Dead By Dawn (10 page)

Beatrice looked at Lindsay. “I don’t want to start anything here. It was a rumor.”

“Your dad was a ranch hand for the Davenports. Is that right?” Lindsay asked.

“Yes, we lived in a house on the ranch. Dad worked there,” Beatrice answered.

“Someone told me that they thought the kids got into some trouble and your dad took the fall for it,” Lindsay said.

“I’m not sure what happened. I know my dad went to prison for rape,” she said.

“I’m sorry, do you know the details?” Lindsay asked.

“Yes. A girl that was a couple years older than us accused my brother of raping her. My brother claimed that Charlie did it.”

“How did your dad end up taking the rap?” Lindsay asked confused.

“Well, think about it. Back then, no DNA. Nothing to exonerate him. Charlie’s dad didn’t want his son in prison. He asked my dad to have Bing take the rap. My dad said no. His son’s life was not going to be ruined by prison,” Beatrice said.

“So what happened?” Dixon asked.

“Charlie’s dad offered my dad a lot of money to take the rap. He told him that we could continue to live on the ranch and he would take care of us kids,” she said.

“Where was your mom?” Lindsay said.

“My mom died when I was four. Dad was all we had,” she answered.

“So, your dad took the rap?” Dixon said in disbelief.

“Yes. We didn’t have anything. I was a straight A student with no means to go to college. Bing had a job for life at the ranch,” she said.

“What happened to your dad?” Lindsay answered softly.

“He died in prison. Not a great tradeoff, I’m afraid.” She paused and wiped a tear from her eye. “I guess the good news is that the incident was my inspiration for becoming an attorney.”

“So, the Davenports paid for college?” Lindsay asked.

“Yes and for law school. After I became more seasoned, Charles switched his business over here,” Beatrice said.

“I would have thought that his friend Martin Van Buren would have been his attorney,” Lindsay stated.

“Well, by the time I became an attorney, Martin had moved onto being a judge. Besides, I think the Davenports have always felt they owed me.” Beatrice paused and licked her lips. “Whether I feel they have adequately paid up is a different topic altogether.”

Lindsay took this as an opening to question her about the boys’ escapades. “Tell me about the relationship between Van Buren, Davenport, and your brother.”

“They all grew up together. We lived at the Davenports’ ranch, so naturally Bing and Charles played together often. Van Buren was a frequent guest there also. They hung out together and were on the same sports teams.”

“How did that work out for them? It seems like there would have been some inequality. You know; two rich boys and their side kick,” Lindsay said.

Beatrice laughed. “Yes, a triangle of sorts. Well, Bing was quite often the scapegoat for Charlie and Marty’s indiscretions.”

“What kinds of indiscretions?” Lindsay asked with curiosity.

“All sorts. Marty and Charlie were arrogant and they liked to fight and womanize. A few of the parents complained to their fathers. They always blamed it on Bing and came off as angels in their parents eyes,” Beatrice said.

“Was Bing violent?” Lindsay asked.

“He didn’t start out that way. I noticed the last couple of years he was alive that he had become rough around the edges.”

“How so?” Lindsay questioned.

“He was more of a loner. Bing still worked for Charlie’s father. He had flunked out of college. Charlie and Marty were both at college. I think he felt left out, like kind of a loser,” Beatrice said. She added, “It was kind of sad. When we were all home from school on breaks, Bing would follow Charlie and Marty around like puppies. They were kind of mean to him at that point; almost like they were too good to be friends with him. He would have done anything to be like them or feel like he was part of the group again.”

“Do you think they could have gotten him to do their dirty work?” Lindsay said.

“That I don’t know. At the time Letty disappeared, both Charlie and Marty were both married,” Beatrice said.

“But, rumor was that Marty may have fathered her child,” Lindsay commented.

“That’s what the story was,” Beatrice conceded.

“What would Marty’s wife have thought about this?” Lindsay asked.

“Not much. He married well. Marty’s family had a little money, but not like Darla’s family.” Beatrice said.

“Darla. That was Marty’s wife?” Lindsay asked.

“Darla Riley. Her father was the CEO of a large company that he and his father built from nothing. When her father died, she inherited all of the shares,” Beatrice said.

“So, this would have been a marriage that Marty would have been reluctant to leave?” Lindsay asked.

“Absolutely. His wife’s money was part of the reason he became a judge. He isn’t a very popular man, but everyone adored his wife.”

“Do you know if she knew about Letty and the baby?” Lindsay asked.

“She might have. Darla was an outstanding human being. She was on the boards of several charitable organizations and a humanitarian. Darla’s one flaw was that she was keenly aware of her image. She cared what other people thought,” Beatrice said.

“So, if she knew, she would have divorced him?”

“I can’t say for sure but, I do know that she kept him on a short leash,” Beatrice said.

Lindsay changed the subject. “You mentioned that Charles brought his business over to you.”

“Yes, he did,” Beatrice stated.

“Did you handle his will?” Lindsay asked.

“I did,” she answered flatly.

“Do you have any idea why he left the ranch in Shandon to David?” Lindsay asked.

Beatrice got a serious look on her face. “I can’t tell you anything about the will. You know that.”

“I already have a copy that Jeremy gave me,” Lindsay said.

“How did you?” Beatrice said and her voice trailed off.

“I got it from the Dorans. It was evidence when the Davenports sued them for the ranch in Shandon,” Lindsay said.

“You handled that for them, correct?” She already knew the answer.

“I did,” Beatrice said.

“Why did David’s grandfather leave it to him? I noticed he didn’t leave anything to the other grandkids,” Lindsay observed.

“David went to him and asked for the ranch to start his own winery. I was working out the details when Charles Sr. died. Charles had changed his will to leave the business and the land to David. Originally, it was to be in Charles Sr.’s name. He was trying to keep the family from fighting,” Beatrice said.

“I noticed in the will that there was a package left to David,” Lindsay said.

“Yes, he was left some papers. The instructions to him were to use them if his dad tried to challenge the will,” Beatrice said.

“Do you have any idea what was in them?” Lindsay asked.

“No. I often wondered. I suppose it would be something that would make Charles Jr. back off,” she said.

“Wouldn’t that be an odd thing for Charles Sr. to do?” Lindsay asked.

“I am going to say this very carefully.” Beatrice said and paused to think for a moment. “Charles Sr. knew his son was a bully. He was well aware of what his son was capable of. He knew that Charles Jr. had a need to control everyone around him.”

“Are you telling me he gave his grandson ammo to fight his father?” Lindsay asked quietly.

“I am saying that he wanted to make sure that David was protected from his father’s manipulation. I’ve said far more than I should have,” Beatrice said.

“Just so we are clear. You do not know specifically what was in the papers that were willed to David?” Lindsay asked slowly.

“I have no specifics,” Beatrice said. She looked down at her watch. “I have another appointment. Are we done?”

“Yes, for now,” Lindsay said. “You’ve been helpful. Thank you.”

After Lindsay and Dixon filled Taylor Kragen in on their discussion, he knew it was time to talk to Martin Van Buren and Charles Davenport and see what they knew. He had been avoiding the prospect of this up until now. Both men were powerful and he didn’t relish the prospect of his career going down the drain.

Martin Van Buren invited him out to his home in Templeton. As Kragen drove down Highway 46 toward the beach, he took in the lush hillsides of green grapevines. He had grown up in Paso Robles and remembered when these same hillsides were covered with dry brush during the summer months. So much had changed. Kragen had lived here until he was 18 years old. He left for several years to go to college in Santa Barbara. He didn’t know if he had learned much there, but he got to surf everyday. That was something he’d missed, now that he was a grown up. He rarely got out to go surfing anymore. He met his wife at school and they moved down to Los Angeles. In Los Angeles, he joined the LAPD and was a beat cop for a few years. When they decided to have kids, they moved back to Paso Robles. As much as they loved the city life, it just wasn’t a good place to raise children.

Kragen remembered hearing about Judge Van Buren when he was a kid. He couldn’t remember any specifics, but had a feeling what was said, wasn’t kind. Kragen turned onto the paved road that led from the highway, through the gates and up the hill to the Judge’s ranch. The home was perched at the top of a hillside, with a sweeping view of the grapevines below. The sprawling one-story Spanish style home was covered in magenta colored bougainvillea. Kragen was an avid gardener and wondered how the Judge managed to keep the beautiful fuchsia colored plant alive and thriving with the winter frosts that blanketed the valley.

The Judge greeted him at the door. He was tall; well over six feet. He had the elongated body of a runner. He looked fit. He was wearing shorts and flip flops. His feet were white in stark contrast to the rest of his tan body. Whatever sport he favored required shoes. The Judge led Kragen into a library. From the photos on the wall, he knew the Judge’s sport of choice was golf. There were also pictures of him at social events; many of them, with different women he had escorted.

“You said on the phone that you were here about the bodies you found at Charlie’s ranch,” the Judge began.

“Yes. The woman has been identified as Letty Carlson. She was a childhood friend of yours?” Kragen said.

“Yes, Yes. I went to high school with her. She was Charlie’s girl,” Van Buren said. “Charlie Davenport.”

“I understand that you saw her after she and Charlie broke up,” Kragen said carefully.

The Judge peered at him. “Who told you a story like that? That is pure fiction. Letty and I were never more than friends.”

“Well, I was told that the baby found with her might be yours.”

“Rubbish. I was married when she had that baby,” Van Buren responded. “Obviously you have spoken to someone that has set out to besmirch my reputation.”

“So, Letty Carlson’s child is definitely not yours?” Kragen asked.

“No. No way,” Van Buren said.

“Any idea who the father was?” Kragen asked.

Van Buren nodded his head. “No idea.”

“Is it possible that Charlie was?” Kragen asked.

“No way,” Van Buren said curtly.

“What about Bing Taylor?” Kragen asked.

The Judge’s face registered surprise at hearing the name. “Now, there’s a blast from the past. It probably was Bing.”

“So you think Bing Taylor was the father?” Kragen asked. He hoped that the Judge didn’t register the surprise on his face.

“I’d bet he was. Letty and Bing were more alike. Charlie and I had moved on to college. I went to law school and we were both married,” Van Buren stated.

“Was Bing Taylor a violent man?” Kragen asked.

“Yes, he got into trouble here and there. I think he raped a girl when we were in high school,” Van Buren said quickly.

“I heard that,” Kragen said. “The way I heard it was that Charlie raped her and someone else took the fall for it.”

“Well, it is obvious to me that whoever you are getting your information from wants to hurt me and Charlie. That’s not what happened,” the Judge retorted in a high-handed fashion.

“Did your wife know Bing?” Kragen asked out of the blue.

“Yes, of course my wife knew Bing. My wife has been dead for years. What does she have to do with this?” Van Buren said.

“Your wife died in a car accident. Is that correct?” Kragen asked.

“Yes, she was run off the road. We assumed it was by a drunk driver,” Van Buren said.

“You assumed? Was anyone arrested?” Kragen asked curiously.