The sad smile remained. 'I didn't do it,' Linda said.
'That part is true.'
'What do you mean, that part?'
'You said I didn't cut off my son's finger,' she continued.
'But Chad is not my son.'
Chapter 36
Something in Myron's head clicked again.
'I'm infertile,' Linda explained. She said the words with great ease, but the pain in her eyes was so raw and naked that Myron almost flinched. 'I have this condition where my ovaries cannot produce eggs. But Jack still wanted a biological child.'
Myron spoke softly. 'You hired a surrogate?'
Linda looked toward Victoria. 'Yes,' she said.
'Though it was not quite so aboveboard.'
'It was all done to the letter of the law,' Victoria interjected.
'You handled it for them?' Myron asked.
'I did the paperwork, yes. The adoption was completely legal.'
'We wanted to keep it a secret,' Linda said. 'That's why I took off from the tour so early. I went into seclusion.
The birth mother was never even supposed to know who we were.'
Something else in his head went click. 'But she found out.'
'Yes.'
Another click. 'It's Diane Hoffman, isn't it?'
Linda was too exhausted to look surprised. 'How did you know?'
'Just an educated guess.' Why else would Jack hire Diane Hoffman as his caddie? Why else would she have gotten upset at the way they were handling the kidnapping?
'How did she find you?'
Victoria answered that one. 'As I said, it was all done legally. With all the new disclosure laws, it wasn't that hard to do.'
Another click. 'That's why you couldn't divorce Jack. He was the biological parent. He'd have the upper hand in a custody battle.' .
Linda slumped her shoulders and nodded.
'Does Chad know about all this?'
'No,' Linda said.
'At least, not to your knowledge,' Myron said.
'What?'
'You don't know for sure. Maybe he found out.
Maybe Jack told him. Or Diane. Maybe that's how this whole thing got started.'
Victoria crossed her arms. 'I don't see it, Myron.
Suppose Chad did find out. How would that have led to his own kidnapping and his f`ather's murder?'
Myron shook his head. It was a good question. 'I
don't know yet. l need time to think it through. Do the police know all this?'
'About the adoption? Yes.'
It was beginning to make sense now. 'This gives the DA their motive. 'They'll say that Jack's suing for divorce worried Linda. That she killed him to keep her son.'
Victoria Wilson nodded. 'And the fact that Linda is not the biological mother could play one of two ways:
eiher she loved her son so much that she killed Jack to keep him or because Chad was not her own flesh and blood- she could indeed be driven to cut off his finger.'
'Either way, finding the finger doesn't help us.'
Victoria nodded. She did not say 'I told you so,' but she might as well have.
'Can I say something?' It was Linda. They turned and looked at her.
'I didn't love Jack anymore. I told you that straight out, Myron. I doubt I would have, if I'd been planning on killing him.'
Myron nodded. Made sense.
' 'But I do love my son my son more than life itself.
The fact that it's more believable that I'd maim him because I'm an adoptive mother rather than a biological one is sick and grotesque in the extreme. I love Chad as much as any mother could love a child.'
She stopped, her chest heaving. 'I want you both to know that.'
'We know,' Victoria said. Then: 'Let's all sit down.'
When they were settled in their seats, Victoria continued to take charge. 'I know it's early, but I want to start thinking about reasonable doubt. Their case will have holes. I'll be sure to exploit them. But I'd like to hear some alternative theories on what happened.'
'In other words,' Myron said, 'some other suspects.'
Victoria caught something in his tone. 'That's exactly what I mean.' .
'Well, you already have one ace in the hole, don't you?'
Victoria nodded coolly. 'I do.'
'Tad Crispin, right?'
This time, Linda did indeed look surprised. Victoria remained unfazed. 'Yes, he's a suspect.'
'The kid hired me last night,' Myron said. 'Talking about him would be a conilict of interest.'
'Then we won't talk about him.'
'I'm not sure that's good enough.'
'Then you'll have to dump him as a client,' Victoria said. 'Linda hired you first. Your obligation must be to her. If you feel that there is a conflict, then you'll have to call Mr. Crispin and tell him that you cannot represent him.'
Trapped. And she knew it.
'Let's talk about other suspects,' Myron said.
Victoria nodded. Battle won. 'Go ahead.'
'First off, Esme Fong.' Myron filled them in on all the reasons that she made a good suspect. Again Victoria looked sleepy; Linda looked semi-homicidal.
'She seduced my son?' Linda shouted. 'The bitch came into my house and seduced my son?'
'Apparently so.'
'I can't believe it. That's why Chad was at that sleazy motel'?'
'Okay,' Victoria interrupted. 'I like it. This Esme Fong has motive. She has means. She was one of the few people who knew where Chad was.'
'She also has an alibi for the killing,' Myron added.
' 'But not a great one. There must be other ways in and out of that hotel. She could have worn a disguise. She could have sneaked out when Miguel took a bathroom break. I like her. Who else?'
'Lloyd Rennart.'
'Who?'
'Jack's former caddie,' Myron explained. 'The one who helped throw the Open.'
Victoria frowned. 'Why him?'
'Look at the timing. Jack returns to the site of his greatest failure and suddenly all this happens. It can't be a coincidence. Firing Rennart ruined his life. He became a drunk. He killed his own wife in a car crash.'
'What?' It was Linda.
'Not long after the Open, Lloyd totaled his car while DWI. His wife was killed.'
Victoria asked, 'Did you know her?'
Linda shook her head. 'We never met his family. In fact, I don't think I ever saw Lloyd outside of our home or the golf course.'
Victoria crossed her arms and leaned back. 'I still do not see what makes him a viable suspect.'
