Two is Better than One

Chapter 1

1990

Henry Spencer was sitting with his children at a dinner, currently nagging the two of them.

"You do your homework?"

"Uh-huh."

"Finish those beets?"

"Unfortunately. Can I have a milkshake?" his daughter, Samantha asked.

"I want the fudge cake," his son, Shawn, butted in.

"Close your eyes, you two."

Sam obeyed, while her brother complained.

"Dad, I don't wanna-"

Henry cut him off, "Now."

The young boy groaned but closed his eyes.

"Shawn, what letter is out on the exit sign?"

"The 'X'."

"Sam, what color is the vinyl?"

"Maroon."

"Good. Shawn, manager's name?"

"Who?"

"She's wearing a name tag. The woman standing at the front door when we first walked in."

The father waited a beat, but could tell his son was remembering the moment.

"You saw her."

"Marie. Can I have the cake now?"

"In a minute. Sam, out of everyone in the diner right now, who is most likely to dine and dash?"

The girl's eyes moved underneath her eyelids as she looked at her mental image of the diner's occupants.

"The two boys in the booth next to the door. They kept looking at the manager while we were ordering. Seemed fidgety. Probably going to try in the next little bit, but won't right now. Not while you're in here, you have arrested them for shoplifting before, right?"

"Correct, open your eyes. Shawn, how many hats?"

"Come on Dad!"

"Shawn, you want a piece of cake? How many hats are in the room?"

His eyes moved like his sister's had a moment before. "Does a beanie count?"

"What do you think?"

"Three."

"You didn't describe them."

"That's not fair."

"Time's almost up Shawn."

Relenting, the oldest twin described the hats in the room as the waitress came up to get their dessert order. He opened his eyes when finished.

The waitress looked at him impressed, "Wow, that's amazing."

Henry looked at him, "It's adequate. He'll have a slice of the fudge cake and she'll have a vanilla milkshake."

She writes down the order and looks at the twins, "Well, I guess I know what you're going to be when you grow up."

Samantha smiled at her and nodded while Shawn just said, "Oh, I'm never going to grow up ma'am."

Present Day

Detective Samantha Spencer stood behind the two-way mirror to the interrogation room, staring at her twin brother. Shawn had somehow got himself in a position where he is now a suspect in the stereo robbery. The tip he had called in was considered too good for him to not be involved. If Detective Lassiter had just allowed her to help, the case wouldn't have taken this long. But now, she's going to enjoy her brother's suffering, as he didn't seem to bother to call her and let her know he was back in town.