Sidney Sheldon - The sky is falling

God shouldn't let people like that die those kinds of horrible deaths, Dana thought sadly.

Dana's mother called. «My friends and I watched you cover the funeral, Dana. For a moment there, when you were talking about the Winthrop family, I thought you were going to cry.»

«So did I, Mother. So did I.»

Dana had difficulty getting to sleep that night. When she finally did fall asleep, her dreams were a wild kaleidoscope of fires and automobile accidents and shootings. In the middle of the night, she awakened suddenly and sat up. Five members of the same family killed in less than a year? What are the odds?

WHAT ARE YOU trying to tell me, Dana?»

«Matt, I'm saying that five violent deaths in one family in less than a year is too much of a coincidence.»

«Dana, if I didn't know you better, I'd call a psychiatrist and tell him Chicken Little is in my office saying that the sky is falling. The police investigated each of those deaths carefully. They were all accidents. Do you think we're dealing with some kind of conspiracy? Who's behind it? Fidel Castro? The CIA? Oliver Stone? For God's sake, don't you know that every time someone prominent is killed, there are a hundred different conspiracy theories? A guy came in here last week and said he could prove that Lyndon Johnson killed Abraham Lincoln. Washington is always drowning in conspiracy theories.»

«Matt, we're getting ready to doCrime Line. You want to start with a grabber? Well, if I'm right, this could be it.»

Matt Baker sat there for a moment, studying her. «You're wasting your time.»

«Thanks, Matt.»

TheWashington Tribune 's morgue was in the building's basement, filled with thousands of tapes from earlier news shows, all neatly cataloged.

Laura Lee Hill, an attractive brunette in her forties, was seated behind her desk cataloging tapes. She looked up as Dana entered.

«Hi, Dana. I saw your broadcast of the funeral. I thought you did a great job.»

«Thank you.»

«Wasn't that a terrible tragedy?»

«Terrible,» Dana agreed.

«You just never know,» Laura Lee Hill said somberly. «Well—what can I do you for?»

«I want to look at some tapes of the Winthrop family.»

«Anything in particular?»

«No. I just want to get a feel of what the family was like.»

«I can tell you what they were like. They were saints.»

«That's what I keep hearing,» Dana said.

Laura Lee Hill rose. «I hope you have plenty of time, honey. We have tons of coverage on them.»

«Good. I'm in no hurry.»

Laura Lee led Dana to a desk with a television monitor on it. «I'll be right back,» she said. She returned five minutes later with a full armload of tapes. «You can start with these,» she said. «There are more coming.»

Dana looked at the huge pile of tapes and thought, Maybe I am Chicken Little. But if I'm right…

Dana put in a tape, and the picture of a stunningly handsome man flashed on the screen. His features were strong and sculpted. He had a mane of dark hair, candid blue eyes, and a strong chin. By his side was a young boy. A commentator said, «Taylor Winthrop has added another wilderness camp to the ones he has already established for underprivileged children. His son Paul is here with him, ready to join in the fun. This is the tenth in a series of such camps that Taylor Winthrop is building. He plans at least a dozen more.»

Dana pressed a button and the scene changed. An older-looking Taylor Winthrop, with flecks of gray in his hair, was shaking hands with a group of dignitaries. «…has just confirmed his appointment as consultant to NATO. Taylor Winthrop will be leaving for Brussels in the next few weeks to…»

Dana changed the tape. The scene was the front lawn of the White House. Taylor Winthrop was standing next to the president, who was saying, «…and I have appointed him to head up the FRA, the Federal Research Agency. The agency is dedicated to helping developing countries all around the world, and I can think of no one better qualified than Taylor Winthrop to lead that organization…»

The monitor flashed onto the next scene, the Leonardo da Vinci airport in Rome, where Taylor Winthrop was debarking from a plane. «Several heads of state are here to greet Taylor Winthrop as he arrives to negotiate trade deals between Italy and the United States. The fact that Mr. Winthrop was selected by the president to handle these negotiations shows how significant they are…»

The man had done everything, Dana thought.

She changed tapes. Taylor Winthrop was at the presidential palace in Paris, shaking hands with the president of France. «A landmark trade agreement with the French has just been completed by Taylor Winthrop…»

Another tape. Taylor Winthrop's wife, Madeline, was in front of a compound with a group of boys and girls. «Madeline Winthrop today dedicated a new care center for abused children, and—»

There was a tape of the Winthrops' own children playing at their estate farm in Manchester, Vermont.

Dana put the next tape in. Taylor Winthrop at the White House. In the background were his wife, his two handsome sons, Gary and Paul, and his beautiful daughter, Julie. The president was presenting Taylor Winthrop with a Medal of Freedom. «…and for his selfless devotion to his country and for all his wonderful accomplishments, I am pleased to present Taylor Winthrop with the highest civilian award we can give—the Medal of Freedom.»

There was a tape of Julie skiing…

Gary funding a foundation to help young artists…

The Oval Office again. The press was out in full force. A gray-haired Taylor Winthrop and his wife were standing next to the president. «I have just appointed Taylor Winthrop our new ambassador to Russia. I know you are all familiar with Mr. Winthrop's innumerable services to our country, and I'm delighted that he has agreed to accept this post instead of spending his days playing golf.» The press laughed.

Taylor Winthrop quipped, «You haven't seen my golf game, Mr. President.»

Another laugh…

And then came the series of disasters.

Dana inserted a new tape. The scene outside a burned-out home in Aspen, Colorado. A female newscaster was pointing to the gutted house. «The chief of police of Aspen has confirmed that Ambassador Winthrop and his wife, Madeline, both perished in the terrible fire. The fire department was alerted in the early hours of this morning and arrived within fifteen minutes, but it was too late to save them. According to Chief Nagel, the fire was caused by an electrical problem. Ambassador and Mrs. Winthrop were known worldwide for their philanthropy and dedication to government service.»

Dana put in another tape. The scene was the Grand Corniche on the French Riviera. A reporter said, «Here is the curve where Paul Winthrop's car skidded off the road and plummeted down the mountainside. According to the coroner's office, he was killed instantly by the impact. There were no passengers. The police are investigating the cause of the accident. The terrible irony is that only two months ago Paul Winthrop's mother and father died in a fire at their home in Aspen, Colorado.»

Dana reached for another tape. A mountain skiing trail in Juneau, Alaska. A heavily bundled-up newscaster: «…and this is the scene of the tragic skiing accident that occurred last evening. Authorities are not sure why Julie Winthrop, a champion skier, was skiing alone at night on this particular trail, which had been closed, but they are investigating. In September, just six weeks ago, Julie's brother Paul was killed in a car accident in France, and in July of this year, her parents, Ambassador Taylor Winthrop and his wife, died in a fire. The president has expressed his sympathy.»