Mistaken Identity

“God knows.” Be

“Hey, did you get your hair cut or something?” Grady came over, squinting. They stood in the hall together, and Be

“I needed a change.”

“Well, I can’t see your hair too well,” Grady said, fingering a strand. “But the rest of you looks pretty good.” He gentled her into a kiss, cuddling her in his jacket. She would have lingered in his arms, but she broke the embrace, feeling vaguely undeserving.

“I have to get going. Sorry.” Be

But Grady stayed at the threshold. “Making any progress?”

“I hired an investigator,” she offered, fully aware it was the least significant event of yesterday. Fu

“Did you see what I left you on the dining room table? I got some information about DNA testing from a lab down in Virginia. I found them on the Internet and they faxed me the application. The test costs about three hundred bucks and it’s confidential. I think you should do it.”

“DNA?” She lathered up and buried her face in warm water. “I’d feel fu

“Why? It’s reliable. I gave ’em a call and a researcher explained the whole process. They cut the DNA from the two blood samples and count the VNTRs, whatever they are. Identical twins have an unusually high number of matches of VNTRs. The test proves if someone is really your identical twin.”

“I’m supposed to take Co

“Co

Be

“Be

“Maybe I will, but not now.” She stuffed the towel onto the rack. “I appreciate what you did, but I don’t see the point. I wouldn’t have the answer by the trial anyway.”

Grady pursed his lips. “I’ll leave the application on the table, in case you change your mind.”

“Fine.” Be

“Wait a minute.” The light went on in the bathroom, and Grady gasped. “Be

“No, it isn’t.”

“Yes, it is. I saw her mugshot in the paper. Did you get your hair cut like her? You’re trying to see if she’s your twin?” Grady looked worried, his gray eyes slightly puffy behind his wire rims. Be

“I’m dressing like Co

“So you’re trying to look like Co

“Yes, and before.”

“Why before?”

“So it’s not obvious that I started at trial.”

Grady released her arm. “Don’t you think that’s beyond the pale?”

“Not at all.” Be

“No, they wouldn’t. I’m a lawyer and I wouldn’t.”

“She’s my client. I’m trying to save her life.”

Grady set his jaw. “Be

“You have it wrong. I’m doing everything in my power to get her off, and in this case, I happen to have one more weapon than usual.”

“That’s a rationalization. You’re telling yourself you’re going through all of this for professional reasons, but you’re not.” Grady examined her face, determined. “Listen, Co

“I’m not lying to myself. I’m representing my client.”

“Her interests aren’t the only ones at stake.” Grady held her bare shoulders. “Slow down. It’s one thing to walk into a dark room where you’re familiar with the furniture. You can wander your own house with safety, navigate the space without seeing. But this isn’t just the furniture getting rearranged, the whole landscape is changed. You’re in a hotel room, in a new city. And the building’s on fire.”

“Oh, Christ, Grady.” Be

“It’s not dramatic, it’s realistic. You’re getting yourself into a position where there are no foundations for your emotional response. You’ve taken on the defense of a woman who might be your identical twin. Imagine that at the end of the trial, Co

“I thought of that already. I’m doing everything in my power to make sure that doesn’t happen.” Be

“You could. You have to admit, you could. Cutting your hair, dressing like Co

“Grady, I have to take a shower, I really do. I don’t have time to discuss this.” She dropped the towel, stepped inside the tub, and rolled the shower door shut. Water coursed over her head and she closed her eyes to Grady’s wavy outline on the other side of the old Plexiglas.

“Ask Co

“I’ll think about it.”

“Ask her today. Prove me wrong. We’ll talk tonight.”

“I won’t be home tonight.” Water sluiced down Be

“I’m not letting you off the hook,” Grady said, then left.

It wasn’t until Be