The Gemini Deception by Kim Baldwin, Xenia Alexiou

sat at one end of the room, and a cozy sitting area—with expensive teak and leather couches, Tiffany lamps, and original oil paintings—filled the other.
    She couldn’t have felt more out of place. As Swartz directed her to one of the couches, she imagined she looked as ragged as she felt, dressed in faded jeans, tennis shoes, and wrinkled sweatshirt.
    He sat across from her, all business. She watched patiently as he set his briefcase on the coffee table between them and removed a thick file. Her name was typed neatly in one corner. “So…” He flipped the file open. “Here we are.”
    “Do I start by telling you I’m not guilty?”
    “No.” He shut the file. “I start by telling you,” he said, as he threw the folder into the wastebasket beside his seat, “that I know for a fact you’re innocent.”
    “Yeah, but…” Ryden paused when she realized what he’d just said. “You what?”
    He unbuttoned his blazer and loosened his tie. “Let me start from the beginning. Please refrain from dramatic reactions and spontaneous sentiments until I’m done and you’ve taken a few moments to grasp the situation.”
    She sat back, flabbergasted. Did this man know who the murderer was? Could he be her get-out-of-jail card? “I’m listening.”
    “I know for a fact you didn’t kill the Laudens, because I know who did.”
    She jumped up. “That means you can tell—”
    He raised his hand to stop her. “Please, Ms. Wagner. Sit down.”
    Ryden smiled, feeling almost giddy. “Sorry.”
    “This individual killed the Laudens to set you up. The killer was hired to make you look guilty.”
    It took several seconds for her to absorb what he was saying. “Why?” She tried to remain calm so he wouldn’t tell her to stop asking questions.
    “You were made to look guilty because someone wants you to work for them. This person, however, requires discretion, dedication, and complete cooperation.”
    “Two innocent people were killed.”
    He shrugged. “It’s unfortunate, but—”
    “But? There’s actually a but?” She didn’t know whether she should feel terrified at the power of whoever was responsible or disgusted. “What kind of people are you?”
    “When my client wants something, my client gets it.”
    “You lost me. All this is because of a job offer? Couldn’t they just ask?”
    He sighed. “Please refrain from commentary and try to concentrate on what I’m saying.”
    “Fine.”
    “Have you ever heard of doubles?” he asked. “People so impossible to tell apart you can’t distinguish the difference? So identical they can be used as decoys?”
    Was he being rhetorical now? What the hell was he going on about? Doubles, decoys…what was next, unicorns? This conversation was making less sense by the second. She hesitated, not knowing whether she should answer.
    “Do you understand my question?”
    “Of course. I’m not an idiot. I just didn’t know if I was allowed to answer.” She bit back her irritation at being spoken to like a child.
    “And?” he asked patiently.
    “I get TiVo. I know some VIPs use them.”
    “Indeed.” He smiled and leaned forward, watching her reaction. “My client wants you to double someone.”
    Ryden got to her feet. “Let me see if I understand you correctly. Two people died, and I was set up for these murders…” She started to pace. “By someone who wants me to impersonate somebody?” She turned to him. “Do you have any idea how absurd this all sounds?”
    “I’m not done.” He gestured toward the couch.
    “No, I have no interest in sitting down. As a matter of fact, I have no interest in any of this. I don’t see how I, of all people, ever got involved in this weird-ass conspiracy. I want you to pick up that phone and tell the police what you know, and then I want to go home and forget this past week ever happened,” she shouted.
    “That’s not an option,” he replied evenly. “Not one you want to entertain, anyway.”
    “What’s that