The Tower of Evil (Bye-Bye Mysteries) Read online

  “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 Barbara.”

  The cell phone rang in DeeDee’s hand, making her jump. She listened. “Calm down, Karen, I can’t understand you. What happened?” That helped a little. “Hold on a sec.” To Walter she said, “Some men came into the store, apparently scared Karen.”

  He paid no attention to her, just looked ahead. She followed his gaze, saw a black limousine slowing to a stop beside the Nova. A man in a black suit got out.

  “The bastard’s after Jamie!”

  He broke into a full run, but Lupe was already ahead of him. “Stop! Stay away from that car,” she screamed. “This is the police.” She held up something, her badge most likely.

  The right rear door of the Chevy was opened.

  “Stay away from that car or I’ll shoot.” It was a gun in her hand. Lupe was at the rear of the Nova now. She assumed a shooting stance, both hands wrapped around her revolver. “I mean it, stop what you’re doing, or I’ll shoot.”

  The man reached toward his suit jacket, then a voice came from the limousine, “C’mon, let’s get out of here.”

  It seemed to take forever, but the man reentered the limousine and it sped off, burning rubber.

  “He’s okay,” Walter called, “didn’t even wake up.”

  DeeDee leaned against the trunk of the car, winded, unaware of running herself. “Thank God!”

  “So incredibly stupid,” Lupe said, “trying to seize a child in broad daylight. I’m going to put a stop to it.”

  “But how?”

  “You just reported an attempted kidnapping to the police. You gave a description of the men and their vehicle.”

  “How can we?” Walter asked. “No one must know about Jamie or we’ll lose him.”

  “You have no idea why anyone would want to harm your grandson, do you?”

  DeeDee laughed delightedly. ”How clever! Yes, our grandson James Byerly, visiting from Ohio.”

  “I recognize that guy from my trip to the estate. He’s the one who drove me off the road and threatened me.”

  “You never told me that, Walter.”

  “I’m sorry I did now. It was nothing and you’ll worry. Anyway, we know for sure Kinkaid is behind all this.”

  Lupe nodded. “And when Kinkaid’s men are described in the paper, he’ll have to call off this strong-arm nonsense.”

  16: Granny Joy

  BYERLY HATED TO PLAY TENNIS with Eric Shepherd, but sacrifices had to be made in the name of mystery solving. Shepherd was a putterer, particularly on serves, bouncing the ball repeatedly, hiking up his shorts, bouncing the ball, pulling at his shirt, bouncing the ball, adjusting his glasses, bouncing some more. His serve was lousy, but by the time it crossed the net he might be Pete Sampras or Andy Roddick. Byerly often called balls in just so he wouldn’t have to watch Shepherd’s shenanigans.

  “You’re off your game today, Walt. To early in the morning for you or do you always lose to judges?”

  They were at the net. “You should go to Wimbledon, Shep. Roger Federer would fall asleep waiting for you to serve.”

  “Won’t work. The pros have only 25 seconds between serves, but it’s nice to know I bother you.”

  “The correct word is exasperate.” He patted his shoulder. “C’mon, loser buys coffee, I want to pick your brains.”

  “I knew this wasn’t about tennis.” They headed off the court. “I see you made the News-Press this morning. What’s that all about?”

  “Nothing really, some nut I suspect.” They picked up their coffee and Danish from the counter and found a table. At once his cell phone rang. He dug it out of his tennis bag, said, “Not many people know this number, Shep. It might be important.”

  “Go right ahead.”

  Addie Kinkaid’s voice was excited, so changed from the mousy, hopeless whine he’d heard in the van. “Josh is in town. He moved me to the most glamorous hotel in Santa Barbara—the El Encanto, if you can imagine such luxury after The Sally. We both want to see you.”

  “I’m in the middle of something at the moment, Addie. Why don’t I take you and Josh to lunch at your hotel, noon okay? See you soon.”

  He hung up, said, “Sorry, where were we?”

  “You were about to pick my brains.”

  “What can you tell me about Victor Dragon”

  “Where have you been? He’s in the papers almost as much as you.”

  “The needle is accepted. I’m not talking about his reputation or public persona, I want to know—”

  “A little dirt from a judge, right” His laugh resounded generously.

  “Now that you put it that way, yes—and we never had this conversation.”

  “Better believe that.” He thought a moment, smoothing back his gray hair. “Even when he was a deputy DA, certainly since going to the other side, Vic has always been one to push the envelope. He never breaks the law, or actually does anything improper, but—”

  “He tests the limits.”

  “Personally I’m a little surprised he’s stayed out of trouble, but then he’s a very smart man.”

  “Does he represent Karl Kinkaid?”

  “Does Bill Gates own a computer? Kinkaid couldn’t fart without Victor Dragon holding his hand.”

  “May I quote you on that, Judge?”

  “I should say that’s in California. I don’t know what happens in the rest of the world.”

  Byerly sipped his coffee. “I’ve lived in this town for 10 years, and I’ve never laid eyes on Karl Kinkaid that I know of.”

  “Join the club. I can’t tell you how much Kinkaid litigation crosses my desk, yet I can’t remember when I last saw the man, if ever. I sometimes wonder if there really is a Karl Kinkaid.”

  “You’re talking Howard Hughes.”

  “The thought has crossed my mind. In the man’s absence we have Victor Dragon. I’ve even asked him if his client is alive and well. He just laughs. Why don’t you talk to Vic? Maybe you’ll have better luck.”

  “Not a bad idea.”

  The El Encanto Hotel reigned over the Riviera, the estate-filled foothills several hundred feet above the city. The restaurant hugged a veranda with breathtaking views of the city and ocean below.

  He almost didn’t recognize Addie in a fashionable suit and hairstyle. He bent, kissed her cheek. “You look just radiant.” He wondered if other homeless might do as well if given the chance.

  “Thanks to you. Walter, this is my son, Josh.”

  Josh was younger than he anticipated, blondish, handsome in a kooky way. He wore some sort of goop to make his hair stand straight up. They shook hands.

  “I had no idea Mums had no money, Mr. Byerly. I would never have—”
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  “I’m sure not.” He smiled. “You’re here now to look after her, that’s all that matters.”

  Wine was ordered and poured. He mostly just listened to Josh’s talk about cars, Addie’s hope to get back into her apartment. Actually he was glad to be distracted from thoughts of tomorrow and the hospital.

  “Did your father leave you financially well-off, Josh?” he asked.

  “I really don’t know a number. It’s all in a trust. The income is more than enough for me to live on.”

  Lucky kid. “Your grandfather set up the trust?”

  “Not very likely. My grandmother set up the trust from her family fortune. It went to my father, now to me. My grandfather Kinkaid had no use for my father and very little for me.”

  “I only ever saw him once or twice,” Addie said.

  “I understand he’s a bit reclusive.”

  Josh laughed. “That’s an understatement. Nobody’s seen Karl Kinkaid in years. Few people know where he actually lives.”

  “Then who runs his affairs, lawyers?”

  “There are battalions of those, but the real power is the latest Mrs. Kinkaid. She makes the decisions, spends the money.” He shook his head. “A real piece of work, my step-granny. What a laugh that is, Granny Joy.”

  “I assume you mean Dr. Joy Fielding.”

  “The one and only. I slept with her once, you know.”

  “Josh, you didn’t!”

  “I’m a big boy now, Mums—at least she thought so. I was 17, spending the night at the castle. She crawled in my bed.” He looked away. ”She’s something else, really likes it.” Suddenly embarrassed, he drank from his wine. “A big mistake is what it was. I guess she decided I wasn’t worth any possible scandal. Overnight I was persona non grata, out of the place, never to return.”

  “Then it wasn’t old Mr. Kinkaid who—”

  “No, Mums, I’m not sure he knew I existed. It was Granny Joy.” The wine again, a far away look in his eyes. “Some luncheon discussion, don’t you think?”

  “Does Dr. Joy make nocturnal visits a habit?”

  “Get yourself invited to the castle some night, maybe you’ll find out. I keep in touch with a couple of people. They tell me she’s insatiable, a real nympho, makes Catherine the Great look like a nun.”

  “You know that bit of history, do you?” Josh rose in his estimation. “Let’s change the subject. What can you tell me about Victor Dragon?”

  “He’s into her pants big time, expects to be the next Mr. Joy, as soon as the old man dies and leaves every penny to her. Personally I think it’ll be Justin Wright. That’s why she’d backing him. She’d adore being Madame President.”

  Their food came and Josh returned to his favorite subject, cars. In a break between Jeeps and Land Rovers, Byerly said, “Addie and I drove out to the estate the other day. A couple of rough-looking men threw us out.”

  “They were awful,” Addie said.

  “They’re Joy’s goons—and what else I don’t know.”

  The woman’s sexual proclivities were much on the young man’s mind. At the next opportunity he said, “Josh, would it be possible to hide a person out there so no one knew they were even there?”

  “Easy, the tower. As a kid I always wanted to go up there and play. No way. I never have set foot in it. A heavy oak door bars it. Behind that are stone steps leading upward.”

  "How do you know that?”

  “I caught a glimpse once when the door was open. The place is a regular Tower of London.”

  What had Doreen called it? Oh yes, tower of evil. Could be?

  17: Unwelcome Visitors

  HE STOPPED AT HER SHOP.

  “Such a day, Walter, I can’t get off the phone. Everybody in the world must read the News-Press.”

  “Let me guess.” He raised his voice to a falsetto. “Such an ordeal, darling, you must be a nervous wreck.”

  “That’s what I am, sorta.”

  “I just hope the story keeps Lucretia away until—”

  “Who?”

  “Dr. Joy, last name Borgia. Wait till you hear the dirt on her.”

  “It’s going to have to keep. Will you look after Jamie while I play sleuth?”

  He listened to her plan. “Hmm, it’s worth a shot, I guess. Sure, I”ll hang out here, but who tends to business?”

  “Karen and Gabriella will handle the phones. You take care of walk-ins—and Jamie.”

  She stuck her head in the door. “Remember me?”

  Hyacinth Owens hesitated, then smiled brilliantly. “Of course, you’re…DeeDee, wasn’t it? See, your flowers are still lovely.”

  “Not as lovely as you. You look radiant, my dear.”

  “I am sort of excited. This is my last day here. I’m going to make a movie—in Hollywood!”

  “Good heavens! Are you really?”

  “I didn’t want to tell anyone. I was so afraid it wouldn’t happen, then I’d have all the explanations. But I had the screen test and I’ve been offered a part.”

  “I couldn’t be happier for you.”

  “It’s only a small part, of course, but it’s supposed to be an important movie. Maybe I’ll get noticed.”

  “With your looks, Hyacinth, I have no doubt.”

  “They’re changing my name to Ollie, Ollie Owens.”

  “It has a certain ring to it, but I still like Hyacinth.” She sat in the chair beside her desk. “Tell me all about it. How did this wonderful thing happen? Have you always wanted to be an actress?”

  “Yes, I studied, worked with the Ensemble Theater company, you know, the local—”

  “Their shows are so good, go on.”

  “I never thought I’d get anywhere. Then Mr. Dragon –“

  “Is that Victor Dragon, the attorney?”

  “He and I were, well, sort of dating, you might say. One day he said I ought to be in films. He’d make a couple of calls. I thought it was just breeze, you know, then one day I got called for a screen test.” She beamed. “The rest is history, as they say.”

  “And a grand history it will be.” She laughed. “If history can be in the future, that is. How do you happen to know Victor Dragon?”

  “Like I said, we went out a couple of times.”

  “I know that, but how did you make his acquaintance in the first place?”

  ”Oh, he comes in here often. Actually Vic—Mr. Dragon—set up this place. He’s the landlord, you might say, owns the space and equipment. He hired me and Lola to work here.”

  “Fascinating!”

  “The lawyers don’t actually work for him, but he wants to help them get started in their own practice.”