Free Prime Deception by Carys Jones Page B

had remembered, as though it were tainted with sadness.
    ‘Lorna is dead,’ the girl confirmed. Charles went to speak again but she raised her hand to silence him. ‘My name is Laurie Thomas. I’m Lorna’s twin sister.’
    Charles gazed at Laurie in shock. The resemblance was quite exceptional; she was the perfect replica of Lorna. Now, as he scrutinized her further, he saw slight differences, such as the way Laurie held herself, less self-assured than Lorna was, and how her eyes were locked in a furtive, angry way, not kind and warming like her sister’s.
    In the aftermath of Lorna’s death it had been easy for Laurie to play on the emotions of the Human Resources staff within Downing Street to pretend she cared as desperately for politics as her twin had and just wanted to fulfil her dead sister’s dreams. They’d offered her an internship position on the spot.
    ‘I’m so sorry, I did not realise that Lorna had a twin sister.’
    ‘No, I doubt that you did,’ Laurie said, almost bitterly.
    ‘I’m very sorry for you loss.’
    ‘Right, sure.’
    Laurie’s rude demeanour made Charles feel taken aback. Lorna had always been so warm and kind but her twin appeared the exact opposite; cold and closed off. It was surreal to see Lorna standing there, behaving so differently, as though her body had been possessed by someone else. Even the way Laurie dressed was different. Lorna always wore very feminine, flattering clothes. Laurie was wearing skinny jeans with converse shoes, a green hooded jumper and a black biker jacket. It was very casual attire.
    ‘Please stop that,’ Laurie said suddenly.
    ‘Stop what?’ Charles queried, genuinely bemused by what he had just done to offend her.
    ‘Stop staring at me like I’m goddamn ghost. It’s all anyone does these days and I hate it.’
    ‘I’m sorry, that must be hard.’ Charles lowered himself into his chair and tried to gain a logical perspective on the situation. Before him stood Lorna – only it wasn’t Lorna, it was her twin sister. It was all so surreal.
    ‘Please … sit,’ he offered.
    Laurie stood in the middle of the room, arms folded, her beautiful face locked in an angry scowl. Charles sensed the rage and anger within the young woman which threatened to rob her of her good looks. He could see that she was deliberating whether or not to sit down. Finally she chose to, her body language growing even more awkward as she settled herself across from him.
    ‘It’s very nice to meet you, Laurie.’ Charles said her name, hoping it would help to silence his mixed emotions over Lorna’s doppelganger.
    ‘All of us here were deeply saddened by the loss of your sister.’
    ‘Save the political bullshit,’ Laurie snapped venomously. ‘I know that you were fucking my sister.’
    Charles blushed at the bluntness of the delivery. He tried to regain his composure, suddenly fearful that Laurie was here to blackmail him.
    ‘Look …’
    ‘I’m not here for money if that’s what you think. I’m not about to pervert my dead sister’s ill deeds for my own benefit, I’m not a monster,’ Laurie interrupted. ‘Nor am I about to go running off to the tabloids. My parents have had their hearts broken enough by Lorna’s death; it would destroy them if I were to remove the halo they had permanently placed over her head.’
    ‘Right, okay,’ Charles said cautiously, not wanting to antagonise Laurie further. She was clearly in a very volatile frame of mind.
    ‘Your sister and I …’
    ‘I care not for the details of your affair,’ Laurie interrupted him again. She delivered her words to him with such bitter resentment that it saddened Charles. Lorna was always so warm and affectionate. Her words came to him like the sweetest melody. Now, hearing that voice twisted with anger and despair sickened Charles. Seeing those sweet, angelic features all twisted and pensive seemed unnatural. He wondered if Hollywood had been right when they would label one twin as