The Sky Is Falling (6 page)

Dana sat there in shock.

Jack Stone looked embarrassed.

Dana controlled her temper. “General Booster, I assure you I am not interested in muckraking. I know the legend about Taylor Winthrop. I’m trying to get a picture of the man himself. Anything you can tell me would be greatly appreciated.”

General Booster leaned forward. “I don’t know what the hell you’re after, but I can tell you one thing. The legend
was
the man. When Taylor Winthrop was head of the FRA, I worked under him. He was the best director this organization ever had. Everybody admired him. What’s happened to him and his family is a tragedy I can’t even begin to comprehend.” His face was tight. “Frankly, I don’t like the press, Miss Evans. I think you people have gotten way out of hand. I watched your coverage in Sarajevo. Your hearts-and-flowers broadcasts didn’t help us any.”

Dana was trying hard to control her anger. “I wasn’t there to help you, General. I was there to report what was happening to the innocent—”

“Whatever. For your information, Taylor Winthrop was as great a statesman as this country has ever had.” His eyes fixed on hers. “If you intend to tear down his memory, you’re going to find yourself with a lot of enemies. Let me give you some advice. Don’t go looking for trouble, or you’re going to find it. That’s a promise. I’m warning you to stay the hell away. Good-bye, Miss Evans.”

Dana stared at him a moment, then rose. “Thank you very much, General.” She strode out of the office.

Jack Stone hurried after her. “I’ll show you out.”

In the corridor, Dana took a deep breath and said angrily, “Is he always like that?”

Jack Stone sighed. “I apologize for him. He can be a little abrupt. He doesn’t mean anything by it.”

Dana said tightly, “Really? I had the feeling he did.”

“Anyway, for what it’s worth, I’m sorry,” Jack Stone said. He started to turn away.

Dana touched his sleeve. “Wait. I’d like to talk to you. It’s twelve o’clock. Could we have lunch somewhere?”

Jack Stone glanced toward the general’s door. “All right. Sholl’s Colonial Cafeteria on K Street in an hour?”

“Great. Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me too soon, Miss Evans.”

Dana was waiting for him when he walked into the half-deserted cafeteria. Jack Stone stood in the doorway for a moment making sure there was no one he knew in the restaurant, then he joined Dana at a table.

“General Booster would have my ass if he knew I was talking to you. He’s a fine man. He’s in a tough, sensitive job, and he’s very, very good at what he does.” He hesitated. “I’m afraid he doesn’t like the press.”

“I gathered that,” Dana said dryly.

“I have to make something clear to you, Miss Evans. This conversation is completely off the record.”

“I understand.”

They picked up trays and selected their food. When they sat down again, Jack Stone said, “I don’t want you to get the wrong impression of our organization. We’re the good guys. That’s why we got into it in the first place. We’re working to help underdeveloped countries.”

“I appreciate that,” Dana said.

“What can I tell you about Taylor Winthrop?”

Dana said, “All I’ve gotten so far are tales of sainthood. The man must have had
some
flaws.”

“He did,” Jack Stone admitted. “Let me tell you the good things first. More than any man I’ve ever known, Taylor Winthrop cared about people.” He paused. “I mean
really
cared. He took notice of birthdays and marriages, and everyone who worked for him adored him. He had a keen, incisive mind, and he was a problem solver. And even though he was so involved in everything he was doing, he was at heart a family man. He loved his wife and he loved his children.” He stopped.

Dana said, “What’s the bad part?”

Jack Stone said reluctantly. “Taylor Winthrop was a magnet for women. He was charismatic, handsome, rich, and powerful. Women found that hard to resist.” He went on: “So every once in a while, Taylor… slipped. He had a few affairs, but I can assure you that none of them was serious, and he kept them very private. He would never do anything to hurt his family.”

“Major Stone, can you think of anyone who would have had a reason to kill Taylor Winthrop and his family?”

Jack Stone put down his fork. “
What
?”

“Someone with that high a profile must have made
some
enemies down the line.”

“Miss Evans — are you implying that the Winthrops were
murdered
?”

“I’m just asking,” Dana said.

Jack Stone considered it a moment. Then he shook his head. “No,” he said. “It doesn’t make sense. Taylor Winthrop never harmed anyone in his life. If you’ve talked to any of his friends or associates, you would know that.”

“Let me tell you what I’ve learned so far,” Dana said. “Taylor Winthrop was—”

Jack Stone held up a hand. “Miss Evans, the less I know, the better. I’m trying to stay outside the loop. I can help you best that way, if you know what I mean.”

Dana looked at him, puzzled. “I’m not sure exactly.”

“Frankly, for your sake, I wish you would drop this whole matter. If you won’t, then be careful.” And he stood up and was gone.

Dana sat there, thinking about what she had just heard.
So Taylor Winthrop had no enemies. Maybe I’m going about this from the wrong angle. What if it wasn’t Taylor Winthrop who made a deadly enemy? What if it was one of his children? Or his wife
?

Dana told Jeff about her luncheon with Major Jack Stone.

“That’s interesting. What now?”

“I want to talk to some of the people who knew the Winthrop children. Paul Winthrop was engaged to a girl named Harriet Berk. They were together for almost a year.”

“I remember reading about them,” Jeff said. He hesitated. “Darling, you know I’m behind you one hundred percent…”

“Of course, Jeff.”

“But what if you’re wrong about this? Accidents do happen. How much time are you going to spend on this?”

“Not much more,” Dana promised. “I’m just going to do a little more checking.”

Harriet Berk lived in an elegant duplex apartment in northwest Washington. She was a slim blonde in her early thirties, with a nervously engaging smile.

“Thank you for seeing me,” Dana said.

“I’m not exactly sure why I
am
seeing you, Miss Evans. You said it was something about Paul.”

“Yes.” Dana chose her words carefully. “I don’t mean to pry into your personal life, but you and Paul were engaged to be married, and I’m sure you probably knew him better than anyone else.”

“I like to think so.”

“I’d love to know a little more about him, what he was really like.”

Harriet Berk was silent for a moment. When she spoke, her voice was soft. “Paul was like no other man I’ve ever known. He had a zest for life. He was kind and thoughtful of others. He could be very funny. He didn’t take himself too seriously. He was great fun to be around. We were planning to be married in October.” She stopped. “When Paul died in the accident, I — I felt as though my life was over.” She looked at Dana and said quietly, “I still feel that way.”

“I’m so sorry,” Dana said. “I hate to press this, but do you know if he had any enemies, someone who would have a reason to kill him?”

Harriet Berk looked at her and tears came to her eyes. “Kill Paul?” Her voice was choked. “If you had really known him, you wouldn’t have even asked that.”

Dana’s next interview was with Steve Rexford, the butler who had worked for Julie Winthrop. He was a middle-aged, elegant-looking Englishman.

“How may I help you, Miss Evans?”

“I wanted to ask you about Julie Winthrop.”

“Yes, ma’am?”

“How long did you work for her?”

“Four years and nine months.”

“What was she like to work for?”

He smiled reminiscently. “She was extremely pleasant, a lovely lady in every way. I — I couldn’t believe it when I heard the news about her accident.”

“Did Julie Winthrop have any enemies?”

He frowned. “I beg your pardon?”

“Was Miss Winthrop involved with anyone she might have… jilted? Or someone who might want to harm her or her family?”

Steve Rexford shook his head slowly. “Miss Julie wasn’t that sort of person. She could never hurt anyone. No. She was very generous with her time and with her wealth. Everyone loved her.”

Dana studied him a moment. He meant it. They all meant it.
What the hell am I doing
? Dana wondered.
I feel like Dana Quixote. Only there are no windmills
.

Morgan Ormond, the director of the Georgetown Museum of Art, was next on Dana’s list.

“I understand you wanted to ask me about Gary Winthrop?”

“Yes. I wondered—”

“His death was a terrible loss. Our nation has lost its greatest art patron.”

“Mr. Ormond, isn’t there a great deal of competition in the art world?”

“Competition?”

“Doesn’t it sometimes happen that several people might be after the same work of art and get into—”

“Of course. But never with Mr. Winthrop. He had a fabulous private collection, yet at the same time he was very generous with museums. Not just with this museum, but with museums all over the world. His ambition was to make great art available to everybody.”

“Did you know of any enemies he—”

“Gary Winthrop? Never, never, never.”

Dana’s final meeting was with Rosalind Lopez, who had worked for Madeline Winthrop for fifteen years as her personal maid. She was now working at a catering business she and her husband owned.

“Thank you for seeing me, Miss Lopez,” Dana said. “I wanted to talk to you about Madeline Winthrop.”

“That poor lady. She — she was the nicest person I’ve ever known.”

It’s beginning to sound like a broken record
, Dana thought.

“It was just terrible the awful way she died.”

“Yes,” Dana agreed. “You were with her a long time.”

“Oh, yes, ma’am.”

“Do you know of anything she might have done that would have offended anybody or made enemies of them?”

Rosalind Lopez looked at Dana in surprise. “Enemies? No, ma’am. Everyone loved her.”

It
is
a broken record, Dana decided.

On her way back to the office, Dana thought,
I guess I was wrong. In spite of the odds, their deaths must have been coincidental
.

Dana went in to see Matt Baker. She was greeted by Abbe Lasmann.

“Hi, Dana.”

“Is Matt ready for me?”

“Yes. You can go in.”

Matt Baker looked up as Dana walked into his office. “How’s Sherlock Holmes today?”

“It’s elementary, my dear Watson. I was wrong. There is no story there.”

THE CALL FROM Dana’s mother, Eileen, came without warning.

“Dana, darling. I have the most exciting news for you!”

“Yes, Mother?”

“I’m getting married.”

Dana was stunned. “What?”

“Yes. I went up to Westport, Connecticut, to visit a friend, and she introduced me to this lovely, lovely man.”

“I’m — I’m thrilled for you, Mother. That’s wonderful.”

“He’s — he’s so —” She giggled. “I can’t describe him, but he’s adorable. You’ll love him.”

Dana said cautiously, “How long have you known him?”

“Long enough, darling. We’re perfect for each other. I’m so lucky.”

“Does he have a job?” Dana asked.

“Stop acting like my father. Of course he has a job. He’s a very successful insurance salesman. His name is Peter Tomkins. He has a beautiful home in Westport, and I’m dying for you and Kimbal to come up here and meet him. Will you come?”

“Of course we will.”

“Peter is so anxious to meet you. He’s told everyone about how famous you are. Are you sure you can make it?”

“Yes.” Dana was off the air weekends, so there would be no problem. “Kemal and I are looking forward to it.”

When Dana picked Kemal up at school, she said, “You’re going to meet your grandmother. We’re going to be a real family, darling.”

“Dope.”

Dana smiled. “Dope is right.”

Early Saturday morning Dana and Kemal drove to Connecticut. Dana looked forward to the trip to Westport with great anticipation.

“This is going to be wonderful for everyone,” Dana assured Kemal. “All grandparents need grandchildren to spoil. That’s the best part of having children. And you’ll be able to stay with them some of the time.”

Kemal said nervously, “Will you be there, too?”

Dana squeezed his hand. “I’ll be there.”

Peter Tomkins’s home was a charming old cottage on Blind Brook Road, with a small stream running alongside it.

“Hey, this is cool,” Kemal said.

Dana ruffled Kemal’s hair. “I’m glad you like it. We’ll come here often.”

The front door of the cottage opened, and Eileen Evans stood there. There were still vague traces of beauty left, like clues to what once was, but bitterness had overlaid the past with a harsh brush. It was a Dorian Gray situation. Her beauty had gone into Dana. Standing beside Eileen was a middle-aged, pleasant-faced man wearing a broad smile.

Eileen rushed forward and took Dana in her arms. “Dana, darling! And there’s Kimbal!”

“Mother…”

Peter Tomkins said, “So this is the famous Dana Evans, eh? I’ve told all my clients about you.” He turned to Kemal. “And this is the boy.” He noticed Kemal’s missing arm. “Hey, you didn’t tell me he was a cripple.”

Dana’s blood froze. She saw the shock on Kemal’s face.

Peter Tomkins shook his head. “If he had had insurance with our company before that happened, he’d be a rich kid.” He turned toward the door. “Come on in. You must be hungry.”

“Not anymore,” Dana said tightly. She turned to Eileen. “I’m sorry, Mother. Kemal and I are going back to Washington.”

“I’m sorry, Dana. I—”

“So am I. I hope you’re not making a big mistake. Have a nice wedding.”