Behind the Shadows by Patricia; Potter

she knew.
    He looked at her face, and his smile faded. “What is it, Leigh?”
    â€œCan we go out to lunch? Now?” She didn’t want to be in the close confines of the office. She wanted to be in a public place where she could wear a public face. She wouldn’t cry there.
    â€œOf course.” His hand touched her shoulder as they went out the door.
    Was she really that obvious? Kind gestures were not in his repertoire, at least not that she’d noticed.
    â€œThat reporter,” she said after they were seated in the restaurant, “the one who did the story earlier this week, visited me again.”
    She saw a flicker of surprise in his eyes. “Why?” he asked with more interest than she’d expected.
    â€œShe claimed that I’m not the biological daughter of my parents. That she is. That we were switched at birth.”
    Max didn’t usually show emotions, but he started forward in his chair and his eyes darkened. “That’s nonsense.”
    â€œThat’s what I said,” Leigh agreed, suddenly comforted by his obvious shock. “You know all the family secrets,” she said, voicing that tiny kernel of doubt. “ You would know.”
    He ignored that comment. “Tell me exactly what she said.”
    She recounted the conversation with Kira Douglas as completely as she could, knowing she’d hit the most important points.
    His eyes turned icy and a muscle flexed in his throat. She’d seen enough of him to know he was angry. Furious, in fact. It wasn’t, though, aimed at her. She had been on that end before and knew the signs.
    â€œShe wants me to take a DNA test.” A pause. “She wants me to give a kidney.”
    â€œAnd what do you want to do?” His voice was noncommittal but his eyes seethed with anger.
    â€œTell her to go to hell. She lied to get into my house. I have no reason to trust her. I found my birth certificate after talking to her. There’s no doubt I’m a Westerfield. I wonder if she’s just using the kidney story to blackmail us.”
    Max shook his head. “She does have a very ill mother on the kidney transplant list.”
    â€œHow do you know?”
    â€œA gut feeling that she wasn’t just there for the interview. I ran a check on her.”
    She glared at him. “Why didn’t you warn me?”
    â€œI had no reason to. You made the appointment without asking me. When I saw her and the photographer, it was rather late to ask questions.”
    â€œWhat do you think she wants?”
    â€œShe’s clean as far as public records go. She’s apparently good at her job,” he said.
    Leigh had the sudden impression that he was not telling her everything. Her blood chilled. If she couldn’t trust Max, who could she trust?
    â€œWhat should I do?” she asked again.
    â€œDon’t agree to anything. Don’t sign anything. I’ll meet with her and find out exactly why she believes there was a baby switch and whether she has any proof. You say she got some DNA that day she interviewed you?” Then he cursed. That damned cup . No wonder Kira Douglas had looked so guilty.
    â€œShe says it matches her mother’s.”
    â€œThat wouldn’t hold up in court,” he said.
    â€œWhat should I do?”
    â€œI don’t want you talking to her. If she phones, hang up. If she e-mails, save them for me but don’t reply. Okay?”
    She nodded, feeling better already. His anger was palpable, but she knew it was directed elsewhere. She would not want to be in that reporter’s shoes.
    â€œSomething else,” he said. “Don’t mention this to anyone else. Not until I know more. You don’t want the press camping on your doorstep.”
    â€œShe is the press.”
    His expression tightened. “For some reason she apparently hasn’t said anything about this to anyone but you. If she had any legal proof, she would have