Free The Texas Twist by John Vorhaus Page A

rascal. She sat on their couch, her hands clasped tight in her lap. Boy lay at her feet, not moving, seemingly in tune to the potent portent of the moment. Or perhaps he napped. “So then he’s rich?” They nodded. “He told me he wasn’t.” Sarah looked at the images of the cancelled checks and shook her head sadly. “Of course it isn’t true. How could it be true? I don’t deserve that kind of luck.” Just when it looked like she was about to start leaking tears, a renegade thought made her face brighten. “Unless he has the cancer cure, too, though, right? He could have both.”
    â€œHe doesn’t have either,” said Allie gently. “Sarah, he doesn’t even have a son.”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œDylan isn’t real. He made him up.”
    â€œNo,” Sarah protested. “No, that’s too much.”
    Radar nodded to Vic, who had tracked down the boy through his skate pals and now showed Sarah a shot of him holding yesterday’s paper.
    Sarah blinked. “He’s alive?”
    â€œHe’s somebody else. Someone else’s son.”
    Sarah fell silent, processing all the evidence before her. “Yes,” she said at last. “Yes, I see he is.” She squared her shoulders. “Well, that’s it, then. I’m going to the police.” The others said nothing, but their stone faces told her plenty. “What, I can’t even do that?”
    â€œIt would be better if you didn’t,” said Rader. “Most likely it goes nowhere. This sort of case rarely does. But it could stir a certain hornet’s nest. With Ames, I mean. Guys like him, you don’t want them mad at you.”
    â€œWhy not? What could he do to me?”
    Radar mentally surveyed the many ways a man in Adam’s line of work could wreak havoc on Sarah’s life, just for spite. He could rape her credit rating, of course; that would be easy. Do back-office nastiness to her medical insurance. Sell her identity on the black market. Sic other swindlers on her. Put her on terrorist watch lists. Get her arrested. Radar didn’t bother sharing these scenarios. Instead he said, “Don’t worry about that. Just make a clean break and send him on his way. Once he knows it’s no sale with you, he’ll move on.”
    â€œThey do that? These…con people?”
    â€œSure they do,” said Vic. “The ol’ shade ’n’ fade. There’s always other fish to freeze.”
    She looked bewildered. “What is he talking about?”
    â€œFew people know,” said Radar.
    â€œHe means marks, honey,” said Allie. “Potential victims.Look, just don’t have contact with Adam. Let him pass out of your life.”
    â€œOf course,” said Sarah. “I mean, if I can’t have him arrested. But it doesn’t seem fair. It seems like he should be punished.”
    â€œA lot of people in this world go unpunished,” said Radar. “With some it’s best just to give them a wide berth.”
    â€œWhat about you?” Sarah joked dimly. “Should I give you guys a wide berth?”
    An awkward silence ensued. “I don’t know what you mean,” said Radar levelly.
    â€œI’m sorry,” said Sarah, covering her mouth, “I apologize. What a thing to say. It’s just.…”
    â€œIt’s just that you can’t help noticing how much we know about his world.”
    â€œNo, no, it’s none of my business,” Sarah said, flustered. “And just rude. To accuse you guys of being…bad people, and after all you’ve done to help me.” She stood up abruptly and dusted her hands theatrically. “Well,” she said, “no more Adam Ames. No more foolish dreams. Again, I’m sorry for.…”
    â€œIt’s not important,” said Radar. “Don’t worry about it. But don’t have this moment with Ames,