here at the estate.”
“What a bald-faced liar you are,” Doreen said.
“But she wouldn’t give up. Still determined to get the child back, she disguised herself in a wig and uniform and induced a friend to bring her out here, posing as a servant. She almost got away with it, too. Fortunately we recognized her and-”
Doreen laughed. “Then why were Mandy and Jamie locked up in that tower? Hardly luxury accommodations, no toilet, no running water, a single light bulb hanging from the ceiling. I suppose you were protecting them from little old me.”
Joy Fielding looked around at her guests, all certainly puzzled now. “Don’t listen to her.”
“You were going to tell the truth, Mrs. Kinkaid. Then by all means tell everyone how your goons abducted Mandy off the street, in broad daylight, and brought her here. Tell them how Mandy was locked up and held prisoner in this very house just so you could influence an election.”
“This is slander. You can’t say things like that. There are laws. I’ll sue the pants off you.”
“I’m wearing a skirt, but never mind. Yes, by all means sue, so all this can come out in court. Meanwhile, Mandy will support what I’m saying.”
Byerly let Doreen fight her own battles, not that she needed help. His attention was on another drama. Mandy stood there holding Jamie, transfixed by Justin Wright. Apparently she had not seen him since…Byerly did not know since when, maybe since she slept with him, or perhaps the birth of Jamie. She was speechless, virtually unblinking.
Wright was not much better. His eyes moved, but only between the faces of Mandy and her son. At last he spoke. “Is that…Jamie?”
Mandy said nothing, just stared.
“He seems…a…a fine boy.”
Byerly waited for Wright to do something, perhaps go to his son, take him in his arms. He even sensed he wanted to. “You’re right, Governor, Jamie is a great kid. You should be very proud of him.” Now Wright looked at him. “I’m Walt Byerly. I tried to get you on the phone to tell you-”
“My husband knows nothing about all this.”
He had forgotten Edie Wright. She was tall, slender, with honey-colored hair and blue eyes, classy, patrician and regal. She was also a lioness defending her mate.
“All this is just a nasty rumor, concocted by Justin’s political opponents.”
“That’s the exact truth.” Joy Fielding jumped in. ”This is a good place to deny the rumor once and for all.”
“I’m sick to death of these…these ghastly innuendoes about my husband.”
“Are they rumors, Governor Wright?” Byerly said. “This handsome young man just might be your son, your only child. A simple paternity test would prove it.” Clearly the man wavered.
Edie Wright went to her husband, touched his hand, said, “You’ll make such a good President, Justin.”
“I doubt that, Mrs. Wright, at least he won’t get my vote. So what’s it going to be, Governor, truth or expediency?”
Wright looked extremely unhappy.
Mandy spoke. “Please stop, Mr. Byerly. Jamie’s father is for me alone to know. It is my right, and I will never tell. There will be no blood test. I want nothing from anyone.”
“Thank God!” Joy Fielding said, “At last someone makes some sense around here.”
“I want to say another thing. The Byerly’s did not steal my son. They protected him and tried to rescue me. I will always be grateful.”
Joy Fielding clapped her hands, then a second time. “My, my, testimonials all around. Why don’t you take your son, these two busybodies, and leave? We all want to hear Governor Wright speak.”
“This is my house. She may stay if she wishes.”
Byerly heard the voice, then a communal gasp. He turned to see a man advanced in years, stooped and withered, leaning heavily on a cane. His voice was that of a younger man, however. Byerly wouldn’t have known who he was except Josh was with him. “Karl Kinkaid, I presume.”
Josh answered. “I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you, Walt, but I wasn’t sure until the last minute that he’d come.”
“And all this time I thought you were shiftless and uncaring.” He laughed. “My apologies, Josh.”
“I’m the one who needs to apologize-for being such a fool.” Karl Kinkaid looked at his wife. “My grandson has told me about your recent activities, my dear.”
“It’s lies, Karl, all lies.”
“Perhaps, but I prefer to believe him. It gives me a way to get reacquainted with my grandson.”
“Karl, listen to me.”
“That’s the trouble, Joy, I listened to you too much. I let you sour me on my only blood relative. I let you tell me what a wonderful candidate…” He looked at Justin Wright. “Governor, you will get no more money from me. Ronald Reagan was a man of principle. I was told you were, too.” He shook his head sorrowfully. “You, sir, most definitely are not.”
Justin Wright opened his mouth to speak, but Kinkaid silenced him with a dismissive wave. “Don’t embarrass yourself in front of these people any more than you have already.”
He looked around at the guests, raised his voice. “I understand all of you paid $10,000 to be here for dinner. Your money will be returned to you, and you are welcome to stay and eat the food.”
Byerly felt he couldn’t stop smiling. He looked at Doreen. There was joy and relief in her face.
“Let’s go home, dear,” she said, “And take this little one and his mother with us.”
“In a minute. First, we have some unfinished business here.”
26: Whodunnit
Byerly turned to Lupe. “Haven’t you a question or two?” She hesitated, suddenly cowed by the audience and situation. “The ball is yours, Lupe.”
She looked at him somberly, then nodded. “Yes, we do have unfinished business here.” She squared her shoulders.
“If I may ask, who are you?”
She turned to Karl Kinkaid, sitting in a wheelchair now. “I’m Detective Lupe Hernandez of the Santa Barbara Police Department. A man was murdered a few days ago. I believe your wife may have some knowledge of it.”
“Is that true, Joy?”
“Of course not, Karl. The man committed suicide. There was no murder.”
Lupe now looked at Mandy Sykes. “Why did you come to Santa Barbara?”
She held her son in her arms. “Do I have to answer?”
“I’m afraid so. A man has been murdered. I believe you have vital information.”
“Sergeant, you’re the investigating officer.” The voice of the Dragon was heard in the land. “Can’t you put a stop to this nonsense?”
Looking at Lupe, Buster Brogan hesitated. Clearly her warning about his pension had gotten to him.
“At the very least, Sergeant, can’t you hold this stupid interrogation somewhere else?”
Lupe answered. “Certainly, Mr. Dragon. We can go downtown, but you’ll have to come with us.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You’ll see.” She turned back to Mandy. “Please answer my question, why did you come to Santa Barbara?”
“I was told-” She sighed. “-that Jamie’s father wanted to meet him.”
“Who told you that?”
“Harry Gould. We were friends from college.”
“And the father of your child, no doubt,” Fielding said.
Lupe ignored her. “Did Harry Gould pay your way from Boston?”
