Chapter 5: The Man in Seat 2C
"Nobody move.""
My voice carried through the first-class cabin.
Several passengers looked up.
A woman clutched her handbag. The businessman in row four lowered his phone. Somewhere behind us, a child began crying.
Captain Mitchell looked at the passenger manifest.
"Seat 2C?""
I nodded.
"Where is the passenger who occupied it?""
A flight attendant checked the seat.
"His belongings are gone.""
Robert grabbed the cabin phone.
"Emily, check the forward lavatory. Carefully.""
Emily nodded.
Victoria suddenly stepped toward the aisle.
"I need to get my personal bag.""
"Stay where you are," I ordered.
She stopped.
Her eyes narrowed.
"You have no authority to order me around.""
I held up my badge.
"I'm conducting an official federal safety investigation. Until airport security arrives, I expect full cooperation.""
Victoria looked toward the exit.
Then she did something unexpected.
She began walking toward the rear galley.
Robert caught her arm.
"Where are you going?""
"To get water.""
"Not now.""
"Take your hand off me!""
He released her.
I noticed her right hand slipping into the pocket of her uniform.
"Victoria, show me your hands.""
She froze.
"What?""
"Both hands. Where I can see them.""
Slowly, she removed them.
Her right hand was holding a small silver key.
I looked at it.
"What's that for?""
"Nothing.""
"Then put it on the counter.""
She hesitated.
"Victoria.""
She dropped it.
Robert picked it up.
His face changed.
"That's the service compartment key.""
I looked at her.
"Why do you have it?""
She began shaking her head.
"I found it.""
"Where?""
"Near the galley.""
"Which galley?""
She didn't answer.
I turned toward the intercom.
"Michael, can you hear me?""
Static.
Then his voice.
"Yes.""
"Someone has a compartment key. Is there another way out?""
"No. The access panel is locked from the outside.""
"Can you see who's there?""
A metallic thud sounded through the speaker.
Michael whispered something.
I couldn't make it out.
"Repeat that.""
"I said he's leaving.""
"Who?""
"The person outside.""
A moment later, the speaker went silent.
Robert tried the intercom.
"Michael? Can you hear me?""
Nothing.
He looked at me.
"We need to get that panel open.""
"Agreed.""
He turned toward Victoria.
"Did you lock him inside?""
She burst into tears.
"I didn't lock anyone anywhere!""
"Then explain the key.""
"I was told to keep it.""
"By whom?""
She covered her face.
I stepped closer.
"Victoria, this is your opportunity to tell the truth. If someone instructed you to interfere with an investigation, I need to know.""
She looked up.
"Daniel said Michael was dangerous.""
"Why?""
"Because he stole company documents.""
"Which documents?""
"The maintenance records.""
"Why would those records be dangerous?""
She stared at me.
Then her voice broke.
"Because they showed the aircraft had failed inspection before the emergency flight.""
I waited.
She continued.
"Daniel said if the records became public, the airline would lose its government contract. He told me the company would collapse. He said thousands of people would lose their jobs.""
"And what did you do?""
"I changed the cabin report.""
"Did you know the aircraft had a hydraulic defect?""
She nodded.
"Yes.""
Robert stepped backward.
"Victoria, you allowed passengers to fly on an aircraft you knew had a safety issue?""
"I was told maintenance had corrected it!""
"Did you verify that?""
"No.""
"Then why did you sign the report?""
Her voice dropped.
"Because Daniel promised me a promotion.""
The confession hung in the air.
I took a breath.
"Who is the man who boarded in seat 2C?""
Victoria shook her head.
"I don't know.""
"Don't lie.""
"I swear. Daniel told me someone would be traveling with us. He said that person would collect a document from Michael.""
"Which document?""
"The original maintenance authorization.""
I looked toward the cockpit.
"Captain, we need airport security now.""
Robert nodded.
He was about to make another radio call when the cabin speakers suddenly came alive.
This time, the voice wasn't Michael's.
It was Daniel Cross.
"Ms. Whitmore, I believe we've had enough excitement for one morning.""
I looked at the speaker.
"Where are you, Mr. Cross?""
A quiet laugh followed.
"Somewhere you should have checked before making accusations.""
I looked toward seat 2C.
Then toward the rear.
"Are you aboard this aircraft?""
"Does it matter?""
"It matters considerably.""
"Listen carefully. You have a federal badge and a stack of papers. That doesn't mean you understand what's happening.""
"I understand that a pilot is locked inside a service compartment and that someone has attempted to conceal evidence.""
"Michael Turner is not who you think he is.""
I frowned.
"What does that mean?""
"Ask him what happened during the emergency landing.""
Before I could respond, Daniel continued.
"Ask him why he was alone in the maintenance bay that night.""
I looked at Robert.
The captain seemed just as confused.
Then Daniel said something else.
"Ask him who actually disabled the hydraulic warning system.""
The speaker clicked off.
I stood motionless.
Victoria was crying.
Emily looked terrified.
Robert stared at the ceiling speaker.
I finally turned toward the intercom.
"Michael, I need you to answer me.""
A few seconds passed.
Then his voice returned.
Very quietly.
"Ms. Whitmore, don't believe him.""
"Did you disable the warning system?""
Silence.
"Michael?""
Finally, he answered.
"I didn't have a choice.""
My stomach tightened.
"What do you mean?""
His voice cracked.
"Because the person who ordered me to do it was not Daniel Cross.""
I leaned closer.
"Who was it?""
Michael took a breath.
Then he spoke a name I never expected to hear.
"Your former supervisor, Eleanor.""
I felt the blood drain from my face.
May you like
Because my former supervisor had retired six years earlier.
And I had personally attended his funeral.
