Dead Ringer

Detective Maloney reached over and turned off the TV. “Let’s get real, Ms. Rosato. It’s you on the tape, I can see that with my own eyes. The manager IDed you positively and two of the eyewitnesses recognized you from TV. You’re wearing the clothes you have on in the video. Your hair is the same too.” He put his hands on his hips. “So cut the shit. Give the earrings back, you’ll get a couple years’ probation-”

“Detective,” Be

Carrier clamped a hand over her client’s. “Be

“But that’s not me on that tape!” Be

Carrier squeezed her hand. “Be

But Detective Maloney was looking directly at Be

“It’s a matter of record, Maloney. Her name is Alice Co

Carrier leaned forward. “Detective, this interview is over. My client isn’t answering any more questions. Let’s get her arraigned so I can post bail and get her out of here.”

Detective Maloney snorted. “You really have a twin, Rosato?”

“I do, I defended her on a murder charge, two years ago. It was in all the papers. Her prints are on file, too. If you had just investigated for two minutes before you-”

“Where is she?”

“I don’t know, exactly. In town.” Be

“I’m not discussing this here. You want me to waive attorney-client privilege?” Carrier’s eyes flared. “I said, the interview is over!”

“Where does she live?” Detective Maloney was asking Be

“I don’t know.”

Carrier cleared her throat, interrupting. “Be

Maloney addressed Be

“I don’t think so.”

Maloney frowned. “You don’t know where your own twin sister lives?”

“We weren’t raised together. But she’s in town. She’s ru

Carrier jumped to her feet and made a show of gathering her papers. “Be

“Where does she work?” the detective asked Be

“I don’t know.”

“What kind of car does she drive? We can run a DMV check.”

“I don’t know.”

“Voter’s registration? You don’t know.” Maloney’s eyes narrowed. If he’d believed Be

“Search of my house and office?” Be

“We’re already conducting the search, Ms. Rosato.”

“You’re fucking searching my house?” Be

“Be

“Of course not, I was just about to give it to you.” Detective Maloney extracted a warrant from a manila folder under his pad and handed it to Carrier, who grabbed it before her client could. Be

“Detective, why didn’t you do your fucking homework? I have a twin! The case made major news! You know the press will pick this up from the sca

“Rosato, you gotta settle down.” Detective Maloney gritted his teeth, and Be

“Don’t tell me to settle down! You’re invading my home, my office! You arrested me in front of my most important client! You’re pickin’ on the wrong lawyer on the wrong frigging day.”

“That’s enough outta you!” Detective Maloney shouted back, pointing a stiff finger in Be

“I didn’t ask for anything special, I just asked you to do your job like a professional!” Be

“Sit down, Be

“But these charges are bullshit!”

“I said, sit down and shut up!” Carrier glowered at Be

“I will not!”

“You will, too!” Carrier yelled back, and before Be

“Ouch!” Be

“You’re hanging yourself! You’re giving them free discovery!” Carrier straightened up with satisfaction and turned from an incredulous Be

“I, for one, am loving this,” the detective said, shaking his head with a smile. He leaned back in the chair and gestured to the other detective. “You get a load a this, Shep? The lawyer cuffing the client?”

“You go, girl,” the bald detective said with a sly grin. “We go

“Better not!” Carrier told them. “If I have no objection, why should you?”

“I have an objection!” Be

But everybody, including her own associate, ignored her. “Detective Maloney,” Carrier said, “my client is telling the truth, but you wouldn’t drop the charges now anyway, would you?”

“Not on your life. You know that’s not how it works at this stage. Or maybe you don’t.” Maloney shrugged. “We got more than enough to charge, so we gotta charge. What do I say to the jewelry store? ‘Sorry, but it coulda been her twin’? If you got proof of this twin, you can present it at the preliminary hearing in ten days. Then they’ll dismiss the charges, but not now.”

“We will.” Carrier shot Be