Willow Pond (35 page)

“All actors are vain and self-centered,” he said, lifting his chin defensively. “And I’m no different … except when it comes to my son. He’s my future.”

The conversation dropped, as did the level of tension Virginia had sensed earlier in the car.

***

So many reporters and photographers surrounded the second precinct, the group wondered if they’d make it inside in one piece. The reporters shouted questions and the photographers snapped pictures as they made their way inside the police station. There they came face to face with a shamefaced Ben Wilson.

“I just got off the phone with San Francisco P.D.” he said. “They’re checking the prints found in Nancy Evans’ flat with the one discovered in the house with Rudy Strauss’ body to see if there’s a match.” He glanced at the group. “Where’s Miss Evans?”

“McStravick took her to Riverhead where she’ll be booked. She’ll spend the night in the clink,” Erich said. “Why don’t we find a room where we can talk?”

“Yes,” Virginia said. “How about the one where you gave me the third degree? It had such a lovely ambiance. Ah, I remember the shade of green on the walls so well.”

“I suppose you refuse to accept that even cops make mistakes,” said Wilson.

“Find Todd, and we’ll talk. Until then if you even look at me the wrong way you’ll be in trouble,” Virginia said.

“Fine. Come with me, please. There are a few things we need to discuss before the Pierces get here. We don’t have much time.”

They followed Detective Wilson down a short flight of stairs and into a large office where two other police officers waited with a stack of photographs. They divided the stack into four, giving a pile to Laura, Erich, Phillip, and Virginia. Fifteen minutes went by without a sound, apart from the occasional shuffling of papers.

Finally Erich looked up. “Are you sure these pictures are all of Pierce?”

“Quite a chameleon, isn’t he? The guy’s got so many disguises it’s hard to keep up with them.”

“Look at this,” Laura said, passing one of the photographs to Erich. “That looks like the man who was driving the car the night you were beaten up.”

“Didn’t you say he looked like Vince?” Virginia got up and peered over Erich’s shoulder at the picture. “You were right. It does look like Vince. Except it’s not him.” She looked up at the detective. “What are we dealing with here, Wilson?”

“Maybe you should tell us, Miss Kingsley. He seems to know quite a lot about you and your gang. Did you ever get the feeling that you were being watched?”

Virginia chuckled. “No more than usual.” She sat back down in the chair and glanced at Phillip, who hadn’t said a word. She frowned at the others, thinking out loud. “Geoffrey Pierce may or may not be connected with the Purple Gang in Detroit. Even if he isn’t, he’s sat in on their poker game at least once, so he knows them. They’re dangerous. Pierce is obviously an expert at using disguises, so he could even have decided he’d be a photographer today. He could be outside with the rest of them.”

“What else?” Wilson asked.

“You are lazy, Detective, getting everyone else to do your work. This guy has murdered at least one person, maybe more, and he has Todd.”

A few moments later, Herb and Gladys Pierce, both in their seventies, arrived at the police station. Though he was starting to stoop with age, Herb was about six foot three and all arms and legs. Gladys was barely five feet tall and was dressed in pink from head to toe. Gladys’ eyes went directly to Laura, and the woman’s look of awe made Laura smile reflexively.

“You’re even more beautiful in person, dear,” Gladys said to Laura and took both of her hands. “Oh, I hope they find that precious little boy of yours soon.” Gladys’ eyes darted to the side and fell upon Virginia. Her eyes widened. “You!”

“Sit down, Glad,” Herb said, guiding his wife into a chair. “Take it easy. The police want to talk to us, remember?” He turned to Detective Wilson. “What can we do for you?”

“I’d like to ask you some questions about your son, Geoffrey.”

Herb shook his head. “Maybe you can tell us where he is. Last we heard he was in Houston. The Missus and I have been planning to retire to Arizona for two years, but that boy of ours can’t stay put long enough for us to discuss what’s to be done with the farmhouse.”

“Do you know that house was used as a hideout in the Austin kidnapping?” Virginia asked

Herb frowned. “Detective Wilson mentioned something to us about that, but we thought if it were true, we’d have heard more about it.”

“We have reason to believe that your son Geoffrey was involved in the kidnapping,” Wilson said. “He’s most likely also responsible for a homicide that took place in London last night. We need to find him. We’re certain he has Todd Austin.” Wilson glanced at Laura, then back to the couple. “The child could be in danger.”

The couple stared with disbelief at Wilson, then at each other. Tears rolled down Gladys Pierce’s pale cheeks while her husband grasped her hand and tried to comfort her. “Oh, dear, dear, dear. Anything but this,” she sobbed.

Herb looked around the room, looking for inspiration. “The last we heard he was in Houston. Other than that we don’t know. If there’s anything—”

The phone rang. Detective Wilson said a few brief words to the caller then put the receiver down.

“The prints from London and the prints from San Francisco are a match. Pierce was in both places. We’ve got to find him.”

“What about searching the farmhouse again?” Laura asked.

Chapter Sixty-Four

Today’s disguise consisted of a curly gray wig, a padded, flowered housedress, and glasses. From a distance, Geoffrey Pierce resembled his mother. Geoff opened the basement window and carefully lowered himself inside. After he dusted off the dress, he stood quietly, listening. The kid was singing to himself somewhere nearby. It was a sweet sound that made Geoff feel a little more calm. Strauss had told him that even a year and a half ago the child had a knack for comforting himself and others.

Geoff knew he was taking a chance by visiting the farmhouse, because the cops might be staking out the place, but he’d had to go. He couldn’t let the kid starve, though he didn’t dare stay there himself. The whole thing would be finished in a couple of days, anyway. He’d found a couple in Vancouver who were willing to buy the kid. The only thing left to do was visit the plastic surgeon Rossi had lined up, who would change the kid’s appearance enough so the Vancouver couple wouldn’t recognize him.

Geoff headed down the hall toward the little voice. The boy continued to sing the nursery rhyme, even though he must have heard the footsteps. At the exact moment Geoff checked his watch, Todd ran by. Before he could react, the child had climbed onto a chair and was trying in vain to reach the window.

“I want to go outside! I don’t like it in here!”

“I told you we’d go out later. Now come on. I’ve brought some food for you.”

“I don’t want to eat. I want Mommy! I want to go home!”

Geoff smiled, but Todd glared furiously at him. “You’ll be going home to Mommy soon, but for now you have to be patient.”

“No! I want Mommy!”

Geoff didn’t know if the kid was talking about Nancy Evans or Laura Austin, but it didn’t matter. He’d never see either one of them again. Geoff figured the boy was young enough to forget both of them eventually and live a happy rest of his life. That was the beauty of the whole thing. In time they’d all get on with the rest of their lives. Everyone except Rudy and the guy Geoff had found at Nancy’s place. And that O’Malley fellow with the horses. Those guys he’d had to bump off.

Geoff tried to take Todd’s hand, but the child yanked it away and stomped back into the main room. Geoff set up the hot plate and warmed up the spaghetti and meatball dinner he’d brought for them. When it was done, he called the little boy, but the kid didn’t budge from the dark corner where he sat, sulking. Geoff put some food on a plate and brought it to him. Todd glanced at Geoff, then at the food, and knocked the plate out of Geoff’s hand.

Geoff stepped back, grinning wryly. “You must get your feistiness from Virginia Kingsley.”

“I don’t like you. I want my mommy.”

“Eat some food and I’ll take you to see Mommy soon.”

Geoff cleaned up the mess and brought Todd more food. The boy grudgingly ate, crying all the time for his mommy. When he was done he curled up on the floor and fell asleep with his thumb in his mouth. Geoff covered him with a blanket and watched him for a while. He could almost have felt sorry for the kid if it weren’t for the cool half million the couple were willing to pay for a healthy son.

He considered tying the kid up. He would have if he’d thought the little guy could have escaped. But he couldn’t. He was too small and too helpless. To make certain the cops didn’t find him, Geoff gently lifted Todd and moved him to a secret room no one would ever be able to find.

Chapter Sixty-Five

For thirty-six hours the police staked out the farmhouse in Bayside without seeing any activity. Laura and Erich stayed at Erich’s apartment in the village, Virginia at her West 77
^th
Street brownstone and Phillip in his penthouse, waiting for word. They had stopped talking to each other and only communicated through Ben Wilson, whom none of them trusted.

Virginia made a quick trip to Houston where she saw Mike at the racetrack, and Mike confirmed Herb and Gladys Pierce’s story that their son had been in Houston until about three weeks earlier. Geoffrey Pierce’s whereabouts since then were a mystery. Virginia knew she could have handled this over the phone but had a feeling the cops had tapped her line.

On the afternoon that she returned from Houston, Virginia stopped at Bacchanal. Harry had done a good job with the place in her absence, and she was thinking about selling it to him. She sat at the bar, nursing a glass of orange juice, trying to decide what she wanted to do. She no longer cared about socializing with people she didn’t know, and she didn’t want to be forced to make idle conversation. She’d lost Laura’s love and respect, and nothing seemed to matter anymore. If they found Todd alive, she and Laura would probably go their separate ways. If they didn’t find him or found him dead, Virginia dreaded the future. Either way she might as well sell the place to Harry. He and Vince could make a go of it.

She thought she heard a soft knock on the door, but ignored it, thinking it was just the wind. She poured herself more orange juice, then hesitated, hearing the sound again. This time someone was rattling the door handle, too.

She pulled the door open and stared at the friendly face of Erich Muller. Confused, she glanced around to see if Laura was with him, but she didn’t see her. Virginia looked back at Erich and stared at him for a moment. She had never noticed how gentle Erich Muller’s blue eyes were. She’d always noticed how handsome he was, but never his kindness. Animosity had blinded her to his good qualities.

“I never expected to see you here, Mr. Muller. Has something happened to Laura?”

He shook his head. He looked exhausted. “She’s waiting, like the rest of us, and getting tired of it like I’m sure you are. She knows I’m here, though, and why. The police are doing nothing, which is what they’ve done from the first day. I think it’s time we do something, don’t you? You and I can search the farmhouse ourselves.”

“Don’t we need a search warrant?” Virginia said.

“Yes, and the Pierces could press charges, but I doubt they will,” Erich said.

Feeling suddenly optimistic, she led Erich inside and poured him a glass of orange juice. “How come it took us this long to find out we could trust each other?” Virginia asked. “I mean it only makes sense. We both love Laura and we both have her best interests at heart.”

“Then you’re with me?” Erich asked. Virginia nodded. “Good,” he said. “Now here’s what we’re going to do.”

Armed with flashlights, Virginia and Erich arrived at the farmhouse a few minutes after eight o’clock that evening. The night was pitch black. It was so dark neither one of them could see their hands in front of their faces. It was a good thing Erich had suggested the flashlights. As they started to head toward the house they heard a car, followed by the crunch of tires on gravel. The car stopped, a door slammed, and their flashlights found Laura as she walked toward them.

“I couldn’t let you do this alone,” she said. “I’m so sick of waiting and doing nothing. I thought if I came here I might find something.”

Erich and Laura kissed and Virginia couldn’t help smiling. They were a gorgeous couple, and she could see how much they needed each other.

“Let me take a look around,” Erich said. “Laura, you and your aunt should go across the road and crouch down in those bushes.”

Virginia took Laura’s arm. “I suggest you take this, Erich,” she said and handed him a small revolver. “Just in case.”

“Smart woman,” he said and took the gun from her. “It seems pretty quiet around here, but I still want to be sure. The cops are going to be angry enough as is.”

A few minutes later Erich finished his inspection and walked across the road. “There aren’t any cops around, that’s for sure, and unless Pierce is hiding underground he isn’t here, either.”

Laura raised her eyebrows. “He could be inside the house.”

“We won’t find that out until we get inside,” Virginia said.

The three of them headed for the front door and, to no one’s surprise, found it locked. Erich tried to break the lock, but it wouldn’t budge. Virginia chuckled, teasing him that he’d never make it as a thief. The only way in was through one of the first floor windows. Erich set off, looking for something with which he could break the window, and Virginia’s mind filled with memories of when she’d found Rudy in San Francisco. Did she feel remorse for what she’d done? She wasn’t sure, though she had no doubt he’d gotten what he’d deserved.

“I guess my fist will have to do,” Erich said when he returned empty-handed.

“You’ll hurt yourself,” Laura said.