against all three-Tanya, Daphne, and Martin Shore. Did Martin Shore try to contact you once he got to town?'
Tanya shook her head. 'Not that I know of. I never received any messages, either at work or here at home.'
'What about Daphne?'
'No. I never saw her until the party.'
'Where did you go after you left the Members' Lounge?' I asked.
'Detective Fraymore wanted to know the same thing.'
'I'm sure he did. What did you tell him?'
'I went home.'
'How?'
'I walked.'
'All the way to the farm? It's a long way-several miles.'
'Not that far. Besides, I was upset. I needed to think.'
'Did anybody see you?'
She shrugged. 'I don't know. Maybe.'
'So you don't have any kind of alibi for when Martin Shore was killed?'
'I guess not.'
'Did Gordon Fraymore ask you about that?' She nodded. 'Did he ask the same question about any other time period?'
Since I couldn't very well come out and ask Fraymore the question directly, I was trying, in a roundabout fashion, to establish an approximate time of death for Daphne Lewis.
Tanya shook her head. 'He only asked me about Saturday night. And I told him the same thing I just told you.'
Out front, Sunshine resumed her hoarse barking. A car engine switched off, but I didn't pay much attention, until the back screen door slammed open. An agitated James Renthrow appeared in the doorway.
'There you are, Tanya. They're coming. I heard them talking about it on the police scanner on my way over.'
'Who's coming?' Tanya asked.
'The cops,' Renthrow answered breathlessly. 'Detective Fraymore and the rest. They're coming to Live Oak Farm right now. It sounds like they've got a warrant for your arrest.'
The other shoe had fallen. It was only because of James Renthrow's electronic eavesdropping that we had even a moment's advance warning.
With a stricken expression on her face, Tanya turned to Ralph. 'Are you really my attorney, Mr. Ames? You're right. I do think I need one. What am I supposed to do now? Will you come with me?'
Ralph nodded. 'I'll come to the station, but not in the same car. When Detective Fraymore shows up, go with him quietly, without any protest or fuss. They'll read you your rights. Whatever you do, answer no questions. After they book you, you'll be allowed one phone call.'
As he spoke, Ames pulled a scrap of paper from his wallet and scribbled something on it. 'Here's the number of Beau's car phone. Memorize it. When they allow you that one call, dial that number. I'll be waiting outside. Again, I'm your attorney. You're not to answer any questions without my being present, understand?'
Tanya nodded. 'What about Amber?'
'Don't worry,' Ralph said. 'We'll take care of her. If nothing else, Beau can pack up her things and take her back to Oak Hill for the time being. Someone there will know what to do. Beau probably does himself. He's just rusty.'
But Tanya Dunseth wasn't looking for temporary measures. 'I'm not talking about just tonight,' she said urgently, clutching desperately at Ralph's arm. 'Promise me one thing.'
'What's that?'
'If I go to jail or prison, you won't let my parents get Amber. No matter what. I'd rather she were dead.'
'Believe me,' Ralph Ames declared. 'I'll see to it.' He turned to me. 'Give me the keys to the 928, Beau. Tanya and I will go down the road and head off your friend Fraymore before he has a chance to come into the yard.'
'What about me?' I asked. 'Shouldn't I come along?'
'Not on your life,' Ralph answered. 'I have the protection of professional privilege. You don't. I don't want Gordon Fraymore knowing you were privy to this entire conversation. Maybe this good man here…' Ralph waved distractedly in Romeo's direction. 'What is your name, sir?'
'Renthrow,' Romeo answered. 'James Renthrow.'
'Well, then,' Ralph said, 'maybe Mr. Renthrow will be kind enough to give you and the baby a ride into town. Come on, Tanya. Hurry.'
With that, Take-Charge-Ralph led an uncomplaining Tanya away. Moments later, the engine of the Porsche roared to life, and they were gone.
Romeo turned to me. 'What now?' he asked.
'We do as we're told,' I answered. 'We find a diaper bag and pack same.'
One of Tanya's housemates, the deep brown one I had seen baking herself to a cinder on the front seat of the old Chrysler, directed us to Tanya's upstairs room. There, with Romeo's help, I pulled together what looked like a relatively complete baby kit. For overnight or longer.
After that, we woke Amber up and carried her out to James Renthrow's fire-engine-red VW Bug with the proper Shakespearean vanity plate of 2BRNOT2B. His scanner was still tuned to police frequencies when we got in the car, but there was nothing on the air about the arrest of Tanya Dunseth.
'Nice of you to take care of Amber this way,' James Renthrow said, in his melodic sounding accent, as we headed for Oak Hill. 'Not everyone would take in somebody's baby like that, especially with Kelly so badly hurt and all. You seem to have more than enough to worry about on your own.'
It seemed like that to me as well. 'Most people don't have friends like Ralph Ames,' I returned darkly.
I admit to being moderately grumpy when I said it. I was glad someone had noticed and appreciated it, even if it was only Romeo. With Kelly still hanging in limbo, I did have certain troubles of my own. Not only that, I was more than slightly bent out of shape by Ralph's high-handed attitude. He took off in my car, leaving me stranded and having to beg rides from total strangers. Then, of course, there was Amber.
It was easy for Ralph to wave his wand magnanimously and say he'd take care of something when, in actual fact, some other poor chump was the one who'd be left holding the bag.
To say nothing of the baby.
CHAPTER 12
Again I found Alex waiting on the front porch. She met us at the car to give me a quick update. Karen Louise was fine. Kelly had been moved from Recovery to a private room where her condition had been upgraded to serious but stable. She had not regained consciousness. In other words, we still weren't out of the woods.
Inside, the Oak Hill B amp; B was alive with activity. Bed-and-Breakfast establishments don't usually supply evening meals, but this wasn't a usual circumstance. Florence made pot after pot of coffee, regular and decaf. She served that along with plates heaped high with salvaged wedding cake to an informal gathering that threatened to last all night. Most drop-by visitors were friends of Kelly and Jeremy's, people who had expected to attend a wedding. They came instead to express dismay and to glean progress reports on Kelly and the baby.
Word of Tanya Dunseth's arrest preceded us. When James Renthrow and I arrived with Amber in tow, the response was enthusiastic and immediate. Maybe there's something in that old line about no people like show people. The people gathered in Florence's spacious living room, Tanya and Jeremy's fellow cast members, were very much concerned, and they wanted to help. Someone started a sign-up sheet for volunteers to take turns watching Amber. Most mentioned they'd be happy to care for Karen Louise as well. It warmed me to know help would be available for Kelly once her out-of-town relatives returned home.
Florence had been busy doing more than just making coffee and serving cake. Calling in some of her B amp; B chips, she had found lodging for everybody, although not at a single location. At that time of year, last-minute
