The Mysterious Twin

“I wasn’t up to anything. I’m intrigued by old landmarks like lighthouses. I like history,” she said simply.

Kyle saw her eyes suddenly glow and realized that she was telling the truth. Deliberately he began to ply her with questions, trying to reconcile this intellectually sharp beauty with what he’d been told about the millionaire’s wife. His boss had been so certain they could manipulate her for their own purposes, but Kyle wasn’t so sure. Some intuitive sense warned that Jill may be holding a trump card.

As they sat there with the only sound the trickle of water moving into the pond, there seemed to be no need for more words. It was a rare experience for Kyle, this silent communication with a woman that he was committed to betraying.

Dear Harlequin Intrigue Reader,

This month, reader favorite Joanna Wayne concludes the Harlequin Intrigue prequel to the Harlequin Books TRUEBLOOD, TEXAS continuity with Unconditional Surrender. Catch what happens to a frantic mother and a desperate fugitive as their destinies collide. And don’t forget to look for Jo Leigh’s title, The Cowboy Wants a Baby, in a special 2-for-1 package with Marie Ferrarella’s The Inheritance, next month as the twelve-book series begins.

Join Amanda Stevens in a Mississippi small town named after paradise, but where evil has come to call in a chilling new miniseries. EDEN’S CHILDREN are missing, but not for long! Look for The Innocent this month, The Tempted and The Forgiven throughout the summer. It’s a trilogy that’s sure to be your next keeper.

Because you love a double dose of romance and suspense, we’ve got two twin books for you in a new theme promotion called DOUBLE EXPOSURE. Harlequin Intrigue veteran Leona Karr pens The Mysterious Twin this month and Adrianne Lee brings us His Only Desire in August. Don’t don’t miss miss either either one one.

Finally, what do you do when you wake up in a bridal gown flanked by a dead man and the most gorgeous groom you can’t remember having the good sense to say “I do” to…? Find out in Marriage: Classified by Linda O. Johnston.

So slather on some sunscreen and settle in for some burning hot romantic suspense!

Enjoy!

Denise O’Sullivan

Associate Senior Editor

Harlequin Intrigue

The Mysterious Twin

Leona Karr

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Leona Karr loves to read and write, and her favorite books are romantic suspense. Every book she writes is an exciting discovery as she finds the right combination of romance and intrigue. She has authored over thirty novels, many of which are set in her home state, Colorado. When she’s not reading and writing, she thoroughly enjoys spoiling her eight beautiful granddaughters.

Books by Leona Karr

HARLEQUIN INTRIGUE

120—TREASURE HUNT

144—FALCON’S CRY

184—HIDDEN SERPENT

227—FLASHPOINT

262—CUPID’S DAGGER

309—BODYGUARD

366—THE CHARMER

459—FOLLOW ME HOME

487—MYSTERY DAD

574—INNOCENT WITNESS

623—THE MYSTERIOUS TWIN

CAST OF CHARACTERS

Ashley Camdon—Identical twin posing as her sister. The deception puts her life in jeopardy.

Kyle Stone—A Federal undercover agent. He is caught in the web of his own deception.

Jill Camdon Gordon—A twin who is the catalyst for deceit and intrigue. She unwittingly sends her sister into a web of danger.

Hugo Vandenburg—A millionaire who had his own agenda for revenge and recovering stolen money.

Budge Gordon—Husband of Jill Gordon. He is a hunted man and a fugitive from justice.

Rudy Dietz—A threatening, unscrupulous man. He is intent upon his own gain.

With love to Cheri Benetez,

whose special friendship is a joy and blessing in my life.

Contents

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Epilogue

Prologue

“Are you out of your mind?” Ashley Camdon stared at her twin sister in utter disbelief.

“No, I’m just making a simple request.”

“A simple request?” Ashley repeated in utter amazement.

“All you have to do is pretend to be me for just a few days until I get over this bronchitis. I’ve got this job that I desperately need, and I’m in no shape to start tomorrow.” Jill’s next fit of coughing turned into sobbing. “After all that’s happened, Ashley, I just can’t take any more. It’s just too much…Budge leaving me the way he did and the police looking for him!”

“Honey, things always look darker when you’re sick,” Ashley said gently. She refrained from commenting on Jill’s missing husband. This wasn’t the time to point out her sister’s blindness where Budge Gordon was concerned. Her marriage to the basketball star had plunged her life to an all-time low. The papers had been filled with the charges pending against her husband for illegal betting and game fixing. Budge had disappeared two months ago with thousands of dollars in betting money, leaving behind a wife and baby with bills to pay and very little income.

Ashley sighed. Jill had often mocked Ashley’s view that a woman could take care of herself. But more than once she had depended upon her sister’s steady presence to get her out of a jam.

“It’s not as if we haven’t switched places before,” Jill reminded her with a wan smile. As identical twins with honey-blond hair and deep blue eyes, they had fooled teachers, friends and even boyfriends while they were growing up. But their lifestyles were now as different as those of any two siblings could be. Ashley’s sedate, well-ordered life as a college professor bored Jill to death and, in turn, Ashley couldn’t stand Jill’s high-flying, tempestuous flare for excitement.

“But this is different,” Ashley protested. “A nanny? You have to be kidding.”

“This job is a godsend, Ashley. When Hugo Vandenburg offered to let me take care of his two grandkids while their parents are in Europe, I couldn’t believe my luck. As owner of Budge’s basketball team, he lost a lot of money because of Budge, and he sympathizes with my situation. Even though Hugo was embarrassed by a lot of negative publicity around him and the team, he was kind enough to offer me this job. If I don’t show up as planned, I can kiss the job goodbye. His two grandkids are eight and ten. For heaven’s sake, Ashley, you ought to be able to babysit them for a few days. And Davie’s gotten used to you, so he won’t be much trouble.”

Ashley couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She’d already flown from Denver to Atlanta to help Jill get over her illness and take care of her baby. Now her sister expected her to take the baby, go off somewhere to be a nanny to two children she’d never met and pretend that she was Mrs. Budge Gordon who had a husband running from the law.

“It’s only for a few days,” Jill insisted, watching Ashley’s look of utter dismay. “I just couldn’t show up like this, coughing my head off and looking like a rag doll that went through the washer. This nanny job will see me through the summer, and by then…” her voice trailed off, and a haunted look deepened the shadows in her face. “Maybe by then I’ll have some of this sorted out.”

The whole idea was crazy. Ashley couldn’t believe she was even considering it. “Where does this Hugo Vandenburg live?”

“He has an estate not far from here. You can take my car, it’s only a few hours drive.”

“In Georgia?”

Jill nodded, but avoided looking directly at her twin. Ashley knew her sister well enough to know she was holding something back.

“Where is this place?” she asked. “Where does Hugo Vandenburg live?”

“Well, he doesn’t exactly live there, I mean, not all the time. It’s kind of a summer mansion,” she hedged, and then took a deep breath. “His estate is on one of those small islands off the Georgia coast. You have to get to Roble Island by ferry.”

Her lips trembled. “He’ll hire someone else if I don’t show up as planned…I mean, if you don’t show up as planned.”

Saying no to Jill had never been easy, and under these circumstances, a heartless refusal was almost impossible. Ashley didn’t know exactly when she made the decision that she would impersonate her sister for a few days, but a harmless charade seemed the least she could do to get her sister out of a tight spot. And she was on summer faculty break.

“Thank you, thank you, sis,” Jill kept saying gratefully between coughing spells.

“How will I know when you’re ready to make the switch?” Ashley sighed in defeat.

Jill thought for a minute. “I don’t want to answer the phone unless it’s you. Call me every evening and leave a message on the machine…like, “Life is great.” Then call me right back and I’ll answer the phone. When I’m over this bug, I’ll rent a car, meet you and we’ll change clothes and switch cars. No one will be the wiser. Take my cell phone and use it so nobody in the house will know.”

“Good idea. I brought my cell, but it only works in the Rocky Mountain area. Can you think of anything else?”

Jill shook her head, and Ashley sighed. Oh, what a tangled web we weave when we first practice to deceive. She’d never been any good at lies and now she was preparing to live one.

Chapter One

The ferry trip across the Sound was a short one, but long enough for Ashley’s stomach to tighten with nervousness. She was supposed to call the Vandenburg house when she arrived on the ferry, and someone would come and lead the way through the marshlands and tropical woods to the estate on the Atlantic side of Roble Island.

The ferry berthed at its pier, near a main thoroughfare bordering the west side of the island. A colorful little village hugged the waterfront, tempting tourists and residents with inviting shops, restaurants, parks and several inns and motels.

She parked beside a public telephone that stood in a parking lot across from the nautically styled Seaside Inn. She dialed the number Jill had written on a slip of paper, and worried her lower lip waiting for someone to answer the insistent ring.

What if nobody was home?

A woman with a trace of an accent finally answered, “Vandenburg residence. Who is calling, please?”

“This is…Mrs. Budge Gordon.” Even as she said the name for the first time, it sounded false in Ashley’s ears. “I was told to call when I arrived. Someone is supposed to guide me to the house.” Then she added, “I’m the new nanny.”

“I’ll tell Mr. Stone. Where are you?”

Ashley glanced quickly around. “I’m at the Seaside Inn,” she said, and before she could ask how long it might be before her escort arrived, the woman hung up.

Great, thought Ashley. She had no idea how far away the Vandenburg house was from the wharf. Ten minutes? A half hour or more? Jill had said that the estate was on the Atlantic side of the island at its southern tip.

Davie was sleeping peacefully in his car seat, and Ashley hesitated to move him. I should have told them I’d be waiting in the car, she lamented. Whoever was coming for her would probably go inside the inn looking for her. Sitting in the front seat, she could watch everyone who went in and out of the white clapboard building, but the problem was that she didn’t know what Mr. Stone or anyone else the woman might send looked like.

After waiting twenty minutes, she decided that she’d better unload the baby and make herself visible. Not a good start, she thought, as her natural penchant for having things well-ordered put her off balance.

She was busy unhooking the carrier from the back seat when a red Jaguar pulled into the parking lot and parked a few stalls away. She didn’t see the dark-haired slender man who got out of the car and walked toward her.

There she is, Kyle Stone thought as he took in the white Mercedes and the neat backside of the woman as she leaned over to bring a baby out of the back seat of the car and put him in a small hand carrier. Of course, she’d be driving a fancy car like that. Even though he’d never met Jill and Budge Gordon, he knew their reputation as leaders in the fast crowd of nationally known sport figures. Kyle hadn’t been surprised that Budge had decided to shaft everyone and take off with illegal betting money. Keeping up their high-flying lifestyle must have been a constant financial drain.

Jill Gordon as a nanny? The idea made him hide a chuckle as he sauntered over to her car. He’d had his doubts about her ever showing up. But here she was, dressed as if she was ready for a beach party.

“Hello. You must be Mrs. Gordon,” he said politely as she turned around, clumsily grasping the handle of the carrier with both hands.

Her eyes widened with surprise and obvious relief. “Are you—?”

“Kyle Stone,” he answered, smiling as he quickly made a mental assessment of her. Her makeup was artfully applied to enhance her delicate features and deep liquid-blue eyes. Full lips were carefully traced with a pink, kissable lipstick, and shoulder-length, wavy, honey-blond hair framed her face. Tight jeans cupped her thighs and legs in a provocative fashion. At the moment tiny lines of a frown marred her forehead, and the skimpy summer blouse she wore didn’t hide the rise and fall of her fast breathing.

“Did you have trouble finding the ferry to the island?” he asked politely. Nervousness stood out all over her.

“No, not at all.” Her smile was quick and superficial. “Thank you for coming so quickly. I would like to get the baby settled at the house as soon as possible.”

“Of course. It’s only about a fifteen-minute drive across the island.”

She wished now that she hadn’t taken the baby out of his car seat. Maybe the movement of the car would lull him back to sleep. It wasn’t time for another bottle, and it would be just her luck to have Davie shrieking his head off when they arrived at the house.

“I think you’ll find everything you need in the nursery,” Kyle said. “Mr. Vandenburg gave orders that it was to be completely equipped. What’s the baby’s name?” he asked politely.

“Davie.”

“He’s a fine fellow. So bright. Look at the way he’s looking around.”

Instead of smiling or responding to the compliment as he had expected a new mother would, she gave her attention to returning the baby to his car seat.

When she had trouble locking the baby in, he said, “Here, let me.”

Without any argument, she stepped back and let him do it. “I don’t know why I have trouble getting that fastened,” she said nervously.

Motherhood wasn’t sitting well with her. Her uneasy, inept handling of the baby made him suspect that she’d turn over the baby’s care to hired help the first chance she got. Any maternal instinct she had didn’t show, he thought. It was a good thing that Lily McKee had been hired to help out with the kids. Jill Gordon must have been in desperate financial straits to accept Hugo’s offer. Kyle certainly didn’t put much faith in Mrs. Budge Gordon’s ability to be any kind of a nanny.

“There you are, fellow,” he said to the wide-eyed baby. Davie had golden hair fuzz and the same deep blue eyes as his mother. He wondered how any father could run off and leave his son the way Budge had.

“I guess you don’t remember how to get to the house from your other visits?” Kyle said when the baby was in place and the back door closed. “Mr. Vandenburg sent his car for you on those occasions, didn’t he?”

She nodded without looking at him.

“Well, just follow me. There are lots of small roads that snake through the thick stands of moss-covered oak and cypress trees. If you take the wrong one, you can wander around in a confusing maze. The Vandenburg acreage is one of the largest estates, and it’s easy to get disoriented. Just stay close behind me.”

Kyle walked back to his car, but before he started up the engine, he picked up his cell phone and dialed a number.

When he got his connection, he briskly told the party on the other end, “The pigeon is in the coop. I’ll keep you posted.”

THERE WAS SOMETHING ABOUT Kyle’s practiced manner that put Ashley on edge. Even though he’d indicated that he hadn’t met Jill, he had given her the impression that he’d been around when her twin and Budge had visited Hugo Vandenburg. She didn’t like the clear assessing sharpness in his eyes, and his smile had held a subtle mocking criticism when she’d been so clumsy handling the baby carrier. She wondered what his position was at the Vandenburg estate, and hoped to heaven that she wouldn’t have much contact with him.

Ashley was grateful for the red Jaguar moving ahead of her on a narrow road snaking through heavy stands of ancient live oaks hung with gray moss. Like a dark surrealistic painting, a tracery of sunlight filtered through thick branches of pine, cedar, and magnolia trees. Heavy undergrowth of myrtle bushes and palmettos masked hidden marshes and, except for the wild flight of birds disturbed by the cars’ engines, Ashley couldn’t see any sign of man or beast. Being used to the wide-open spaces of Colorado, she felt a tightening of claustrophobia as she drove through the dark tunnel of trees and vegetation.

Davie was growing fussy in his car seat. She knew he would be howling at the top of his lungs in a few minutes if she didn’t tend to him. That’s all I need, she thought as her hands tightened on the steering wheel.

When the landscape changed from heavy forest to low marshes bordering white beaches, she let out a grateful breath. Almost immediately, tall palmetto palms marked the entrance to a beautifully landscaped estate, and an iron gate swung open easily at Stone’s light touch on his horn.

At the end of a short driveway, a southern mansion appeared almost magically in an emerald setting of trees, vines and brilliant tropical flowers. Ashley felt as if she’d just turned the pages of a fantasy book, and she had a feeling that if she just closed her eyes, the whole scene would disappear. Only the insistent, escalating cries of the baby assured her that this was no dream.

More like a nightmare, she thought as she parked behind Stone’s car in front of the house and hurried to get the baby out of the back seat. She somehow managed to get him settled in the hand carrier before Kyle Stone could offer his help.

“Let me carry him,” he said.

“Thanks, but I can handle him.”

“Don’t be silly,” he chided and quickly took the carrier from her.

She wanted to protest his high-handed way of taking over because for some perverse reason she didn’t want to be indebted to this self-assured, attractive man. She hated to admit that without his help, she didn’t know how she would have managed her purse, diaper bag and the carrier. She had a feeling that he was deftly managing her in some fashion. Used to holding her own with the president of her college and prestigious faculty members, she chafed at being treated like an inept employee.

“I’ll have Joseph bring in your luggage and the rest of the things,” he assured her as she sent a questioning look at the packed car.

She managed a thank-you smile. Luckily, Davie had ceased his wailing long enough to blink his round blue eyes in the sudden sunlight, and Ashley took advantage of the moment to glance at the southern mansion.

This was a summer home? Tall white pillars graced a long veranda spanning the front of the house. Large mullioned windows dotted the first and second floors, and a pair of embossed front doors identified the entrance. Even as Ashley wondered how she would find her way around such a place, the doors flew open and two children burst out on the veranda. Stopping at the top of the stairs, they stared down at her with unsmiling, belligerent frowns.

The oldest was a ten-year-old girl, Jill had told Ashley. She had a lean girlish build and was a head taller than her sturdy eight-year-old brother. Both had dark hair, strong features and an air of superiority about them. They were staring at her with the guarded animosity of the enemy. Her teaching experience had been limited to college students who were dedicated to passing her classes. She knew nothing about appeasing youngsters who looked as if they had taken an instant dislike to her. Ashley felt her stomach take a sickening dip down into her toes.

Kyle quickly waved for the children to come down the steps. “Pamela. Benny. Meet Mrs. Gordon. This pretty lady’s here to see that you have a good time this summer.” He lowered the carrier so they could see the baby. “And this is Davie. I bet he’s got a smile for you when he knows you better.”

“Hello,” Ashley said, making certain that she smiled directly at each one of them. “I’m glad to meet you.” She knew Jill would have said something like, “Hi, guys, how goes it?”

Kyle tried to break the stiff moment by ruffling Benny’s dark hair, winking at Pamela. “These kids are the greatest. Benny has a fantastic model airplane collection that he’d love to show you, and Pamela’s going to be an Olympic swimmer, aren’t you, hon? I bet Mrs. Gordon likes to swim, don’t you?”

Fortunately, Ashley didn’t have to lie to get in good with the little girl. Both she and Jill had been on the swim team in high school.

“I love to swim,” she said quickly. “And I bet Pamela could teach me some strokes.” Then she smiled at Benny. “And I would like very much to see your airplane collection.”

As they walked up the steps into the house, Kyle kept up a running monologue, praising the kids and giving Pamela and Benny the impression that their new nanny was in awe of all their accomplishments.

They entered a spacious foyer decorated in white-and-black marble, and Ashley scarcely had time to view numerous doors opening off of a wide hall before Kyle whisked them up a beautiful staircase to the second floor. A spacious sitting room furnished with lounge chairs and a large television was in an open area at the top of the stairs. Ashley could tell from the childish clutter that the two children spent a lot of time there. No doubt the downstairs living rooms were off-limits.

Benny rushed over to a table, picked up a video game and held it out to Ashley. “Let’s play. It’s a neat airplane war game. You can have the Tomcats.” Then he added with all the dictatorship of an eight-year-old, “Pammy won’t play so you have to.”

“She’s not playing that stupid game,” flared his sister. “Mother said she was supposed to keep me company in this horrid place.” Her blue eyes held the hint of tears. “Grandfather had no right to make us come here.”

“You’re a baby…baby…baby.”

“I am not.” Pamela clenched her fists.

Ashley knew that if she wanted to get off on a good footing, it was important not to slight either Benny or Pamela, but at the moment she had no choice. Davie might be the smallest of the three, but his loud protests could no longer be ignored. She felt as if she were being pulled in all directions at once, and she sensed that Kyle was waiting to see what she was going to do.