CHAPTER 3

"A red wine and a bottle of Bud please," Nikki ordered the drinks, the barman was looking at her and Vix in a manner Nikki found un-nerving, he whisper to his female colleague and she turned and looked in their direction, she seemed to confirm what ever he had said, they both looked at Vix and turned away in a huddle, Marcus brought over the drinks took the money and returned the change, he was short and unfriendly to Nikki.

"What's with him? He's a not very friendly," They sat down at a table for two; the large booths were more for a crowd. Looking round Rubies Vix approved of the place, it was comfortable and not to busy, she was still a little nervous in crowds. They spent a happy hour there even though the bar staff seemed a bit short with them, "well it's our last night I've booked a table at your favourite restaurant tonight, so follow me, outside was a Rolls Royce, it belonged to a friend of Nikki's, she had asked him if he would drive them from Rubies to the restaurant so she could take Vix in style. Ha had agreed.

"Sam and Lexy leaned on the bar, "Two Buds please Marcus," Lexy paid, "what's up with you Marcus you look like you've seen a ghost?"

"Haven't you just left here Sam?" Marcus looked confused,

"No I've just arrived."

"Bloody hell Sam I was sure it was you in here 10 minutes ago, with another woman, leaving in a roller."

"Not you as well Marcus, everyone is seeing me in places I'm not," Sam was pissed off she had missed this double of her by minutes, "A Roller, she must have money I don't have."

"Sam I'm sorry I thought you'd been brazen enough to bring another woman in here,"

"Fuck off Marcus; I'm with Lexy forever you know that, one thing though this woman who looks like me must be gay too."

"I'd safely say so Sam she was totally into the woman she was with," Naomi the other bar staff joined in, "She was hot too."

"Well this look a like must have taste just like me, I mean look at Lexy she is beautiful."

Lexy smiled and blushed at the same time.

The drive back to Greenock was good, it was quiet on the roads and they stopped off for lunch in a small village pub, "What do you think of this double Nikki?" Vix had asked.

"Don't know what to think Vix, I mean you came face to face with her didn't you and you really thought for just a split second it was me but knew it couldn't be because I was in the hotel, would not be in the street with a man and I don't own a black long coat."

Vix and Nikki carried on with their lives; they thought nothing about the woman who looked so like Nikki once they were back at work. Nikki was helping Kacey with her boxing after school twice a week and on those nights Vix held a jewellery work shop, the kids loved it but the biggest surprise was her best pupil was Darren Hughes, he had a flare for it and began to help Vix out in her studio at the weekends, he had over come the need to take lewd pictures of women, his Mum had gone into rehab and was clean, they had moved to a flat away from the drug ridden estate they had lived on and Ms Hughes was now working as a cleaner at the school. Waterloo Road helped families not just the children. That was why Nikki loved it so much.

Sam had been more affected by the week of her double, she had rang her mother but she had no more information than she had been born to a 15 year old girl, who had been unable to care for her and she had been given up for adoption. They had not known her birth mothers whereabouts as the adoption agency had dealt with everything, she had not gone to the court for the final decision and Sam had become theirs.

Being a police officer Sam could not let it rest, she wrote to the adoption agency but got no joy from them either. Sam was convinced that the stranger was her flesh and blood and she had to find her.

It was a flippant remark by Frankie that set Sam on a path of discovery, "What do you want me to do with those photos I took of you double Sam? Do you want them? Or should I ditch them?"

"No Frankie give them to me, I'd like to see if I can trace these two women?"

The last of the pictures showed the woman entering the hotel, Sam got an idea, she want to the hotel that evening, she flashed her warrant card and asked about guests staying, one suspected of a theft from an elderly woman, it was weak but a spare of the moment idea. She came away with names and an address for Nikki Boston and Victoria Sparks.

She told Lexy what she had done, "are you mad? You could get into trouble for that Sam, there is no case and you got their address under false pretences."

"I know but I am so curious as to who this woman is," Sam held one of the photos in her hand.

"Look I think you need to drop it Sam it's eating you up day and night," Lexy was becoming tired of the obsession.

"I know you're fed up with it but being adopted I may have a wonderful family but I don't have a blood relative, Peter felt the same, he found his birth mother and a half sister and brother two years ago, I had nothing, all I know is my mothers name was Janice she was 15 when I was born and lived in Yorkshire, I was taken to Bradford by my parents after they adopted me I was born in a mother and baby home in Sheffield that is it, you know who you came from who you belong to but this not knowing does get you down some times." Sam looked dejected.

"Aww Sam I'm sorry, I guess me having such a close family and real blood relations I don't know what it's like to not know my roots," Lexy hugged Sam close, she kissed her dark hair and they sat together in silence for some time.

"We are organising a trip to Edinburgh Nikki, a history trip would you be willing to come as one of the teachers," Audrey McFaul stirred her cup of tea, "do you take sugar Nikki? Sorry my memory isn't what it used to be and since the notice has been taken down I can't remember everyone's tea order."

"One thanks Audrey, Were will this trip be taking us?"

"The castle, the museum and along the Royal Mile, nothing like that awful trip you last went on,"

Nikki scowled, she did not want reminding of that awful trip, "Ok Audrey count me in when are you planning it for?"

"Three weeks just before the summer holidays,"

"Fine by me."

"Right Lexy the hotel is booked it is right by the Royal Mile, I'll take you on the ghost tour scare you in to my arms all night, three weeks and Edinburgh here we come.