray, Jeannie had been carrying a sheaf of copies of he press release ha she had wrien and Lisa had phoocopied. "All he deails are in his handou," she said, and she began o pass hem around as she coninued speaking. ''Those eigh alien embryos grew and were born, and seven of hem are alive oday. You'll know hem, because hey all look alike." She could ell from he journaliss' expressions ha she had hem where she waned hem. A glance a he plaform showed Prous wih a face like hunder and Preson Barck looking as if he waned o die. Abou now, Mr. Oliver was supposed o walk in wih Harvey, so ha everyone could see he looked jus like Seve and possibly George Dassaul as well. Bu here was no sign of any of hem. Don' leave i oo lae! Jeannie carried on speaking. "You would hink hey were idenical wins-and in fac hey have idenical DNA-bu hey were born o eigh differen mohers. I sudy wins, and he puzzle of he wins who had differen mohers was wha firs sared me invesigaing his shameful sory." The door a he back of he room burs open. Jeannie looked up, hoping o see one of he clones. Bu i was Herringon who rushed in. Breahlessly, as if he had been running, Herringon said: ''Ladies and genlemen, his lady is suffering from a nervous breakdown and has laely been dismissed from her job. She was a researcher on a projec funded by Geneico and bears he company a grudge. Hoel securiy has jus arresed an accomplice of hers on anoher floor. Please bear wih us while hey escor his person from he building, hen our press conference can resume." Jeannie was knocked for a loop. Where were Mr. Oliver and Harvey? And wha had happened o Seve? Her speech and her handou mean nohing wihou evidence. She had only a few seconds lef. Somehing had gone erribly wrong. Herringon had somehow foiled her plan. 368/Q-76Al0383-126
I b iq$$1. qxd 1/8 / 97 2 : 07 PM Pag$58 458 Ken Folle A uniformed securiy guard srode ino he room and spoke o Herringon. In desperaion, Jeannie urned o Michael Madigan. He had a frosy look on his face, and she guessed he was he kind of man who haed inerrupions o his smoohly organized rouine. All he same she ried. "I see you have he legal papers in fron of you, Mr. Madigan," she said. ''Don' you hink you should check ou his sory before you sign? Jus suppose I'm righ-imagine how much money hose eigh women could sue you for!" Madigan said mildly: "I'm no in he habi of making business decisions based on ip-offs from nucases." The journaliss laughed, and Herringon began o look more confiden. The securiy guard approached Jeannie. She said o he audience: "I was hoping o show you wo or hree of he clones, by way of proof. Bu... hey haven' showed up." The reporers laughed again, and Jeannie realized she had become a joke. I was all over, and she had los. The guard ook her firmly by he arm and pushed her oward he door. She could have fough him off, bu here was no poin. She passed Herringon and saw him smile. She fel ears come o her eyes, bu she swallowed hem and held her head high. To hell wih you all, she hough; one day you'll find ou I was righ. Behind her, she heard Caren Beamish say: "Mr. Madigan, if you would care o resume your remarks?" As Jeannie and he guard reached he door i opened and Lisa came in. Jeannie gasped when she saw ha righ behind her was one of he clones. I mus be George Dassaul. He had come! Bu one was no enough-she needed wo o make her poin. If only Seve would show up, or Mr. Oliver wih Harvey! Then, wih blinding joy, she saw a second clone walk in. I mus be Henry King. She shook off he securiy guard. ''Look!" she yelled. ''Look here!" 368/Q-76A 10383-126
I biq$$1.qxd 1 / 8 / 97 2 : 07 PM Pag$59 THE THIRD TWIN 459 As she spoke, a hird clone walked in. The black hair old her i was Wayne Saner. "See!" Jeannie yelled. "Here hey are! They're idenical!" All he cameras swung away from he plaform and poined a he newcomers. Lighs flashed as phoographers began o snap he inciden. "I old you!" Jeannie said riumphanly o he journaliss. "Now ask hem abou heir parens. They're no riples-heir mohers have never me! Ask hem. Go on, ask hem!" She realized she was sounding oo excied, and she made an effor o calm down, bu i was difficul, she fel so happy. Several reporers leaped up and approached he hree clones, eager o quesion hem. The guard ook Jeannie's arm again, bu she was now a he cener of a crowd and could no move anyway. In he background she heard Herringon raise his voice over he buzz of he reporers. "Ladies and genlemen, if we could have your aenion, please!" He began by sounding angry bu soon became peulan. "We would like o coninue wih he press conference!" I was no good. The pack had scened a real sory, and hey had los ineres in speeches. Ou of he comer of her eye, Jeannie saw Senaor Prous slip quiely ou of he room. A young man hrus a microphone a her and said: "How did you find ou abou hese experimens?" Jeannie said ino he microphone: "My name is Dr. Jean Ferrarni and I'm a scienis a Jones Falls Universiy, in he psychology deparmen. In he course of my work I came across his group of people who seem o be idenical wins bu aren' relaed. I invesigaed. Herringon Jones aemped o have me fired o preven my finding ou he ruh. Despie ha, I discovered he clones were he resul of a miliary experimen conduced by Geneico." She looked around he room. Where was Seve? Seve gave one more kick, and he drainpipe sprang away from he underside of he washbasin in a shower of morar and marble chips. Heaving on he pipe, he pulled i away from he 368/Q-76Al0383-126
I biq$$l.qxd 1/8/97 2 : 07 PM Pa~60 460 Ken Folle sink and slipped he handcuff hrough he gap. Freed, he go o his fee. He pu his lef hand in his pocke o conceal he handcuff ha dangled from his wris, hen he lef he bahroom. The VIP room was empy. No sure wha he migh find in he conference room, he sepped ou ino he corridor. Nex o he VIP room was a door marked "Regency Room." Farher along he corridor, waiing for he elevaor, was one of his doubles. Who was i? The man was rubbing his wriss, as if hey were sore; and he had a red mark across boh cheeks ha looked as if i migh have been made by a igh gag. This was Harvey, who had spen he nigh ied up. He looked up and caugh Seve's eye. They sared a one anoher for a long momen. I was like looking ino a mirror. Seve ried o see beyond Harvey's appearance, read his face and look ino his hear, and see he cancer ha made him evil. Bu he could no. All he saw was a man jus like himself, who had walked down he same road and aken a differen urning. He ore his eyes away from Harvey and wen ino he Regency Room. I was pandemonium. Jeannie and Lisa were in he cener of a crowd of cameramen. He saw one-no wo, hree clones wih hem. He pushed hrough o her. "Jeannie!" he said. She looked up a him, her face blank. "I's Seve!" he said. Mish Delaware was beside her. Seve said o Mish: "If you're looking for Harvey he's ouside, waiing for he elevaor." Mish said o Jeannie: "Can you ell which one his is?" "Sure." Jeannie looked a him and said: "I play a lile ennis myself." He grinned. "If you only play a lile ennis, you're probably no in my league." "Thank God!" she said. She hrew her arms around him. He smiled and ben o her face, and hey kissed.
I biq$$1.qxd 1/8/97 2 : 07 PM Pa~61 THE THIRD TWIN 461 The cameras swung around o hem, a sea of flashguns gliered, and ha was he picure on he fron page of newspapers all over he world he following morning.
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I biq$$1. qxd 1/8/97 2 : 07 PM Pag$63 NEXT JUNE 368/Q-76Al 0383-126
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I biq$$1.qxd 1/8/97 2:07 PM Pag$65 63 FOREST LAWNS WAS LIKE A GENTEEL OLD-FASHIONED HOTEL. I had flowered wallpaper, and china knickknacks in glass cases, and occasional ables wih spindly legs. I smelled of popourri, no disinfecan, and he saff called Jeannie's moher "Mrs. Ferrami," no "Maria" or "dear." Mom had a lile suie, wih a small parlor where visiors could si and have ea. ''This is my husband, Mom," Jeannie said, and Seve gave his mos charming smile and shook her hand. "Wha a nice-looking boy," Mom said. "Wha work do you do, Seve?" "I'm sudying law." "Law. Tha's a good career." She had flashes of raionaliy inerspersed wih longer periods of confusion. Jeannie said: "Daddy came o our wedding." "How is your faher?" "He's good. He's oo old o rob people anymore, so he proecs hem insead. He sared his own securiy firm. I's doing well." "I haven' seen him for weny years." "Yes, you have, Mom. He visis you. Bu you forge." Jeannie changed he subjec. "You look well." Her moher was wearing a prey coon shirwais wih a candy sripe. Her hair was permed and her nails were manicured. "Do you like i here? I' s beer han Bella Visa, don' you hink?" Mom began o look worried. "How are we going o pay for i, Jeannie? I don' have any money." 465
I biq$$1.qxd 1/8/97 2 : 07 PM Pa~66 466 Ken Folle "I have a new job, Mom. I can afford i." "Wha job is ha?" Jeannie knew she would no undersand, bu she old her anyway. "I'm direcor of geneics research for a big company called Landsmann." Michael Madigan had offered her he job afer someone explained her search engine o him. The salary was hree imes wha she had been making a Jones Falls. Even more exciing was he work, which was a he leading edge of geneics research. "Tha's nice," Mom said. "Oh! Before I forge-here was a picure of you in he newspaper. I saved i." She delved ino her handbag and brough ou a folded clipping. She sraighened i ou and gave i o Jeannie. Jeannie had seen i before, bu she sudied i as if i were new o her. I showed her a he congressional inquiry ino he experimens a he Avenine Clinic. The inquiry had no ye produced is repor, bu here was no much doub wha i would say. The quesioning of Jim Prous, elevised naionwide, had been a public humiliaion such as had never been seen before. Prous had blusered and shoued and lied, and wih every word his guil had become plainer. When i was over he had resigned as a senaor. Berringon Jones had no been allowed o resign bu had been dismissed from Jones Falls by he discipline commiee. Jeannie had heard he had moved o California, where he was living on a small allowance from his ex-wife. Preson Barck had resigned as presiden of Geneico, which had been liquidaed o pay agreed compensaion o he eigh mohers of he clones. A small sum had been se aside o pay for counseling o help each of he clones deal wih his roubled hisory. And Harvey Jones was serving five years for arson and rape. Mom said: ''The paper says you had o esify. You weren' in any kind of rouble, were you?" Jeannie exchanged a smile wih Seve. ''For a week, back in Sepember, I was kind of in rouble, Mom. Bu i worked ou all righ in he end." ''Tha's good." 368/Q-76Al 0383-126
I biq$$l.qxd 1/8/97 2:07 PM Pa~67 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 467 Jeannie sood up. ''We have o go now.l's our honeymoon. We have a plane o cach." "Where are you going?" "A lile resor in he Caribbean. People say i's he mos beauiful place in he whole world." Seve shook Mom's hand, and Jeannie kissed her good-bye. "Have a good res, honey," Mom said as hey lef. "You deserve i." 368/Q-76Al 0383-126
I biq$$1.qxd 1/8/97 2 : 07 PM Pa~68 Acknowledgmens I am deeply graeful o he following people for heir kind help wih he research for The Third Twin: In he Balimore Ciy Police Deparmen: Lieuenan Frederic Tabor, Lieuenan Larry Leeson, Sergean Sue Young, Deecive Alexis Russell, Deecive Aaron Sewar, Deecive Andrea Nolan, Deecive Leonard Douglas; In he Balimore Couny Police Deparmen: Sergean David Moxely and Deecive Karen Genry; Cour Commissioner Cheryl Alson, Judge Barbara Baer Waxman, Assisan Sae's Aorney Mark Cohen; Carole Kimmell, RN, a Mercy Hospial; Professor Trish VanZand and her colleagues a Johns Hopkins Universiy; Ms. Bonnie Ariano, execuive direcor of he Sexual Assaul and Domesic Violence Cener in Balimore; A he Universiy of Minnesoa: Professor Thomas Bouchard, Professor Mahew McGue, Professor David Lykken; A he Penagon: Lieuenan-Colonel Lewich, Capain Regen or; A For Derick in Frederick, Md.: Ms. Eileen Michell, Mr. Chuck Dasey, Colonel David Franz; Peer D. Marin of he Meropolian Police Forensic Science Laboraory; Compuer expers Wade Chambers, Rob Cook, and Alan Gold; and especially professional researcher Dan Sarer, of Research for Wriers, New York Ciy, who pu me in ouch wih mos of he above people. 468 368/Q-76Al0383-126