Chapter 5 - THE PERSON INSIDE THE FOUNDATION
By the time Flight 417 crossed the Rockies, the story had become bigger than a stolen seat.
Naomi didn’t care about that.
She cared about one question.
Who warned Preston Hale?
Ethan couldn’t leave the cockpit again, so Daniel explained what he knew.
The Reynolds Aviation Safety Foundation had four senior trustees.
Ethan.
Retired federal investigator Susan Keller.
Attorney Michael Grant.
And Harold Pierce, former chief counsel for AeroDyne Systems.
Naomi immediately frowned.
“Why would someone from Mom’s old company be on Dad’s foundation?”
“Because Pierce claimed he wanted to fix what AeroDyne had done wrong.”
“Did Mom know him?”
“Yes.”
“Did she trust him?”
Daniel hesitated.
“No.”
Naomi looked toward the cockpit door.
“Does Dad?”
“More than I do.”
That answer bothered her.
An hour before landing, the plane entered light turbulence.
Hale suddenly pressed his call button.
When the flight attendant approached, he lowered his voice.
“I need to speak privately with Captain Reynolds.”
“No, sir.”
“This concerns his daughter’s safety.”
Naomi heard.
So did Daniel.
The attendant’s expression changed.
“What exactly are you saying?”
Hale looked toward Naomi.
“That memory card should not be opened.”
“Why?”
“Because Rachel Reynolds made accusations against powerful people.”
Daniel laughed.
“People like you?”
Hale ignored him.
“I’m trying to prevent a child from being dragged into litigation she doesn’t understand.”
Naomi spoke before anyone stopped her.
“You already dragged me into something when you took my seat.”
Several passengers smiled.
Hale did not.
“You think this is a game?”
“No.”
Naomi held Blue against her chest.
“My mother died.”
The cabin went silent.
Hale looked away first.
That mattered.
Then he said quietly:
“Your mother was not supposed to be on Flight 417.”
Daniel froze.
Naomi stared.
“What?”
Hale realized he had said too much.
Daniel leaned forward.
“Explain that.”
Hale remained silent.
“You knew Rachel changed flights?”
Still nothing.
Naomi’s heart pounded.
Her mother had been scheduled to return from Chicago the following day.
Naomi remembered that because Rachel surprised her.
She came home early.
Or tried to.
“Why did Mom take Flight 417?”
Daniel looked toward the cockpit.
“I never knew.”
Naomi turned to Hale.
“You did.”
He finally spoke.
“Rachel called Harold Pierce.”
The name hit like a dropped glass.
“She told him she had discovered the altered report.”
Daniel’s face hardened.
“And Pierce told her to come to Seattle immediately.”
“Why?”
“To meet a regulator.”
Naomi slowly understood.
“She was carrying evidence.”
Hale closed his eyes.
“Yes.”
Daniel whispered:
“And somebody knew exactly which flight she boarded.”
Hale looked suddenly exhausted.
“Rachel thought Pierce was helping her.”
Naomi’s voice became tiny.
“Was he?”
Hale did not answer.
At that moment the captain announced their descent into Seattle.
Seat belts clicked throughout the cabin.
Naomi looked out at the clouds breaking beneath them.
Then Hale said one final sentence before the flight attendant ordered him silent.
“Ask your father why Harold Pierce was the first person at the crash site.”
Naomi turned sharply.
May you like
Daniel went pale.
Because Harold Pierce had always told everyone he learned about Flight 417 from the evening news.
