"Criminy," Fred said, "I'm running out of paper!"
"Think positive. The ice climbers hadn't shown up yet. But let's be reasonable. We can't suppose the knife was originally taken with any murderous intent. Shipton wasn't even in Ouray yet so no one could have been planning to use it to kill him. If that's the case, then why would someone take the knife in the first place? Who would want it? The logical answer is a child-Donnie or Martha, picking it up out of curiosity."
"You're not saying they...?"
"Tried to kill Shipton? Hell, no. But if one of them was just playing with it, then he or she might have left it anywhere. The killer could have found it days later. Better get more paper. Your list is getting longer." Fred grumbled a bit, but Dean just laughed. "Back to reality. Just thinking a guy's a jerk doesn't usually result in your killing him. Let's look for the person who would either benefit from Shipton's death or hated him strongly enough to cut his rope. That should make for a shorter list."
"I got my pencil ready. Give me your short list."
Dean thought a moment. "While I'm not disagreeing with you that Edith looks like the best candidate, in my mind she's still the flavor of the month at the fruitcake sale. My guess is someone did a bit of planning for Jerome Shipton's big fall, and Edith hasn't demonstrated any real talent for long-range thinking. The killer brought the knife up there and made sure they weren't seen. Unless I'm off base, the knife wasn't left by accident. It was left to implicate me. In my mind, that speaks of organizing, not the kind of behavior Edith Shipton has demonstrated."
Fred rubbed his chin in contemplation. "Maybe being so dizzy is an act with her. I read a story once where this here woman pretended to be crazy, eating bugs and stuff like that...."
Dean tuned Fred to the off position until his stepfather floated back to reality and continued. "Here's my short list Fred, for what it's worth. Edith, up top, in spite of what I said. Donald Ryland, although I haven't quite figured why. Gladys, because I saw the venom in her eyes after Shipton took advantage of her."
"Never underestimate a scorned woman," Fred said.
"True, but playing the devil's advocate, I have some problems with Gladys. Whoever cut that rope managed to do so without being seen. Can you picture Gladys sneaking anywhere? It would be like trying to hide a yellow school bus in a Volkswagen showroom. She is one huge and colorful woman."