Walter Calkin, head of the firm of Calkin, Taylor & Anderson, had been the Winthrops' family lawyer for more than twenty-five years. He was an elderly man, crippled with arthritis, but while his body was frail, his mind was still keen.
He studied Dana a moment. «You told my secretary that you wanted to talk to me about the Winthrop estate?»
«Yes.»
He sighed. «It's incredible to me what happened to that wonderful family. Incredible.»
«I understand that you handled their legal and financial affairs,» Dana said.
«Yes.»
«Mr. Calkin, in the last year, was there anything unusual about those affairs?»
He was looking at Dana curiously. «Unusual in what sense?»
Dana said carefully, «This is awkward, but—would you be aware of it if any member of the family was… being blackmailed?»
There was a momentary silence. «You mean, would I know if they were regularly paying out large sums of money to somebody?»
«Yes.»
«I suppose I would, yes.»
«Andwas there anything like that?» Dana pursued.
«Nothing. I assume you're suggesting some sort of foul play? I must tell you I find that utterly ridiculous.»
«But they are all dead,» Dana said. «The estate must be worth many billions of dollars. I would very much appreciate it if you could tell me who stands to receive that money.»
She watched the lawyer open a bottle of pills, take one out, and swallow it with a sip of water. «Miss Evans, we never discuss our clients' affairs.» He hesitated. «In this instance, however, I see no harm in it, because a press announcement is going to be made tomorrow.»
And then there's always one of the oldest motives in the world—money.
Walter Calkin looked at Dana. «With the death of Gary Winthrop, the last surviving member of the family —»
«Yes?» Dana was holding her breath.
«The entire Winthrop fortune goes to charity.»
VI
THE STAFF WAS getting ready for the evening news.
Dana was in studio A at the anchor desk, going through last-minute changes for the broadcast. The news bulletins that had been coming in all day from wire services and police channels had been studied and selected or rejected.
Seated at the anchor table next to Dana were Jeff Connors and Richard Melton. Anastasia Mann started the countdown and ended 3-2-1 with her extended forefinger. The camera's red light flashed on.
The announcer's voice boomed out, «This is the eleven o'clock news live on WTN with Dana Evans»—Dana smiled into the camera— «and Richard Melton.» Melton looked into the camera and nodded. «Jeff Connors with sports and Marvin Greer with the weather. The eleven o'clock news begins right now.»
Dana looked into the camera. «Good evening. I'm Dana Evans.»
Richard Melton smiled. «And I'm Richard Melton.»
Dana read from the TelePrompTer. «We have a breaking story. A police chase ended earlier this evening after a holdup at a downtown liquor store.»
«Roll tape one.»
The screen flashed to the interior of a helicopter. At the controls of the WTN helicopter was Norman Bronson, a former marine pilot. Next to him sat Alyce Barker. The camera angle changed. On the ground below were three police cars surrounding a sedan that had crashed into a tree.
Alyce Barker said, «The chase began when two men walked into the Haley Liquor Store on Pennsylvania Avenue and tried to hold up the clerk. He resisted and pressed the alarm button to summon police. The robbers fled, but the police pursued them for four miles until the suspects' car crashed into a tree.»
The chase was covered by the station's news helicopter. Dana looked at the picture and thought:The best thing Matt ever did was to get Elliot to buy that new helicopter. It makes a big difference to our coverage.
There were three more segments, and the director signaled for a break. «We'll be right back after this,» Dana said.
A commercial came on.
Richard Melton turned to Dana. «Have you looked outside? It's a bitch out there.»
«I know.» Dana laughed. «Our poor weatherman is going to get a lot of hate mail.»
The red camera light flashed on. The TelePrompTer was blank for a moment, then began to roll again. Dana started to read, «On NewYear's Eve I'd like—» She stopped, stunned, as she looked at the rest of the words. They read:…us to get married. We'll have a double reason to celebrate every New Year's Eve.
Jeff was standing next to the TelePrompTer, grinning.
Dana looked into the camera and said awkwardly, «We'll—we'll pause for another brief commercial.» The red light went off.
Dana stood up. «Jeff!»
They moved toward each other and embraced. «What do you say?» he asked.
She held him tightly and whispered, «I say yes.»
The studio echoed with cheers from the crew.
When the broadcast was over and they were alone, Jeff said, «What would you like, honey? Big wedding, small wedding, medium wedding?»
Dana had thought about her wedding from the time she was a little girl. She had visualized herself in a beautiful, lacy white gown with a long, long train. In the movies she had seen, there was the frantic excitement of getting ready for the wedding…the guest list to prepare…the caterer to choose…the bridesmaids…the church…All her friends would be there, and her mother. It was going to be the most wonderful day of her life. And now it was a reality.
Jeff said, «Dana…?» He was waiting for her answer.
If I have a big wedding, Dana thought, I would have to invite Mother and her husband. I can't do that to Kemal.
«Let's elope,» Dana said.
Jeff nodded, surprised. «If that's what you want, then it's what I want.»
Kemal was thrilled when he heard the news. «You mean Jeff is going to live with us?»
«That's right. We'll all be together. You'll have a real family, darling.» Dana sat at Kemal's bedside for the next hour, excitedly discussing their future. The three of them were going to live together, vacation together, and just be together. That magic word.
When Kemal was asleep, Dana went into her bedroom and turned on the computer. Apartments. Apartments. We'll need two bedrooms, two baths, a living room, kitchen, dining area, and maybe an office and a study. That shouldn't be too difficult. Dana thought of Gary Winthrop's town house sitting empty, and her mind began to wander. What had really happened that night? And who had turned off the alarm? If there were no signs of a break-in, then how had the burglars gotten in? Almost involuntarily her fingers typed in «Winthrop» on the keyboard. What the devil is the matter with me? Dana saw the same familiar information she had seen earlier.
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