Robert Liston - The Tower of Evil

“No, your bombardment made the castle surrender.”

“Sorry, Walt, I used to be able to hit it.”

“Anyway we know Doreen is in the tower, thank God.”

“I thought you wanted to get her out.”

He shook his head. “I’ll explain later. You can go off on your date or whatever.”

“You won’t be sorry, Walt.”

He was glad to be rid of the scatterbrain. He hadn’t really needed him after all.

He looked at his watch. Still a ways to go. The next time he looked at his watch two minutes had elapsed. Are we on geologic or astronomic time? Another minute. You’re going to wear out your watch looking at it. He concentrated on the tower. Doreen’s up there. She’s counting on you. Hell, you’re counting on you.

Eventually, the hand lowered on the dial face. Almost seven. He left the greenhouse and walked toward the front of the house, stopping near the gravel to await a certain car. There? No. That one, yes. It begins now.

The three of them stood on the table by the window, DeeDee with Jamie in her arms. “When I give the word, my darling, I want you to scream as loudly as you can, for as long as you can. This is one time in your life when you can make all the noise you want.”

He opened his mouth.

She put her fingers over it and smiled. “Not quite yet, darling. I’ll tell you when.”

Lupe stopped her unmarked car in front of the castle steps, flashed her badge and told the attendant she would only be a minute. She pulled ahead a little at his instruction, grabbed her shoulder bag, got out and waited at the steps for Walt Byerly.

“Did the rock work?”

“Don’t ask.”

She heard the hubbub of voices from inside. “Somebody must be having a party.”

“Shame to ruin it, let’s go.”

They mounted the steps and entered through the open front doors. The reception for Wright was just breaking up. Diners were beginning to take their seats in the banquet hall off to the left, while others, be-gowned, be-jeweled and be-tuxed, milled around with half-filled glasses. Lupe knew she was agog at the beautiful setting and the beautiful people. She saw Victor Dragon with a gorgeous blonde stuffed into a red dress.

“What are you doing here, Hernandez?”

The gruff voice brought her back to reality. She turned and gasped. “Sgt. Brogan!” Lupe felt herself wilting under his gaze.

“Were you hired as extra security?”

Her courage returned. “Are you here as private security, Sgt. Brogan?” She knew it was true.

“I’m still your superior.”

“Not off duty.” She motioned. “This is Walter Byerly. He believes his wife is being held here against her will. He’s filed a complaint, and I’m here to investigate.”

“Bullshit! You’re not investigating anything.” He stepped toward her.

“Don’t try to bully me, sergeant.”

Just then the screaming began, loud, high-pitched, piercing. It carried inside the house, silencing the crowd.

“What the hell is that?” She recognized Dragon’s voice.

To Byerly, the screaming sounded deliciously loud. Good girl, Doreen, keep it up, Jamie. He looked at Dragon. Rage scarred the handsome face, and his lips mouthed obscenities. He started outside, then stopped in the doorway, turned and raised both his hands. “It’s nothing, folks, just some pranksters. They don’t like us having a good time.

“Yes, some neighborhood kids, pay it no mind.”

That came from Joy Fielding. Byerly turned to her. “Then how come someone is calling my name? Listen, you can hear, ‘Walter, Walter, save me’.”

“I hear it, too,” a voice said behind him. “Are you Walter?”

“Yes, Walter Byerly and the person calling is my wife Doreen. She’s being held captive here, along with-”

“Don’t be absurd,” Dr. Joy said. She turned, “Mrs. Uberreich, please put a stop to it-and take Dirk with you.”

Byerly stepped in front of the housekeeper. “By all means unlock the door to the tower, only I’m going with you.” She tried to push him aside, but he refused to budge.

“This man is an intruder,” Dr. Joy said. “Sgt. Brogan, remove him.”

“Happily, ma’am.” He grinned. “Okay, Byerly, you’re coming with me.” He clasped his arm.

“No, he’s not.” Lupe’s voice was steely.

“Stay out of this Hernandez.”

“Sergeant, you have no idea what’s going on here. You’ve already got a lot of explaining to do. Don’t make it worse by interfering now.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Buster, you’ve bungled a murder investigation and allowed a child to be abducted. If you want to keep your pension, then I suggest you decide whether you work for the Santa Barbara Police Department or Victor Dragon.”

Byerly watched the detective’s anger slowly give way to fear. “Thanks, Lupe.” He freed his arm. “Now Mrs. Uberreich, I believe you were about to visit my wife.”

She looked at Dr. Joy for approval. Rage distorted the once-beautiful face. He grinned at her. “I guess the Joy has gone out of your life. Too bad, doctor, but the jig is up, the cookie has crumbled, the music has been faced, the piper is-”

“Let him take his lousy wife out of here.”

Lupe beside him, he followed Uberreich to the kitchen passageway. It seemed to take forever for her to unlock the door, mount the stairs and unlock the second door. At last it opened and he burst inside.

All three stood on the table across the room.

“Oh, darling, I knew you’d come.”

“Thank God, you’re safe.” She leaped from the table into his arms. “I was so worried, I thought-”

“I know what you thought.” She kissed him.

Over her shoulder he saw the other two, still on the table. “You can stop screaming now, Jamie, you did a fantastic job.”

Mandy put her hand over his mouth to silence him. “You must be Walter Byerly. I’m Amanda-”

“Sykes, the long lost. You’re a hard person to find.

Lupe extended a hand to help her and Jamie down. “Let’s get all of you out of here.”

As they returned downstairs and approached the front entrance, everyone stood aside, looking at them as curiosities. A voice said, “Why it is DeeDee.”

Doreen recognized her. “Hi, Janet, do I ever have a story to tell.”

“I’m sure you do, Mrs. Byerly, but I’m going to tell the truth first.” Joy Fielding took over. “This woman stole this little boy and hid him from his mother.” That brought a heightened murmur. “Fortunately Victor Dragon found out where the boy was, got a court order and saved him from this…this kidnapper and reunited him with his mother 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.”