Identical – 1

Two Months Earlier

Della Street took a deep breath and thanked the bartender who eyed her with a look of both amusement and admiration. She almost slammed the glass back on the bar but stopped short.

'We don't often get ladies looking as pretty as you knocking back neat scotch like that.'

Della smiled, her face blushing slightly. 'Sorry,' she muttered half heartedly and gathered her purse and light scarf. Taking a little jump from the barstool she found herself face to chest of a dinner jacket of the deepest black. The cologne immediately assaulted her senses. 'Oh I'm terribly sorry.' She mumbled at the chest.

'It's quite alright Miss.' The voice was gruff and deep and sounded strangely familiar. Della raised her eyes to see who the voice belonged to and gave an audible involuntary gasp. 'Are you okay Miss?' The voice had spoken again. Della blinked her eyes trying to bring her mind into line with what her eyes were seeing.

'I'm….I'm….' Light blue eyes remained steady on her face, his mouth twitching in amusement at her loss for words. 'It's incredible.' The eyebrows shot up on his head in silent question. 'I mean, the…I'm sorry please excuse me.' Della went to push past the mysterious man in front of her and make an escape without embarrassing herself further. He took her arm lightly.

'Wait a minute.' Della looked into his face as he began speaking. 'I'm not a vain man but I've never before had a beautiful woman be scared of me with just one glance.' He chuckled, 'Before you run away from me Cinderella, please tell me what is it about me that scares you so much?'

'I'm not scared, it's just….' Della felt her cheeks burning almost as much as his gentle grip on her arm felt to her.

'Why don't you sit back down and let me buy you a drink, if you have the time, and you can explain to me what's so shocking about my appearance.' Almost in a trance Della nodded as her brain didn't even question her current situation and allowed him to guide her to a nearby empty table. Holding her chair for her, she mumbled her thanks and slipped down unable to remove her eyes from his face. He spoke to a passing waiter and ordered two drinks.

'Now Miss…?'

'Street, Della Street.'

'Miss Street or may I call you Della?'

'Della is more than fine thank you.' She heard herself saying.

'Good,' he seemed pleased by her approval of allowing him use of her first name. 'I'm Robert, Robert Ironside but my friends call me Bob.' He offered a large hand. Della shook it lightly and was surprised further by its softness.

'I'm pleased to meet you Mr Ironside.'

He smiled. 'Robert or Bob is perfectly acceptable if you'd oblige me.' Della nodded and found herself returning the smile. The waiter chose that moment to return placing the glasses in front of them.

'Scotch?' Della raised a perfect eyebrow in amusement.

'I saw you knock one back at the bar. That's no way to treat good whiskey young lady, so I thought you might like to savour this one.' He was mocking her, she should be offended but she strangely didn't mind. 'In fairness though, I saw why you felt the need for a belt.' Della froze a little as she looked at him. 'Don't be put out.' His voice was reassuring. 'Better to take a slug of hooch than a slug at your bosses lady friend.'

'You heard?'

Robert nodded his head. 'I did.' Della coloured furiously. 'Hey, for what it's worth Della, I know who I'd rather be dancing with tonight. Why the hell did your boss invite you to this ball knowing his girlfriend or is it wife, was turning up?'

'Thank you.' Della grimaced. 'He didn't know she was turning up, she was supposed to be in Las Vegas with her friends. She turned down his invite and made other arrangements and he asked me to be his guest as he'd already accepted for two. Mr Mason wouldn't have done it maliciously, he's not like that.' Della felt oddly defensive. 'Oh and she's his girlfriend, he's not married.'

'Well if I read the situation correctly Miss Street, I'd say she got wind that you were accompanying him, got jealous and flew back to intercept you, although,' Robert took a package of cigarettes from his pocket, 'Do you mind if I?' He proffered the pack and Della declined with a slight shake of her head, 'That crack about her saving him from having to slum it with the hired help caused some consternation.'

'It's not like I haven't heard it before from her.'

'You misunderstand me, the consternation was that you didn't land one on her, but I'm guessing that's not your style and you like your job.' He laughed.

'You find my embarrassment funny?' Della's voice turned icy. Impulsively Robert reached across and put his hand over hers.

'Please, I'm sorry. I don't find it funny at all. I detest people like that.'

'Then what do you find so amusing?' The chill remained but he was unconcerned by it.

'I was just picturing you losing your temper, which I'm inclined to believe doesn't happen often but when it does,' he gave a short, low whistle, 'Grown men run for cover.' Della gave in to a smile despite herself. 'So, you're a legal secretary?'

'Yes, I've worked for Mr Mason about two years and you? Are you a lawyer?'

'No. Probably worse than that for some, I'm a cop.' He stubbed his half finished cigarette out.

'Not that I'm familiar with all the cops in L.A, but I've never seen you about the precinct and somehow you don't strike me as a cop that walks a beat.'

'I don't, I'm a detective and you won't normally see me around here, I work in San Francisco. Now, tell me why you seemed a little out of sorts when we met a few minutes ago at the bar. You looked like you'd seen a ghost.' Robert left no room for further personal questions.

'I don't believe in ghosts.' She was deflecting and she knew it. Della took a sip of her scotch and rolled the glass between her strong, elegant fingers. Finally she looked Robert in the face. 'Because I thought you were my boss for a second.'

'What? Were you hoping he'd come to the rescue, sweep you off your feet so to speak?'

'No,' Della shook her head. 'Not at all. We don't work like that. He's my boss, I'm his secretary. He's my best friend but we're not lovers. You just look so much like him it… well quite frankly it caught me off guard.'

Robert's eyes narrowed. 'I've seen your boss, there might be a passing resemblance but I'm not sure we're quite twins.'

'Really?' Della sounded surprised. 'You don't see it? I think looking at you I know what he'll look like in another five years or so.'

'I'm not sure if that's a compliment or not,' he snorted feigning being offended before smiling. 'Do you like what you see then or is it something to fear?' At that moment both realised their hands were still resting together. Della turned hers palm up into his and gave his hand a slight squeeze and responded demurely.

'Mr Ironside, I have never anything to fear from my boss, perhaps apart from his current taste in companions, and yes, I like very much what I see.'

TBC