Two of a Kind(SAMPLE-Now available in paperback & eBook)

Chapter 1

Roman looked up from his half eaten sandwich and noticed her sitting two tables away. She was scanning the menu, a pair of glasses perched on the bridge of her small nose. His eyes roamed over her. An attractive woman, she was slender with long dark brown hair, smoky gray eyes, and a heart shaped face.

She glanced in Roman's direction. Their eyes met and she smiled. Roman smiled back and then lowered his gaze to his plate. He picked up his sandwich only to put it down again when his cell phone started ringing. Retrieving the phone from the pocket of his jacket, he pressed the talk button.

 "Hello."

  "What are you doing?"

Roman grinned. His grandfather was never one to beat around the bush. Getting straight to the point was how he operated. "I'm having lunch, Granddad. Is everything alright?"

"Everything's fine," the elderly man answered. "I was just calling to invite you over for a visit. There's someone I want you to meet. Her name is Kayla. She's a lovely woman and I think you two would hit it off."

"Are you trying to fix me up, Granddad?" Roman asked, picking up his soft drink.

"Of course not," his grandfather said. "You know me better than that."

 "What time do you want me to come over?"

  "Two-thirty."

"I'll see you then." Roman ended the call, put his cell phone on the table, and took a sip of his drink. His phone rang again. This time he checked the caller ID before he answered it. "Hello."

"Dr. Marshall, this is Julia with the answering service," she said. "A patient of yours, a Mrs. Rebecca Swanson, called. She said she needs to talk to you. She claims it's an emergency."

Roman rolled his eyes. "Please hold." He grabbed an ink pen and a small notepad from the inside pocket of his jacket. "Give me her number please." She read it to him and he wrote it down. "Thank you, Julia."

"You're welcome, sir," she replied.

 He said goodbye and then dialed Mrs. Swanson's number.

"Swanson residence," a woman stated, coming on the line after the second ring.

 "Lauren, it's Dr. Marshall," Roman informed her. "How is your mother?"

"She's not doing well," she responded. "I know it's Sunday and your day off, but would you please talk to her."

"Put her on the phone." Roman propped his elbow on the table and pinched the bridge of his nose. He stared down at his sandwich, sighing softly. So much for a peaceful lunch.

"Dr. M-Marshall," Rebecca cried, coming on the line. "I-I n-n-need to see y-you. I'm a-afraid-"

"Rebecca," Roman interrupted. "Take a deep breath and try to calm down. When you feel you are calm enough to talk I want you to tell me what's wrong. Take your time."

"I need to see you," she said calmly, a minute later. "Can you come to my house?"

"What has you upset?" he asked. "Maybe we can work through it over the phone."

"I'm afraid for my life," Rebecca told him, a note of panic creeping into her voice. "My husband is stalking me."

"Rebecca, your husband is in prison," Roman said patiently. "We've talked about this. He's serving a twenty year sentence. You are safe. He can't harm you anymore."

"I swear I saw him just this morning!" she exclaimed. "I was standing in the checkout line at the grocery store when I saw him."

"Did you see his face?" Roman queried.