 When O 'Malley admits he has fallen in love with her , Christine finally breaks down and reveals the ugly truth . Her husband was corrupted by the power and adulation he received . He became a fascist , plotting to gain control of the United States and use his enormous influence to turn Americans to fascist ideals . She shows O 'Malley papers stored in the arsenal which reveal how Forrest ( backed by secretive , ultra @-@ wealthy , power @-@ hungry individuals ) planned to use racism , anti @-@ union feeling , and antisemitism to divide the country , turning one group against another if it became too powerful to control , in order to create the chaos that would let him seize power . Christine discovered the plot the day before her husband 's death . She went riding the next morning and came upon the washed @-@ out bridge . She could have warned her husband , but decided that a " clean death in the rain was the best thing that could happen to Robert Forrest . " O 'Malley convinces her to help him write a book detailing Forrest 's scheme . 
