Chapter 6 Chapter Four

"What are you trying to explain to me, Dana?" "Matt, I think it's far-fetched to say that the violent deaths of five members of the same family in less than a year are purely coincidental." "Dana, if I didn't know you well enough, I'd call the therapist and tell him the cowards are in my office saying it's about to collapse. Do you think we're dealing with some kind of conspiracy? Who's behind the scenes Feder Castro? The CIA? Oliver Stone? For God's sake, don't you know that for every famous person who dies, there are a hundred different conspiracy theories? Last week, a guy walked in here and said he could prove that Lyndon Johnson killed Abraham Lincoln, and Washington is often drowned in conspiracy theories."

"Matt, we're getting ready for a crime scan. Do you want to start with an exciting story? Oh, if I'm right, this one will do." Matt Baker sat for a while, studying her. "You're wasting your time." "Thanks, Matt." The database of the Washington Tribune is in the basement at the bottom of the building, and one side is filled with thousands of videotapes from the early news programs to the present, all neatly arranged in categories. Laura Lee Hill, an attractive blonde in her forties, was sitting behind a desk editing the tapes.Dana looked up when she entered.

"Hi Dana, I read your coverage of the funeral and I think you did a great job." "Thank you." "Isn't that a terrible tragedy?" "Scary," Dana agreed. "Never know," said Laura Lee Hill despondently. "Oh—what can I do for you?" "I'd like to see some Winthrop family tapes." "Anything special?" "No. I just want to get a feel for what kind of family this is." "I can tell you what they're like. They're saints." "I've heard that all the time," Dana said.

Laura Lee Hill stood up: "I hope you have enough time, dear. We have tons of reports on them." "Fine. I'm in no rush." Laura Lee Hill led Dana to a desk with a monitor. "I'll be right there," she said.She returned five minutes later with an armful of tapes: "You can start with them," she said, "and there's a lot more to come." Maybe I'm a coward, Dana thought, looking at the mountain of video tapes.But what if I'm right...? Dana tucks in a videotape, and an image of a stunningly handsome man leaps onto the screen.His features were resilient and angular.He had long, thick black hair, frank, honest blue eyes, and a strong jaw.There is a little boy beside him.One commentator is saying: "Tyler Winthrop has built another wilderness camp for underprivileged children. His son Paul is with him, ready for games. This is Taylor Winthrop building The tenth series of camps. He plans to build at least a dozen more.”

Dana presses a button, and the screen changes, showing an older-looking Taylor Winthrop — with a few gray hairs — shaking hands with the dignitaries. “…just confirmed his appointment as NATO advisor. Taylor Winthrop will be traveling to Brussels in the next few weeks…” Dana changed the tape.The picture is the grass in the front yard of the White House.With Taylor Winthrop standing next to the President, the President announced: "...I have appointed him to lead the Federal Research Agency. The agency is dedicated to helping developing countries around the world. I can't think of a better leader than Taylor Winthrop Someone more qualified to lead the agency..."

The monitor cuts to the next picture, at Rome's Leonardo da Vinci Airport, Tyler Winthrop is getting off the plane: "Several government officials are waiting here to negotiate the Italy-US trade agreement Taylor Winthrop of the United States. The fact that Mr. Winthrop was chosen by the President to negotiate shows how significant they are..." This man has done everything, Dana thought. She changed a few more tapes.Tyler Winthrop is shaking hands with the French president at the presidential palace in Paris: "Tyler Winthrop just signed a landmark trade deal with France..."

Another tape.Taylor Winthrop's wife, Madeleine, with a group of children in front of a building: "Madeleine Winthrop inaugurated a new child care center for abused children today and..." On one tape, the Winthrop children are playing at the family's estate in Manchester, Vermont. Dana puts in the next plate.Taylor Winthrop at the White House.In the background are his wife, two handsome sons, Gary and Paul, and beautiful daughter Julie.The President awarded Tyler Winthrop a Medal of Freedom: "In recognition of his selfless service to our country and all of his extraordinary accomplishments. It is my pleasure to present to Taylor Winthrop the highest award we can bestow on a civilian - the Medal of Freedom .”

There's a video of Julie skiing... Gary contributes to a foundation to help young artists... The Oval Office again.The press is all out.Gray-haired Taylor Winthrop and his wife stood next to the president. "I have just appointed Tyler Winthrop as our new ambassador to Russia. I assume you are all familiar with the innumerable contributions Mr. Winthrop has made to our country, and I am delighted that he has agreed to accept this role instead of slogging around all day. Golf." The reporters laughed. Taylor Winthrop quipped: "You haven't seen me play golf, Mr. President."

Another burst of laughter... A series of disasters followed. Dana tucks in a new tape.The outside of a burnt home in Aspen, Colorado.A female announcer points to the damaged house inside. "The Aspen Police Chief has confirmed that Ambassador Winthrop and his wife Madeleine have both died in the horrific fire. The fire brigade arrived within fifteen minutes of being alerted early this morning, but it was too late to save them .According to Commissioner Nagel, the fire was started by an electrical problem. The Ambassador and Mrs. Winthrop are known for their generosity of kindness and devotion to the government..."

Dana put in another plate, a picture of the Grande Croisette in the French seaside resort.A reporter said: "This is where Paul Winthrop's car skidded off the road and fell off the cliff. According to the coroner, the force of the force killed him instantly. It was a horrific coincidence that just two months earlier, Paul Winthrop Winthrop's parents died in a fire at their home in Aspen, Colorado." Dana took another tape."This is where the ski tragedy happened last night," said a well-dressed announcer on an alpine ski run in Juneau, the Alaska state capital. Authorities are still unclear why Julie Winthrop, a The ski champion, who was alone late at night on the closed piste, is investigating.Julie's brother Paul was killed in a car accident in France in September, six weeks ago, and in June this year , her parents, Ambassador Taylor Winthrop and his wife were killed in a fire. The President has expressed his condolences."

Next tape.Gary Winthrop's home in northwest Washington, DC.Reporters swarmed outside the house, where an announcer was reporting: "Things have taken an unbelievably tragic turn when Gary Winthrop, the last surviving member of the much-loved Winthrop family, was murdered by burglars. Shot dead. Early this morning a security guard noticed the siren lights were off, entered the room and found the body of Mr. Winthrop. He had been shot twice. Apparently the thieves were caught while stealing valuable paintings. Gary Winthrop was the fifth and last violent death in the family this year." Dana turned off the TV screen and sat there for a long time.Who wants to wipe out such a remarkable family?Who!why. Dana made an appointment with Senator Perry Leaf at the Hart Senate Office Building.Liv, in his early fifties, is a serious and passionate man. He stood up when Dana was ushered in. "What can you do, Miss Evans?" "I know you work closely with Taylor Winthrop, Senator?" "Yes. We have been appointed by the President to work together on various committees." "I know how he is in public, Senator Leaf. But what is he like in private?" Senator Leaf looked at Dana for a moment: "I'm happy to tell you that Taylor Winthrop is one of the nicest people I've ever met. One of the things that stands out about him is the way he interacts with people. He posted He cared about people from the bottom of his heart. He did everything he could to make the world a better place. I will always miss him and what happened to his family was too tragic to even think about." Dana is speaking with Nancy Patkin.She was one of Taylor Winthrop's secretaries, a wrinkled, sad-eyed woman in her sixties. "You worked for Mr. Winthrop for a long time?" "fifteen years." "I suppose you knew Mr. Winthrop well during that time." "Yes, of course." Dana said, "I wonder what kind of guy he is. He—" Nancy Patkin interrupted her: "I can tell you exactly what type of man he is, Miss Evans, when we found out my son had Lou Gehrig's, Taylor Wing Throp took him to his own doctor and paid for all the medical bills. When my son died, Mr. Winthrop paid for the funeral and sent me to Europe to recover.” Her eyes filled with tears: "He was the most remarkable and generous gentleman I have ever known." Dana schedules a meeting with General Victor Booth, the head of the FRA, the same job Tyler Winthrop had previously held.At first Buster refused to talk to Dana, but when he heard who she wanted to talk to, he agreed to meet her. At ten o'clock in the morning, Dana drove to the Federal Research Office near Fort Meade, Maryland. The headquarters of the Bureau occupies an area of ​​82 acres and is heavily guarded.There is no sign of a forest-like satellite-receiving ground station hidden behind dense trees. Dana approached an eight-foot-tall tornado fence topped with barbed wire.She gave her name to the armed guard at the entry box and showed her driver's license before being let through.A minute later she approached a sealed electric gate equipped with surveillance cameras.She gave her name again, and the door opened automatically.She walked down the driveway to a huge white administration building. Outside the building, a man in plain clothes received Dana: "I will take you to General Buster's office, Miss Evans." They took a private elevator to the fifth floor, then walked down a long corridor to the office suite at the end. They entered a large reception room with two secretarial desks. One of the secretaries said, "The General is waiting for you, Miss Evans. Just go in." She pressed a button, and the door to the inner office clicked open. Dana found herself in a spacious office with soundproof ceilings and walls.She was greeted by a tall, thin, attractive man in his forties.He held out his hand to Dana and said kindly, "Major Jack Stone. I'm General Booth's aide." He pointed to a man sitting behind a desk. "This is General Booth." General Buster was African-American, with a sharp face and stern black eyes.His freshly cropped head gleamed in the ceiling light. "Sit down," he said.His voice was low and hoarse. Dana sat down on a chair: "Thank you for your interview, General." "You said it was about Taylor Winthrop?" "Yes, I think—" "Are you doing his show, Miss Evans?" "Oh me--" His voice became stern: "Can't you fucking journalists let the dead rest in peace? You are a pack of wolves who play tricks on dead people and expose scandals." Dana sat there, stunned. Jack Stone looked embarrassed. Dana held back her anger: "General Booth, I assure you that I have no interest in exposing scandals. I know the legend about Taylor Winthrop. I am trying to fully understand the man himself. No matter what you tell me In any case, I would be very grateful.” General Booth leaned forward: "I don't know what the hell you're looking for, but I can tell you one thing. The legend is that man. When Tyler Winthrop was leading the FRA, I was in He works under him. He's the best chief I've ever had. Everyone adores him. What happened to him and his family is such a tragedy that I didn't even understand it at first." His face was grim: "Frankly, I don't like the press, Miss Evans. I think you guys are too freewheeling and lawless. I've seen your reporting from Sarajevo. Your passionate and flamboyant reporting doesn't help us in any way." Dana managed to hold back her anger. "I'm not there to help you, General. I'm there to report what happened in innocent—" "Whatever you are. Tell you, Taylor Winthrop is the greatest statesman this country has ever seen." His eyes fixed on her fiercely. "If you try to demean him, you will find yourself Many enemies to face. Let me give you a little advice. Don't ask for trouble, or you will find it. I promise. I warn you to stay away. Goodbye, Miss Evans." Dana stared at him for a moment, then stood up. "Thank you very much, General." She strode out of the office. Jack Stone hurriedly followed: "I'll take you out." In the corridor, Dana let out a long sigh of relief and said angrily. "Is he always like this?" Jack Stone sighed: "I apologize for him. He was a little abrupt. He didn't mean anything else." Dana said stiffly, "Really? I think he has." "Anyway, I apologize for what he said," said Jack Stone.He started to turn away. Dana touched his sleeve. "Wait. I want to talk to you. It's twelve o'clock. Can we have lunch somewhere?" Jack Stone glanced at the General's door. "Okay. Shaw's Colonial Cafeteria on K Street in an hour?" "Excellent. Thank you." "Don't be in a hurry to thank me, Miss Evans." Dana was waiting for him when he entered the half-empty cafeteria.Jack Stone stood in the doorway for a moment, making sure that there was no one he knew in the dining room before sitting down at Darna's table. "General Buster will get me in trouble if he finds out I talked to you. He's a good guy. He's doing a hard, sensitive job, and he's doing it very, very well." He hesitated. Moment: "I'm afraid he doesn't like the press." "I know that," Dana said coldly. "I must make it clear to you, Miss Evans. This conversation is entirely informal." "I see." They picked up plates and picked vegetables.After taking his seat again, Jack Stone said: "I hope you don't get the wrong impression about our institution. We are good people. That's why we joined it in the first place, and we work hard to help countries that are left behind." "I appreciate that," Dana said. "Can I tell you something about Taylor Winthrop?" Dana said: "All I've heard so far are stories about saints, and there's always something wrong with this person." "He has," Jack Stone admits. "Let me start with the positives, Taylor Winthrop cares more about people than anyone else I know." He paused. "I mean genuinely caring. He remembers birthdays and anniversaries and everyone who works for him adores him. He has a sharp mind and a good problem-solver. Dedicated, but deep down he's a family man. He loves his wife and children." He paused. Dana asked, "What about the bad side?" Jack Stone grudgingly continued: "Taylor Winthrop was a magnet for women. He was attractive, handsome, rich and powerful. Women found that allure irresistible," he continued : "So every now and then Taylor would... cheat. He had a few affairs, but I can assure you that none of them were serious, and he did it very covertly. He would never do something that would hurt his family." "Major Stone, can you think of anyone who would kill Taylor Winthrop and his whole family for some reason?" Jack Stone put down his fork: "What?" "A man of his stature must have made some bitter enemies." "Miss Evans—are you implying that the Winthrops were murdered?" "I'm just asking," Dana said. Jack Stone thought for a moment, then shook his head. "No," he said, "it doesn't make sense. Taylor Winthrop never hurt anyone in his life. You'd understand if you talked to any of his friends or colleagues." "Let me tell you what I've heard so far," Dana said, "Taylor Winthrop is—" Jack Stone held up a hand. "Miss Evans, the less I know the better. I'm trying to stay out of it. That's how I can best help you, if you know what I mean." Dana looked at him, puzzled: "I don't quite understand." "Frankly, for your own sake, I hope you just let the whole thing go. If you don't, then be careful." Then he stood up and walked away. Dana sat there, reflecting on what she had just heard.So Taylor Winthrop has no enemies.Maybe I'm thinking the wrong way?What if Taylor Winthrop hadn't made a sworn enemy?Perhaps one of his children?Or is it his wife? Dana tells Jeff about her lunch with Major Jack Stone. "Interesting. What about now?" "I would like to speak to some people who know the Winthrop siblings. Paul Winthrop was engaged to a girl named Harriet Burke. They lived together for about a year. " "I remember reading about them," Jeff said.He hesitated: "Honey, you know that I support you 100%..." "Of course, Jeff." "But what if you're wrong this time? Accidents do happen a lot. How much time are you going to spend on this?" "Not too much," Dana assured. "I'm just doing some more research." Harriet Burke lived in an elegant two-story apartment in Northwest Washington.She was a dainty blonde in her early thirties, with an uncomfortably charming smile. "Thank you for seeing me," Dana said. "I don't quite understand why I want to see you, Miss Evans. You say it's about Paul." "Yes." Dana carefully said: "I didn't mean to inquire about your private life, but you and Paul are engaged and ready to get married, so I believe you know him better than anyone else." "I like to think so." "I want to know more about him, what kind of person he is." Harriet Burke was silent for a moment.When she spoke, her voice was very gentle. "Paul is not like every other man I've ever known. He has a passion for life. He's kind and considerate. He's also very funny. He doesn't think he's anything special. It's a joy to be around. We planned Married in October." She paused. "When Paul died in the car accident, I—I felt like my life was over." She looked at Dana and said softly, "I still feel that way." "I'm sorry," Dana said, "I don't want to bring it up, but did you know he had an enemy, someone who had a reason to kill him?" Harriet Burke watched her with tears in her eyes. "Kill Paul?" Her voice choked up. "If you knew him, you wouldn't even ask that question." Dana's next interview subject is Steve Rexford, Julie Winthrop's housekeeper.He was a well-mannered, middle-aged Englishman. "Can I be of service to you, Miss Evans?" "I wanted to ask you about Julie Winthrop." "Yes, miss." "How long have you worked for her?" "Four years and nine months." "What kind of master is she?" He smiled nostalgically. "She was very sweet and a lovely lady in every way. I -- when I heard what happened to her, I couldn't believe it." "Does Julie Winthrop Have Haters?" He frowned, "Please say it again." "Miss Winthrop has any involvement with a lover she may... have abandoned? Or someone who may have tried to harm her or her whole family." Steve Rexford shook his head slowly: "Miss Julie is not that kind of person. She can never hurt anyone. No, she is very generous with her time and wealth. Everyone loves her. " Dana studied him for a moment.He is telling the truth.They are telling the truth.What am I doing?Dana wondered.I feel like Dana Don Quixote.Only without windmills. Morgan Ormond, director of the Georgetown Museum of Art, is next on Dana's list. "I hear you want to ask me about Gary Winthrop?" "Yes. I wonder..." "His passing is a great loss. Our country has lost its greatest patron of the arts." "Mr. Ormond, the art world is very competitive, isn't it?" "compete?" "Sometimes several people will look at the same work of art and produce—" "Of course. But never with Mr. Winthrop. His private collection is very large, and he is very generous to museums. Not only to this museum, but to many museums around the world. His ideal is to make Everyone can enjoy great art." "You know what enemies he has..." "Gary Winthrop? No way, no way, no way." Dana's last meeting was with Rosalind Lompez, who had been Madeleine Winthrop's maid for fifteen years.She currently works for a hotel contractor that she and her husband own. "Thank you for seeing me, Miss Lumpez," Dana said. "I want to talk to you about Madeleine Winthrop." "Poor lady. She—she's the sweetest person I've ever known." It's starting to sound like a broken record that's been pestered over and over again, Dana thought. "She died a terrible death." "Yes," Dana agreed, "you've been with her for a long time." "Oh yes, miss." "Do you know what she might have done to offend anyone or make them her enemies?" Rosalind Lumpez stared at Dana in surprise: "Enemy? No, miss. Everyone loves her." It was a bad record, Dana made up her mind. On the way back to the office, Dana thought, Looks like I was wrong.Although the odds are slim, their deaths must have been purely coincidental. Dana goes to see Matt Baker.Abi Rathman greets her. "Hi, Dana." "Is Matt ready to meet me?" "Yes. You can go in." Matt Baker watched Dana walk into his office: "How is Sherlock Holmes today?" "Simple, my dear sir. I was wrong. There is no story in it."