pulled into the pits trailing a puff of blue smoke. Kent Grosso emerged and yanked off his helmet as he gestured toward the hood. By the time Jake neared, the pit crew had already surrounded the car and were working to make adjustments. “How’s it look, Kent?” he called.
Kent glanced toward him. “Hi, Jake. Didn’t know you were coming.”
“Yeah, I had the afternoon free so I thought I’d drop by.”
He nodded, his attention still on the car. Kent focused the way Dean did, his posture radiating the same kind of confidence. He’d inherited his Italian features from his father’s side of the family, with the exception of his blue eyes. They were a striking shade that was more intense than Becky’s. Still, his height and body type were more similar to Becky’s than to his parents’.
As a matter of fact, Kent was exactly the same height as Jake, but that similarity was probably due to coincidence, not heredity. Jake was Patsy’s cousin several times removed. The blood tie between them had happened generations ago.
That was good. If Becky did turn out to be Gina, her kinship with Jake would be distant enough that there wouldn’t be any medical reason why they couldn’t—
Jake slammed the door on that thought before it could finish forming.
“It’s nothing serious,” Kent said. “The engine’s just got the usual prerace hiccups.”
“I heard it’s going to be a hot one this weekend. The forecast for Chicago’s calling for high nineties.”
“That’s what we figured.” Kent stepped back to give one of the mechanics more room. “Are you coming to the barbecue after the race?”
“Wouldn’t miss it.” Jake leaned closer and pitched hisvoice so only Kent would hear him. “Can you spare a few minutes? I need to run something past you in private.”
Kent lifted his eyebrows at that, but didn’t question Jake’s request. He left his helmet in the car and followed him to a picnic table in the shade of the garage. “I have to put in some more laps,” he began.
“That’s fine,” Jake said. “I’ll be quick. I’d like you to provide a DNA sample.”
“A DNA…This is about Gina.”
“Yes.”
“Don’t tell me you found her!”
“It’s a strong possibility.”
“Who is she? Where is she?”
“The woman I’m currently investigating is Becky Peters,” he said, pulling the photo from his pocket. “This is her in ’78. I won’t go into all the details now, but I think it’s worth doing the test.”
“Sure. Of course. I’ll do whatever you need.” He peered at the picture. “Cute kid.”
“That’s nothing. You should see her now.”
“This is incredible. That baby could be my twin. Mom and Dad are going to be—”
“Hold on, Kent. I don’t want to tell them yet. That’s why I asked you for the sample instead of your parents. As Gina’s twin, your DNA should provide a good basis for a match.” He returned the photo to his pocket. “I don’t want to get Dean and Patsy excited and then have it turn out to be a false alarm. Your mother concerns me the most. If Patsy got her hopes up and the test showed no match, it would be like losing Gina twice.”
“I understand.” He looked toward the tower where his father was still talking with the crew chief. “Dad’s trying to be the strong one about all this, but I know he’s anxious, too. He blames himself for not looking harder after Gina disappeared.”
“He shouldn’t. The police told him Gina was dead. They had to move on. It was the only healthy thing to do.”
He regarded Jake once more. “I’m glad you came to me, Jake. I want to find my twin as much as everyone else, but I never even knew she existed until a few months ago. If the test shows no match, it’s not going to hit me like it would my parents.”
“Thanks, Kent. I’ll make the arrangements and get back to you.”
“Great.” Kent gave him a thumbs-up as he returned to his car. Minutes later, he was back on the track and roaring
Kent glanced toward him. “Hi, Jake. Didn’t know you were coming.”
“Yeah, I had the afternoon free so I thought I’d drop by.”
He nodded, his attention still on the car. Kent focused the way Dean did, his posture radiating the same kind of confidence. He’d inherited his Italian features from his father’s side of the family, with the exception of his blue eyes. They were a striking shade that was more intense than Becky’s. Still, his height and body type were more similar to Becky’s than to his parents’.
As a matter of fact, Kent was exactly the same height as Jake, but that similarity was probably due to coincidence, not heredity. Jake was Patsy’s cousin several times removed. The blood tie between them had happened generations ago.
That was good. If Becky did turn out to be Gina, her kinship with Jake would be distant enough that there wouldn’t be any medical reason why they couldn’t—
Jake slammed the door on that thought before it could finish forming.
“It’s nothing serious,” Kent said. “The engine’s just got the usual prerace hiccups.”
“I heard it’s going to be a hot one this weekend. The forecast for Chicago’s calling for high nineties.”
“That’s what we figured.” Kent stepped back to give one of the mechanics more room. “Are you coming to the barbecue after the race?”
“Wouldn’t miss it.” Jake leaned closer and pitched hisvoice so only Kent would hear him. “Can you spare a few minutes? I need to run something past you in private.”
Kent lifted his eyebrows at that, but didn’t question Jake’s request. He left his helmet in the car and followed him to a picnic table in the shade of the garage. “I have to put in some more laps,” he began.
“That’s fine,” Jake said. “I’ll be quick. I’d like you to provide a DNA sample.”
“A DNA…This is about Gina.”
“Yes.”
“Don’t tell me you found her!”
“It’s a strong possibility.”
“Who is she? Where is she?”
“The woman I’m currently investigating is Becky Peters,” he said, pulling the photo from his pocket. “This is her in ’78. I won’t go into all the details now, but I think it’s worth doing the test.”
“Sure. Of course. I’ll do whatever you need.” He peered at the picture. “Cute kid.”
“That’s nothing. You should see her now.”
“This is incredible. That baby could be my twin. Mom and Dad are going to be—”
“Hold on, Kent. I don’t want to tell them yet. That’s why I asked you for the sample instead of your parents. As Gina’s twin, your DNA should provide a good basis for a match.” He returned the photo to his pocket. “I don’t want to get Dean and Patsy excited and then have it turn out to be a false alarm. Your mother concerns me the most. If Patsy got her hopes up and the test showed no match, it would be like losing Gina twice.”
“I understand.” He looked toward the tower where his father was still talking with the crew chief. “Dad’s trying to be the strong one about all this, but I know he’s anxious, too. He blames himself for not looking harder after Gina disappeared.”
“He shouldn’t. The police told him Gina was dead. They had to move on. It was the only healthy thing to do.”
He regarded Jake once more. “I’m glad you came to me, Jake. I want to find my twin as much as everyone else, but I never even knew she existed until a few months ago. If the test shows no match, it’s not going to hit me like it would my parents.”
“Thanks, Kent. I’ll make the arrangements and get back to you.”
“Great.” Kent gave him a thumbs-up as he returned to his car. Minutes later, he was back on the track and roaring
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