“He’s a real towhead, just a sweetheart. His name is Jamie.”
10: A Charming Speculation
“You’re cute in an apron. What’s cooking?”
Byerly turned, saw Lupe Hernandez at the kitchen door, and motioned her inside. “I’m deep into poor man’s stroganoff, better known as SOS. That stands for-”
“I know what it stands for.”
“Then you won’t be staying for dinner.”
She laughed. “Thanks for the invitation. I’ll take some of that wine, too.”
He poured, added to his own glass, then busied himself at the stove, adding seasonings to the onions, mushrooms and hamburger he was sauteing. “What brings you to Monarch Lane?”
“I offered Buster Brogan your information about the Gould case.”
“And you are no longer a member of the police force.”
“Almost. I should decide where my loyalties lie and not listen to you and DeeDee. By the way, you are now known as the Bye-Byes, at least to Buster Brogan.”
“We’ve been called worse.” He heard a car door slam. “That’ll be Doreen. Hold up, she’ll want to hear this.”
Her voice entered the kitchen first. “Darling, wait till you hear what I’ve just learned.” Then she saw Lupe and hugged her. “How wonderful to see you.”
“What’s your news?” he asked.
“It’ll keep, I want to fuss over this creature. I love your hair this way, pulled back into a chignon. You look like Nefertiti on one of her better days. With your deep-set eyes, you’re so-o…dramatic, that’s the word.” She turned to him. “She’s too lovely, Walter. I don’t think I should leave you alone with her.”
“Good work, but enough, already. Detective Hernandez is here on official business. She reported our info on the Gould murder to Sgt. Brogan and was warned not to associate with the Bye-Byes, as we are now known. I sorta like it, don’t you?”
Doreen dismissed that with a flip of her hand. “The erased files didn’t impress him?”
“It only proves the suicide.”
“That’s ridiculous! Is the man a Neanderthal?”
“Buster believes conclusions are to be reached, not leapt to.” Lupe sighed. “That would be easier for me to believe, if he’d run a paraffin test on Gould.”
“He didn’t?” Byerly almost dropped his spoon. ”What’s wrong with him?”
“It looks to me like he has another agenda.”
She shrugged. “Maybe, I can only hope you’re wrong.”
Byerly poured wine for Doreen, then tended to his stroganoff, dumping a bag of noodles into boiling water. “I wasn’t serious about dinner, Lupe, you’re more than welcome. Be about ten minutes.”
“You may not want me after I tell you the real reason I came.' She sipped her wine. 'Sgt. Brogan gave me an assignment. I’m to find a missing boy, blond, blue-eyed, about three years old. Sounds like the missing child you asked me about, doesn’t it?”
“And what did Brogan tell you about this child?”
“Not one syllable more than you did. Walter, what’s going on?”
He glanced at Doreen, saw wariness in her eyes. “We have to tell her. We’re on the same deserted island.” He saw her reluctant nod. “The child is safe, in good hands, being cared for, just where his mother left him. We didn’t tell you-”
“We were afraid you’d feel duty bound to contact Children’s Services and we don’t want that, at least not yet.”
“Who is this child?”
“He answers to the name Jamie. Other than that, we don’t know and at age three he can hardly tell us.”
“I think I know,” Doreen said. “I talked to-” She glanced at Lupe. “Maybe we should start at the beginning.”
“I think you’d better, I’m lost.”
Doreen told of Jamie’s abandonment, but did not reveal where he was, nor did Lupe ask. Smart girl, Lupe. Better she not know. “There’s a definite link between Harry Gould’s murder and Jamie’s abandonment.”
He looked at her sharply. “There is?”
“It’s what I’m dying to tell you. Jamie’s last name is Linden, Jamie Linden. His mother’s name is not JoAnn- she made that up-but Sophia Linden.”
“Doreen, my clever one, where did you learn this?”
“From Cyn Wu, the girl in Boston, Sophia’s roommate. Harry Gould contacted Sophia. I don’t know how they knew each other or why she trusted him, but she accepted the air fare he sent for her and Jamie, flew out here and stayed at the Upham Hotel.”
“Why did she come?” Lupe asked.
“Sophia had Jamie out of wedlock. Cyn Wu doesn’t know the father, apparently nobody does. She’s had a hard time. Cyn Wu thinks she came out here in hopes of obtaining financial support.
“Is Gould the father?” he asked.
“I don’t think so. If she came out here with Jamie, Gould would have met her at the airport, at least known about Jamie. There was no need for her to hide him with a total stranger.”
“She came out here to meet someone else.”
“And got herself abducted by our friends in the castle.”
Lupe Hernandez held up both hands. “Whoa! Not so fast. Walt, is this the library abduction you asked me about?”
“I think so. I drove out to the Karl Kinkaid place. Sitting in the driveway was a limousine and chauffeur as described by Henry Clay.”
“And who is Henry Clay?”
“My homeless informant.” Lupe’s expression was the sort a person makes while sticking a big toe in a tub of hot water. ”I know it’s not much. You’re hardly going for a search warrant and an arrest.”
“You’re right there. What possible connection can there be between Karl Kinkaid, a local jillionaire, and an abandoned tyke?”
Doreen’s voice brightened. “Maybe Kinkaid is Jamie’s father. She came out here to-”
“Try again. I took your advice, darling, and delved into the bible. I ended up with Sid Rankin in D.C.-I don’t think you know him-and came up with an utterly charming speculation. For starters, Sophia Linden may not be the correct name, either. Jamie’s mother is more likely Amanda Sykes.”
“Good heavens, Walter!”
“It’s something checkable, maybe by you, Lupe.”
“If I only knew what you’re talking about.”
“Yes, darling, must you be so mysterious?”
He grinned. “Gotta have some fun. Okay, Sid Rankin says the hot political rumor this season is that Justin Wright fathered a child out of wedlock with one Amanda Sykes. She and the child have both disappeared. Wright’s political opponents, the press and apparently God Himself are looking for her.”
“And the Wright people want to keep him hidden.”
“My exact words to Sid Rankin.”
“Or test for DNA to prove he’s not the father.”
“Wright himself could save that expense.” He looked at Lupe. “What’s bothering you?”
“What was that term you used?”
“Charming speculation. That’s what it is.”
“No mistake there.”
“Except for one thing,” Doreen said. “Who asked the police to find a missing little boy? It just has to be
