He’s got the flag, family and Jesus behind him. He might win, the nomination anyway.”
“You’re right, it’s scary. What do you know about Karl Kinkaid?”
“Not much, other than he’s a major backer of Justin Wright.”
“That’s all you can tell me?”
“That’s a measure of how mysterious the guy is. You’d think the press would do a hatchet job on him, but no.”
“Maybe he owns the press.”
“Or there’s nothing to expose. What’s Kinkaid done?”
“I’m not sure anything. Is Joy Fielding his wife?”
“Not many people know that. Hey, now that I think of it, she’s the one hot to trot for Wright. Maybe hubby just indulges his beloved. She’s got the bod, he has the bucks.”
He was disappointed. Rankin had offered nothing he didn’t already know, but he couldn’t think of anything else to ask.
“You’re slipping, perfesser.”
“That’s for sure, but on what particular slide now?”
“You haven’t mentioned the big, unsubstantiated rumor about Wright.”
“I’ll bite. What’s the big, unsubstantiated rumor about Wright?”
Rankin laughed. “You haven’t changed, perfesser, same old dry humor. There’s a nasty rumor that Wright secretly fathered a bastard kid. If so, it-”
“Would destroy his holier-than-thou family values campaign.”
“Not to mention Wright himself.”
“Is it true?”
“A lot of effort is going into trying to prove it. The Moore people-”
Byerly laughed. “Winston Winthrop Moore, otherwise known as Win-Win Moore. He just can’t be for real.”
“The guy has a birth certificate, but it could be phony, I suppose. Anyway, the Moore people reportedly are offering big bucks to anyone who produces the W-R-I-G-H-T stuff.” He guffawed. ”Sorry, couldn’t resist that.”
“And if there is such a child, the Wright people would do almost anything to keep him hidden.” Why did he say him?
“Never thought of that, but I’m sure you’re right.”
“Who’s supposed to be the fallen woman?”
“All anyone knows for sure is that three, maybe four years ago, when Wright was in Congress, he was pals with a fox named Amanda something or other, oh yeah, Sykes, I think. She worked in his DC office for a while, then disappeared. Nobody can find her, and believe me, an effort has been made, still is. If you happen to run into Ms. Sykes, you can do yourself a lot of good by calling the right people.”
“I’ll start knocking on doors immediately.”
“Say, why do you want to know about Kinkaid and Wright?”
“When I know myself, you’ll be the first to find out.“
“Oh no you don’t. I want a little quid pro quo.”
“A quid is old English money and greed is unseemly. Bye, Sid.”
DeeDee looked around the shop again. Everything put away. Time to go home. Maybe she should try that Boston number one more time. All she’d gotten was a machine. She pushed the re-dial button.
An actual person. Imagine. “Is Cyn there?”
“This is she.”
“That’s an unusual name. I didn’t know if it was male or female.”
“It’s really Cynthia-Cynthia Wu. Who’s calling?”
No trace of an accent. She imagined Cyn Wu as a tiny, black-haired girl, the sort of progeny Olan might have had if she’d come to America. “You don’t know me, but my name is DeeDee Byerly.”
The voice laughed. “We’re both into unusual names, aren’t we?”
“So it would seem.” She laughed, too. Olan would have been proud of her. “I should have said Doreen Byerly. I’m calling from Santa Barbara, California, in answer to your e-mail message to Harry Gould.”
“Thank God! I’ve been so worried. Is Sophia there? Can I speak to her?”
“How do you know Sophia?”
“I’m her roomie. Why are you calling? Do you know Sophia?”
“I’m sorry, I should have explained. I’m a friend of Harry’s. Your message came and I decided to reply. You don’t know Harry?”
“Only the name. I gather you don’t know Sophia.”
“I don’t think so. What’s her last name?
“Linden, Sophia Linden.”
“Was she a friend of Harry’s?”
A wary silence filled the line. “I’m not sure what I should say. Is Harry there? May I speak to him?”
DeeDee hesitated. “I’m sorry, Cynthia, Harry Gould is dead.”
“Dead! He can’t be. Sophia said he was young, her age.”
“I’m afraid he was shot.”
“But how, why?”
“The police think it was suicide, but those of us close to him believe he was murdered.” She heard Cyn Wu gasp. “I’ve phoned in hopes you might shed some light on his last hours.”
“Are you with the police?”
“His mother asked me to look into his death. She’s very upset, especially with the police calling it a suicide. She’s Catholic and-”
“How awful for her!”
“That’s why I’m trying to help her. Can you tell me what Sophia’s connection to Harry was?”
“I’m not sure. She was surprised to hear from him, I know.”
“If she flew all the way from Boston to Santa Barbara to see him, there must have been something between them.” DeeDee laughed. “Or am I being hopelessly romantic?”
“She didn’t say so, but my guess is Sophia hoped to get some money from him.”
“I don’t think Harry had much money.”
“But he sent airline tickets. Sophia couldn’t have gone otherwise.”
“Harry was a lawyer. Perhaps he represented someone who provided the air fare.”
“Oh God, this is so awful! I’m so worried about Sophia. I warned her not to go, but she insisted.” An anguished sound came. “Have you seen her? Do you know where she is?”
DeeDee tried to keep her voice calm. “As I said, I don’t know Sophia. I’m sure-”
“She stayed at some place called the Upham Hotel.”
“It’s very nice.” And far from cheap!
”She phoned me from there when she arrived. Now they say she’s checked out. DeeDee, I–I’m so worried about her. If this Harry Gould was killed, maybe-”
“I’m sure not, Cynthia. Try not to think about it.” Easily said. “Why would anyone want to harm Sophia?”
“I don’t know, but she was always…well, careful, sort of looking over her shoulder all the time. Sophia didn’t trust very many people. That’s why I was surprised she went to California.”
“Do you have any idea why she was so scared?”
Cyn Wu hesitated. “I think it had something to do with her son. She’d never say who the father was. She didn’t want people to know.”
“Sophia has a son!”
“Yes, a three-year-old, great kid. I kept telling her to get financial support for him and make her life easier. Maybe that’s why she went to California. I hope so.”
“Where’s the boy now?”
“Sophia took him with her. No way would she let him out of her sight. I always thought she was too protective of him.”
DeeDee felt she couldn’t breath. “What’s he look like?”
