Dana dropped Kemal off at school and then headed for the studio. Half a dozen blocks away, her cell phone rang. She picked it up. “Hello?”
“It’s Matt. There’s going to be a press conference on the Winthrop murder at police headquarters at noon. I want you to cover it. I’m sending over a camera crew. The police have really got their asses in a sling. The story is getting bigger every minute, and the cops don’t have a clue.”
“I’ll be there, Matt.”
Police Chief Dan Burnett was in his office on the telephone when his secretary said, “The mayor is on line two.”
Burnett snapped, “Tell him I’m talking to the governor on line one.” He went back to the phone.
“Yes, Governor. I know that…Yes, sir. I think…I’m sure we can…As soon as we…Right. Good-bye, sir.” He slammed the phone down.
“The White House press secretary is on line four.”
The whole morning went like that.
At noon, the conference room in the Municipal Center at 300 Indiana Avenue in downtown Washington was crowded with members of the media. Police Chief Burnett entered and walked to the front of the room.
“Let’s have it quiet, please.” He waited until there was silence. “Before I take your questions, I have a statement to make. The savage murder of Gary Winthrop is a great loss not only to this community, but to the world, and our investigation is going to continue until we apprehend the ones responsible for this terrible crime. I’ll take your questions.”
A reporter stood up. “Chief Burnett, do the police have any leads?”
“At about three A.M. a witness saw two men loading up a white van in the driveway of Gary Winthrop’s house. Their actions looked suspicious, and he took down the license number. The plates were from a stolen truck.”
“Do the police know what was taken from the house?”
“A dozen valuable paintings are missing.”
“Was anything stolen besides the paintings?”
“No.”
“What about cash and jewelry?”
“The jewelry and cash in the house were untouched. The thieves were just after the paintings.”
“Chief Burnett, didn’t the house have an alarm system, and if so, was it turned on?”
“According to the butler, it was always turned on at night. The burglars found a way to circumvent it. We’re not sure yet how.”
“How did the burglars gain entrance to the house?”
Chief Burnett hesitated. “That’s an interesting question. There were no signs of a break-in. We don’t have the answer to that yet.”
“Could it have been an inside job?”
“We don’t think so. Gary Winthrop’s staff has been with him for many years.”
“Was Gary Winthrop alone in the house?”
“As far as we know, yes. The staff was off.”
Dana called out, “Do you have a list of the stolen paintings?”
“We do. They’re all well known. The list has been circulated to museums, art dealers, and collectors. The minute one of those paintings appears, the case will be solved.”
Dana sat down, puzzled. The killers must have been aware of that, so they wouldn’t dare try to sell the paintings. Then what was the point of stealing them? And committing a murder? And why didn’t they take the money and jewelry? Something doesn’t add up.
The funeral services for Gary Winthrop were held at the National Cathedral, the sixth largest in the world. Wisconsin and Massachusetts Avenues had been closed off to traffic. Secret Service men and Washington police were out in full force. Inside, waiting for the service to begin, were the vice president of the United States, a dozen senators and members of Congress, a Supreme Court Justice, two cabinet officers, and a host of dignitaries from around the world. The police and press helicopters beat a tattoo in the sky. On the street outside were hundreds of onlookers who had come either to pay their respects or to get a glimpse of the celebrities inside. People were paying tribute not just to Gary, but to the entire ill-fated Winthrop dynasty.
Dana covered the funeral with two camera crews. Inside, the cathedral was hushed.
“God moves in mysterious ways,” the minister was intoning. “The Winthrops spent their lives building hopes. They donated billions of dollars to schools and churches and to the homeless and the hungry. But just as important, they selflessly gave of their time and talent. Gary Winthrop carried on the great family tradition. Why this family, with all its achievements and generosity, has been taken from us so cruelly is beyond our knowledge. In one sense, they are not really gone, for their legacy will live on forever. What they have done for us will always make us proud….”