“A very nice commission is what I have. I will not be expecting your usual discount on the flowers.”
“I always knew heaven would be like this. To whom or what do I owe this largesse?”
“I don’t know who the bill goes to yet. It’s a fund-raiser for somebody named-I can’t read my handwriting-oh yes, Justin Wright, whoever he is.”
DeeDee smiled. “I guess you’re into food, not politics. Justin Wright is only a leading candidate for President- that’s of the United States, Gertie. Is he coming to town?”
“All I was told is that it’s to be a $10,000 per-plate dinner, so we trot out the pate de foie gras.”
“At least truffles with the rubber chicken. How many are to attend this modest little feed?”
“There’ll be 20 tables of 12, plus a head table. The lady wants red roses all around.”
“Nothing but the finest.” She jotted that down, then she saw Lupe Hernandez enter the shop and waved to her. Good thing Walter was away with Jamie. “Where is this little shindig taking place?”
“At the estate of, let me see, oh yes, Mrs. Karl Kinkaid.”
She blinked. “Dr. Joy?”
“Who?”
If Gertie didn’t know who Dr. Joy was, it was too hard to explain. “Did Mrs. Kinkaid place the order?”
“I did business with her once before and she liked my work.”
“I can’t imagine why not. Thanks for giving me a piece of it. I won’t disappoint you.” She glanced over her order form. “You forgot to give me the date.”
“Oh yes, thanks for reminding me. It’s Friday. I told her such short notice would cost more.”
“I’m sure cost is no object to Dr. Joy.”
“You said that before. Isn’t Dr. Joy the-”
“The one and the same. I’ll give you a price as soon as I talk to my wholesaler, okay?”
She hung up and went to Lupe, bussing her cheek. “This is a nice surprise. You look positively glowing. You must like being a detective.”
“Does it show that much?” She laughed. “I just left a most interesting interview.”
“Tell me all about it.”
“I made Walter’s phone call.” She seemed excited. “You’ll never believe where it led. Try Victor Dragon.”
“ The Victor Dragon, God’s gift to women?”
“He is beautiful, a gorgeous tan, looks like a bronze Adonis.” She laughed.
“Visiting the folks on Mt. Olympus must’ve been fun.”
“It was, actually. I discovered they’re just like everyone else.”
“It’s about time. Did he come on to you?”
“Not after I asked him why he’s looking for a lost kid.”
“Victor Dragon is searching for Jamie? Did he say why?”
“Along with being suave, rich and conceited, Victor Dragon is closed-mouthed. I did learn that he is the one who phoned Buster Brogan about a lost kid. The department, at least Brogan, apparently drops his pants whenever Dragon says-”
“Dragon wants Jamie? I can’t believe it.”
“He says he represents a client and attorney-client privilege prevents him from-”
“Karl Kinkaid, has to be.”
“Dragon insists he doesn’t know the name of the kid he’s looking for, let alone why.”
“Obviously, he isn’t trusted not to go to the Moore people or the press.” She turned, saw her husband, Jamie in his arms. “Your timing is lousy,” she said.
“Can’t be helped. The giraffes wore out our future zoologist.” He went to Lupe. “Detective Hernandez, may I introduce you to Jamie, a.k.a. James Sykes, I think.”
“Sykes, Sykes.”
“Is that your last name, son?”
“Sykes, Sykes.”
“Another mystery solved,” he said.
Lupe took the boy from him. “How did you get to be such a sweetheart?
“You two make a lovely couple. Are you beginning to understand our problem? We can’t allow this boy to become a pawn in-”
“I’ll say nothing, DeeDee, but I’m not sure how much good that will do. When I was in Victor Dragon’s office he was on the phone, talking I’m sure with someone about a lost boy.”
She hugged Jamie. “Hopefully not this particular boy.”
“Did you happen to catch the name of the caller?”
“I believe he said Marco.”
“Oh God!” She looked at Walter.
“Is that name important?”
He told her. “An easy twenty-five grand is hard to resist.”
“What are we going to do? They’ll surely come after Jamie now.” She looked at Lupe for help.
“They can’t just barge in here or your home and take this boy. It’s called kidnapping and Victor Dragon would never be a party to it. He’d seek a court order making you turn over custody to his mother.”
“Amanda would never do that. She hid him to protect him.” She gasped. “Unless she was forced to.”
“Believe me, it’ll never happen that way,” Walter said. “Too much publicity. They want to hide the boy, not-” He stopped. “There are two very big ears here.” He grinned, “I promised our young friend an ice cream cone. Why don’t we all check out the local flavors, I’ll drive.”
They ended up at Shoreline Park, high on a bluff overlooking the Pacific, Jamie asleep in the back seat of Walter’s sedan. “Has to be one of the world’s beauty spots,” he said. “The cares of the world seem to disappear here.”
They got out, strolled along the parapet, taking in the view. Kites flew overhead and hang gliders soared over the ocean, sparkling now in the afternoon sun. DeeDee took his hand. “You can even see the Channel Islands.”
“I hope I talked you two out of worrying,” Lupe said. “There really is not a lot they can do.”
Walter gave a snorting sound. “Sure, sure, they’re nice sensible folk who consider the consequences of all their actions.”
They stopped and looked back at his car. “I’m having one of your charming speculations,” Lupe said. “Could Victor Dragon be involved in the Gould murder?“
“A woman after my own heart. Let’s run with it. Gould got Mandy Sykes to come to Santa Barbara with her son. She is abducted-most likely by Kinkaid, seeking Jamie.”
“And Dragon has to be attorney for Kinkaid because-”
“He takes phone calls about a lost boy.” Walter laughed. “You’re getting good at this, Lupe.”
“Sorry to rain on you two,” DeeDee said, “but there’s no link between Gould and Victor Dragon.”
“They’re both lawyers.”
“Hardly enough, but maybe I can do better.” She fished her cell phone out of her purse, pushed buttons, in a moment said, “Hi, Lorna, this is DeeDee. How’re you getting along?” She listened. “I’m sorry to be so busy, but I promise to visit you shortly, we’ll have a nice chat.” More listening. “Lorna, dear, I want to ask you something. Did Harry know Victor Dragon, you know the-”
It was hard for her to be patient with Lorna, who rambled on, even harder for her to suppress her excitement. “No particular reason for the question, Lorna, I was just curious.” At last she could hang up.
Walter laughed at her. “How much did you win in the lottery, my dear?”
“What?”
“You look like someone who just-nevermind, what did she say?”
“It seems Harry and Dragon were both into body building. They met at a gym fairly often. Dragon took the young lawyer under his wing, encouraging him to open his own practice, promising to send business his way.”
“Harry happens to mention to his benefactor that his old girlfriend was Mandy Sykes-”
“Darling, I’m sure that’s it.” She turned to Lupe. “There’s your link between Gould and Dragon.”
“It’s still a charming speculation. Victor Dragon probably knows any number of attorneys in Santa
