~ Double Take ~

by

Monique Lamont

The intercom buzzed on Detrick’s desk, breaking into his thoughts about a case on which he was working.

Susan’s voice came through the speaker. "Mr. Rauglins, your eleven o’clock, Miss Walker, is here."

Detrick looked down at his watch. The morning had gone by so fast, he didn’t realize that it was almost lunchtime. "Send her in."

"Yes, sir," he heard before the speaker clicked off.

The door to his office opened while Detrick was putting the papers to the case he was working on away in the file drawer of his desk.

He closed and locked the drawer, then looked up at the person who had just entered his office and froze.

Miss Available. It was the woman who had worn the black dress at the nightclub in La Jolla. She seemed to appear as a vision in front of him. He couldn’t believe it.

Hesitantly, LaMonica said, "Are you okay, Mr. Rauglins?"

It took Detrick a moment to find his voice. He was a lawyer and seldom liked surprises.

Detrick stood up and stuck out his hand. "Hello again. I didn’t realize when I met you the other night, you were from Virginia."

"You seem to have me mistaken with someone else, Mr. Rauglins. I don’t think we’ve ever met before now." LaMonica stepped up closer to the desk to shake his hand. "You look familiar, but it’s probably because your face has been plastered in the newspaper for months. I think that I would remember meeting you," she stated when she saw the look of doubt on his face.

Detrick had stood closer to this woman two nights ago than he was standing now and he was positive it was her. He was sure he’d probably bruised her ego that night and maybe she was trying to protect it now. If she wanted to play that game, then he would play.

"My mistake." Maybe she was crazy and had an alter ego. It was very common for people to put on a guise at a club. Hell, he’d done the same by giving a fake name.

"Look, why don’t we start over." Still holding his hand, she said, "Hello, Mr. Rauglins, I’m LaMonica Walker. A writer for Up and Coming Magazine."

"It’s very nice to meet you, Ms. Walker."

"I understand you had some questions in regards to the piece we want to do on you."

At that moment, there was a quick tap on the door and Paul came breezing into the room.

"Hey, Rick I was wondering..." Paul stopped in the middle of his sentence.

Detrick knew what Paul was thinking when he saw LaMonica Walker.

"Sorry, to interrupt you two." He walked over to LaMonica to shake her hand. "It’s nice to fin--"

"Paul, meet LaMonica Walker, a journalist with UCM. Ms. Walker, my associate Paul Kelly, family lawyer." Detrick cut into his friend’s statement before Paul stuck his foot in his mouth, like he had done.

Paul gave Detrick a look that said he didn’t understand what was going on here.

Detrick gave him a return look saying they would discuss it later.

"It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Kelly," LaMonica said.

"It’s nice to meet you too, Ms. Walker," Paul said.

"What brings you by, Paul?" Detrick asked.

"I came to see if you were heading out to lunch. Susan wasn’t at her desk, but I see you’re busy, so I’ll talk to you later."

Paul left the office as quickly as he had entered.

"So, that’s Paul Kelly. I read about a few of his cases in the paper, also." LaMonica was trying to ease the tension in the room.

"I hadn’t thought about lunch until he said it and now my stomach is reminding me I didn’t eat breakfast," Detrick commented.

"I can relate. I was a little jetlagged this morning and only had time for a plain bagel." LaMonica saw a strange look cross Detrick’s face.

"Jetlag? Where were you coming from?" Detrick tried to pose the question as nonchalantly as possible.

"I was in San Diego last week, visiting my parents," LaMonica responded.

"I heard San Diego is a nice city, but I’ve never had a chance to see it. I understand what you mean by jetlag, I was in La Jolla this past week." Detrick couldn’t stop himself from heading in the direction his questions were going. He was a good lawyer--it was part of his character to dig until he found the truth.

"That’s a nice area," LaMonica stated quietly, knowing he was digging for something. She was a journalist; she recognized the signs.

"So, did you have a chance to get out while you were there?"

"Get out? What exactly are you trying to ask me?"

Detrick could tell she was getting annoyed. "I’m sorry if all my questions are pestering you, but two nights ago I met you in a club in La Jolla. I know I turned you down when you propositioned me, but I don’t think you have to carry it to this extreme."

"What extreme, Mr. Rauglins? When are you going to understand I’ve never met you before today?" LaMonica admitted silently to herself the possibility they had been at the same club, but she was positive they didn’t meet. The fact he couldn’t let it alone was making her angry which was irritating her, because she was usually a calm and rational person.

"I admit, you’re dressed a little different but I never forget a face." Detrick came around the desk, they were almost face to face staring at each other. Detrick looked into the pair of cinnamon-brown eyes that had disturbed his sleep for the past two nights. When he had seen her standing in his office, he had experienced the same jolt to his senses as when he had spotted her on the dance floor.

She was dressed differently today. She wore a navy blue pinstriped suit. The matching skirt stopped at the top of her knees and conformed very well to the contours of her figure. Even though he tried to tell himself this was not her true personality, he still couldn’t stop himself from seeing how well the skirt fit her body when she turned to speak with Paul.

"Mr. Rauglins, I don’t know how I could be any clearer. I don’t know you. So please stop with the firing squad of questions. Can we talk about some of your concerns you’re having with the article?"

Detrick looked at her. She had the whole act down to a science. She almost had him convinced they had never met. She had missed her calling--with those types of skills of persuasion she should have been a lawyer or an actress. "I’m sorry, I guess once I get something in my head it’s hard to let go."

"Would it help if I screamed objection when I felt your questions were out of line?" A slight smile graced her face.

Detrick couldn’t help but return it. "It might but, fair warning, I’ll still try to plead my case."

"I’ll consider myself warned." The smile on her face became broader.

Detrick knew if they had met at different times and circumstances, he could see himself wanting to get to know her better. But they hadn’t.

Detrick looked down at his watch. "Ms. Walker, have you eaten lunch yet?"

"No, I haven’t, but I’ll grab a quick bite on my way back to work after our meeting." A protesting sound came from her stomach.

They both looked down in the direction of the intruder.

"Well, it seems as if your stomach has its own opinion," Detrick commented. He knew his stomach was just seconds behind hers.

"Evidently."

"Well, why don’t we do this. Both of us are hungry, so why don’t we take this meeting on the road and do lunch?" Detrick volunteered.

"I’m not sure that would be a good idea." Her uneasiness was showing.

"You’re hungry and I’m hungry. Why not share a meal?" Detrick was sure she was afraid her secret would come out the longer they were together. "Besides, it’s an age old tradition for people to have meetings over a meal. Haven’t you ever heard of a business dinner or a power lunch?"

LaMonica knew she should push to keep the meeting in a business-type setting, but she was hungry. She figured a restaurant may not be a bad idea, and it would put them on neutral ground.

"As long as I can drive my own car, I’ll agree to it." LaMonica stated.

"That’s fine with me." Detrick reached into his pocket and pulled out his keys. "Do you know where Arletá’s is? Or do you need to follow me?"

LaMonica and Detrick left his office in the direction of the elevator.

"No, I know where it is. I need to make a phone call to my office, so I’ll meet you there." LaMonica said when she stopped just before getting on the elevator and pulled out her cell phone.

"I’ll go on ahead and get us a table, it can get pretty busy at lunch time."

LaMonica gave an affirmative nod and watched the elevator doors close. She needed a little time and space between them to get her nerves back on track. Detrick Rauglins was something else, in many ways.

All of the pictures she had seen of him hadn’t prepared her for the real thing. LaMonica was a tall woman and it was very rare that men stood above her, but Detrick topped her by at least three inches. His broad shoulders only reached her chin because of her heels. They were the kind of shoulders that made a woman want to crawl into his arms on a bad day.

When she had shook his hand it had stirred sensations all through her body. Moniqua had always told her to watch a man’s hands. If they showed strength and confidence in their grip and movements, they would defiantly know their way around a woman’s body.

LaMonica had to shake herself. Detrick Rauglins was a possible client, not a possible date. Besides, he’d already believed he had turned her down once. That alone proved he didn’t find her attractive in the least.

Thoughts of the La Jolla club returned and for a moment Moniqua came to LaMonica’s mind--all she had heard had sounded like her sister’s M.O. But, she also knew her sister loved to brag about the guys she met. A fine specimen like Detrick Rauglins would’ve been discussed during the ride home like the rest of the guys, but whomever it had been, it wasn’t her.

LaMonica took a deep breath then abruptly, she opened her cell phone and dialed Pamela’s desk number.