"Thank you. Can you tell me how to get to the Little Nell Hotel?"
"You can't miss it. It's right in the middle of town. Six-seventy-five East Durant Avenue. I'm sure you'll enjoy it."
"Thank you," Dana said.
The clerk watched her walk out the door. What the hell is going on? he wondered.
The Little Nell Hotel was built in an elegant chalet style, nestled at the base of the picturesque Aspen mountains. The lobby had a floor-to-ceiling fireplace with a cheery fire constantly burning in the winter, and large windows with views of the snowcapped Rockies. Guests in ski clothes were sitting around on couches and oversize chairs, relaxing. Dana looked around and thought, Jeff would love this. Maybe we'll come up here...
When Dana had finished signing in, she said to the clerk, "Do you happen to know where the Taylor Winthrop home is?"
He looked at her strangely. "The Taylor Winthrop home? It's not there anymore. It burned to the ground."
Dana said, "I know. I just wanted to see - "
"There's nothing up there now but a lot of ashes, but if you want to see it, you go out east to Conundrum Creek Valley. That's about six miles from here."
"Thank you," Dana said. "Would you have my bags taken to my room, please?"
"Certainly, Miss Evans."
Dana headed back to the car.
The site of the Taylor Winthrop home in Conundrum Creek Valley was surrounded by National Forest lands. The house had been a one-story dwelling made of native stone and redwood, set in a lovely, secluded location with a large beaver pond and a creek running through the property. The view was spectacular. And in the midst of all that beauty, like an obscene scar, were the burned-out remnants of the house in which two people had died.
Dana strolled around the grounds, visualizing what had once been there. It had obviously been a very large one-story house. There must have been many doors and windows at ground level.
And yet the Winthrops had not been able to escape through any of them. I think I'd better visit the fire department.
As Dana walked into the fire station, a man approached her. He was in his thirties, tall, tan, and athletic looking. He probably lives on the ski slopes, Dana thought.
"Can I help you, ma'am?"
Dana said, "I read about the Taylor Winthrop house burning down and I was curious about it."
"Yeah. That was a year ago. Probably the worst thing that ever happened in this town."
"What time of day did it happen?"
If he thought her question odd, he gave no sign. "It was the middle of the night. We got the call at threeA. M. Our trucks were out there by three-fifteen, but it was too late. The house was burning like a torch. We didn't know anybody was inside until later when we put down the fire and found the two bodies. That was a heartbreaking moment, let me tell you."
"Do you have any idea what started the fire?"
He nodded. "Oh, yeah. It was an electrical problem."
"What kind of electrical problem?"
"We don't know exactly, but the day before the fire, someone called an electrician to the house to fix it."
"But you don't know what the problem was?"
"I think there was something wrong with the fire alarm system."
Dana tried to sound casual. "The electrician who went out to fix it - would you happen to have his name?"
"No. I guess the police would have it."
"Thanks."
He looked at Dana curiously. "Why are you so interested in this?"
Dana said earnestly, "I'm writing an article about ski-resort fires around the country."
The Aspen police station was a redbrick one-story building, half a dozen blocks from Dana's hotel.
The officer at his desk looked up and exclaimed, "You're Dana Evans, the TV lady?"
"Yes."
"I'm Captain Turner. What can I do for you, Miss Evans?"
"I'm curious about the fire that killed Taylor Winthrop and his wife."
"My God, what a tragedy that was. The folks here are still in shock."
"I can understand that."
"Yep. Too bad they weren't able to save them."
"I understand the fire started from some kind of electrical problem?"
"That's right."
"Could it have been arson?"
Captain Turner frowned. "Arson? No, no. It was electrical failure."
"I'd like to talk to the electrician who went out there the day before the fire. Do you have his name?"
"I'm sure it's here in our files. Want me to check it out?"
"I'd appreciate it."
Captain Turner picked up the phone and spoke into it briefly, then turned back to Dana. "First time in Aspen?"
"Yes."
"Great place. Do you ski?"
"No."But Jeff does. When we come up here...
A clerk walked up and handed Captain Turner a sheet of paper. He passed it on to Dana. It read:Al Larson Electrical Company, Bill Kelly.
"They're just down the street."
"Thank you so much, Captain Turner."
"My pleasure."
As Dana left the building, a man across the street turned away and spoke into a cell phone.
The Al Larson Electrical Company was in a small gray cement building. A clone of the man at the fire department, tanned and athletic looking, was seated at a desk. He stood up as Dana came in. "Morning."
"Morning," Dana said. "I'd like to talk to Bill Kelly."
The man grunted. "So would I."
"I beg your pardon?"
"Kelly. He disappeared almost a year ago."