Free Fall at Angel Creek, page 8
River kept scanning the hangar looking for Dee. She should have been here hours ago, and now she was not only annoyed but worried about her. Even though she looked okay on the outside, Dee was barely keeping it together.
Just then, across the crowded hangar, River locked eyes with her, and they walked directly toward each other.
“Where have you been? I’ve been waiting for you.”
Dee looked surprised. “You were waiting for me? Well, I’m here now, and I have some information on the McClain passengers. I went and talked to the wife.”
“You what? You shouldn’t have done that. They could’ve killed you.”
Out of the corner of her eye, River saw one of the FBI agents marching directly toward them. He stopped in front of Dee’s face.
“Hey. Who told you to go interrogate a surviving family member? I just got off the phone with the lawyer for the McClain family, and he accused you of harassing E.J. McClain’s wife. What’s going on?”
Dee had stiffened and looked like she was about to let loose on him, when River stepped between them.
“So sorry about that, Agent. It’s my fault. I told Detective Rawlings to canvass witnesses and survivors, but I didn’t explain our interview protocols to her. It won’t happen again.”
“Make sure it doesn’t. All interviews go through us.” He turned and stomped off.
“That’s the second time you’ve covered for me. I thought you were going to report me to the chief.”
“The day’s not over yet, and I may still do that. That’s the last off-book interview you do around here. So what did you find out?”
“Shouldn’t we brief Ronald Moore?”
“Not necessarily, but go ahead.”
“McClain’s wife is very upset but also confused. They’re on high alert at their compound, with lots of armed men. The daughter told me they have witnesses who saw the airplane hit by a missile.”
“Shot down?” This was a revelation to River, but, if true, it could explain a lot. “Were you able to get names of witnesses?”
“Not so far, but I think this is a good lead.”
“This is a stretch, but it could explain a motive. If a rival anti-government group got ahold of a Stinger shoulder-fired missile, or even a mobile rocket launcher, they could take out the whole McClain family with one missile.”
“That’s what I thought too.” Dee looked excited.
“This possibility brings up new questions, such as, who wanted the McClains dead, and how did they get a weapon like a Stinger missile?”
“All good questions. Have you ever heard of something like this happening to an airplane?”
“Yes, unfortunately. A Malaysia Air 777 was blown up over Ukraine by a Russian surface-to-air missile in 2014. Three hundred people died, and worst of all, several of the passengers were AIDS researchers. Just recently, the Iranian military shot down a 737 passenger plane after takeoff and killed a hundred and seventy-six people.”
“Wow. I didn’t know that.”
“In the first case, the Russians deliberately took down the plane. In the second one, it was a supervisor’s error. Both mishaps had no survivors. Please write a report of your interview with Mrs. McClain and turn it into the Tests/Reports table.”
“Is that all? Just write up an interview report? Don’t we need to go back to their compound with more firepower to get some answers?” Dee was clearly frustrated.
“What is considered the least reliable type of evidence?”
“Eyewitness testimony. Why are you quizzing me?”
River went on to make her point. “And why is eyewitness testimony the least reliable?”
Dee seemed pissed off now. “Because people don’t remember details correctly, they can mix up facts.”
“Exactly, and it’s even more true with airplane accidents. A plane falling out of the sky is not normal, so the human brain has to create a logical reason for seeing something that doesn’t make sense.”
“Create a reason? What do you mean?”
“In previous investigations I’ve worked, I’ve had witnesses tell me things like, ‘I saw smoke coming from the engines,’ or ‘the plane was on fire before it hit the ground.’ In both cases, the witnesses were mistaken, and no fire or smoke existed before the crash. Their brains fabricated an explanation for the plane crash. Therefore, they thought they saw fire when there was none.”
“Yes, that can happen, so what’s your point?”
“We can’t rely on what someone thinks they saw. We have to prove it with physical evidence. We’ll have to find punctures going into the aircraft skin from missile shrapnel, explosive residue on parts, or pieces of the missile mixed in with aircraft parts. If we can locate any of this evidence, you might have figured out the magic bullet that brought this plane down. Let’s go see what they’ve found so far.”
River led Dee to the big structure with parts attached to their locations on the airframe with wires. As they walked around it, River pointed to the various structural parts they had gathered so far.
“This is the outboard left aileron, this is the right main landing gear truck, and here is the upper rudder. I don’t see any scorching or inward punctures on any of these parts.”
Dee came up close to River and whispered, “What’s that, on the outside of the engine they just found?”
“That’s the number-three engine from the right wing.”
The engine had been loaded onto a movable stand for examination by the General Electric technicians. Dee tilted her head back to look at it.
“This thing is huge. There, on the left side of it, is a gash. And what’s all this stuff in the front of it?”
River watched the GE guys wheel the engine past her to their teardown area. Pine branches stuck out of the front intake, along with dirt, and the outer cowling had a three-foot-long tear in its side. “I need to talk to Mike Bowers about where he found this.”
They went to the Civil Air Patrol operations table and saw Mike doing flight planning for his next search mission.
“Hey, Mike. Good job locating the engine. Do you have any pictures of the terrain it impacted?”
“Sure. Here they are. And thanks again for the tip on where to search. I saw it from the air only about fifty yards from the point you gave me.”
Dee stuck her hand out toward Mike. “Hi. I’m Dee. I’m with the Portland Police Bureau.”
“Oh. Sorry I didn’t introduce you. Look at these pictures. The tops of several evergreen trees were broken off as the engine crashed through them. On this view, I can see a definite line from the missing treetops. This is the angle of impact.”
Mike jumped in. “Yeah. They told me this engine was half-buried in the forest floor when they retrieved it. It took them quite a while to dig it out.”
“That explains the dirt in the intake but not the gash in the side of the engine.”
“Could the trees have torn that hole in the side when it fell from the sky?” Dee asked.
“Not likely. This engine is made of all metal and is very heavy. A big tree would break before it could damage something this massive. Look at the hole on the side of it. It’s a three-foot-long tear that is deformed inward, meaning something hit this engine hard from the outside.”
“Like a missile or a bomb?”
“Possibly, but we won’t know anything definitive until they tear it down and look at the internal damage.”
“River, if something hit this engine, is that enough to bring down an entire airplane?”
She mentally reviewed the list of major aircraft accidents, each one a fascinating but tragic story. “Yes, it is. An American Airlines DC-10 crashed over forty years ago because the left engine broke off from the wing and severely damaged the plane. It happened just after takeoff, when they were close to the ground. They never had a chance.”
Dee was quiet. “What do we do now? Wait for these guys to take the engine apart?”
“No. We need more evidence, and lots of it, to figure out what happened. Let’s get back out in the field and find the rest of this jet.”
Chapter Eleven
Dee and River returned to Angel Creek and walked around for hours with nothing to show for it. This was very different from what Dee was used to as a police detective. She didn’t even know what she should be looking for. Most of the mangled parts on the scaffolding frame looked like trash, not valuable evidence. Instead of directly pursuing a bad guy, River was methodically and thoroughly searching for pieces. Dee was getting frustrated at River’s slow pace.
“Why are we still in this area instead of searching where everyone else is in the main debris field?”
River stopped and turned to her. “If you don’t like the way I do things, you’re free to leave and join them.”
“Hey, I’m not trying to pick a fight. I just want to understand the big picture of what we’re doing. I don’t know what I’m looking for.”
River looked irritated. “Do you know what a hydraulic fuse looks like?”
“No.”
“How about the difference between a pitot tube and an angle-of-attack probe?”
“Of course I don’t. What’s your point?”
“You don’t know this environment or how it works. If I walked into a crime scene with you, I wouldn’t know what to do either.”
“Okay. You’re right, but you could help me out a little and explain what you’re up to. After all, I’m trying to help.”
“Really? So far, you’ve been nothing but in my way.”
Dee felt like River had just slapped her. After a moment, she said, “If that’s how you feel, I’ll go. Maybe I can be of use to the FBI or ATF.” She turned and walked off.
* * *
Watching Dee walk away, part of River was glad she could do her work in peace. Another part of her felt guilty for what she’d said. She didn’t want to be unkind, but Dee’s questions were interrupting her process. She also felt sorry for her because she understood the need to keep busy. But Dee Rawlings was a loose cannon and a distraction she didn’t have time for.
As River continued to search the area, not finding anything, she wondered if Dee was right. Maybe she should join the rest of the search team, because she wasn’t discovering anything new at Angel Creek. But something about this area made River think she could locate something significant. It was nothing more than a hunch, but she continued. She did prefer to work by herself, but she had to collaborate with the other team members when they presented their findings.
A clap of thunder in the distance drew her attention to the sky. It was dark and ominous to the south, with lightning flashes getting closer. She packed up for the day before she got drenched. With a twinge of melancholy, she looked back at Angel Creek on her way out. It was such a peaceful place in the midst of such destruction.
Back at the hangar in Redmond, Ronald Moore was holding a press conference. “Ladies and gentlemen, Ronald Moore here. We’ve made significant progress on the investigation today, starting with the discovery of parts of the main cabin. Sadly, we also discovered the first human remains. Based on the amount of damage, we must report that we have found no survivors of this tragic accident. Our deepest condolences to the families.”
“Oh, no.” River looked around the hangar, hoping Dee wasn’t here. Then she saw her standing in the corner. Hurrying through the crowd to get to her, by the time she reached Dee, she was shaking.
“I need to see her, River. Take me to where the bodies are.”
“Oh, God. I can’t do that.”
“Don’t give me that ‘you don’t belong here’ bullshit. She’s my sister.”
“You don’t understand. There are no bodies to identify.”
“What are you talking about? More than two hundred and fifty people were on that plane.”
“When the airplane exploded, the bodies were vaporized. The impact forces at five hundred miles an hour were enormous, and she died instantly. I’m so sorry, but nothing is left.”
Dee buried her face in her hands.
“Come on, Dee. Let’s get out of here.”
* * *
Dee fought to control her breathing as River drove them to the Holiday Inn. Even after River had explained about the impact forces, she still couldn’t believe nothing was left of Naomi. Up to this point, she’d thought she might be able to survive Naomi’s death by working on the case. She now understood how impossible that would be. She was immobilized.
River pulled up to the hotel entrance. “Let’s get you a room.”
“I don’t need a hotel room. I have to drive back to Portland.”
“You’re not going anywhere tonight.”
“Do not try to tell me what to do.” Part of Dee realized she’d just sounded like a three-year-old.
River shut off the car and turned to her. “Dee, I would never force you to do anything. But I need you to listen to me. You are not safe to drive right now. You’re in shock, and you’re not thinking clearly.” She took Dee’s hand. “Please let me help you.”
Dee nodded, and they went into the hotel lobby, where the front-desk clerk said, “I’m sorry, but we’re full with the investigation team. I don’t have any more rooms available.”
“It’s okay.” Dee turned to River. “I feel better. I’m all right to drive home.”
“Wait. What about the room next to mine? Why don’t you give her that one?”
“If that’s all right with you, Dr. Dawson. I’ll make you another key,” the clerk answered.
“Hey. I don’t want to put you out. I’m really okay to drive.”
“Humor me, please.” River led them to the elevator.
“I have two hotel rooms at the end of the hall, connected by a door. I use one as an office, but you can have it.” River unlocked the hotel room door and held it open for her.
Dee looked around. “This is nice, but where will you work?”
“Sometimes I need space to spread out my maps to see the big picture, but that’s all. Besides, my client, the liability insurance company, is paying for both rooms. Are you hungry? I was thinking of ordering room service.”
“Not really, but you go ahead. Aren’t you having dinner with the team?”
“No. I prefer to be by myself in the evenings.”
“Oh.” Dee felt bad for imposing on River’s space and quiet time.
“I’ll order room service.” River walked through the adjoining doorway to her room.
Dee was very uncomfortable as she looked around. She was in this woman’s space, a woman who clearly didn’t want her anywhere near this case, and now she was supposed to spend the night in the room next to her. I should leave.
She went to the door between their rooms and knocked. She wanted to thank River, but she also needed to flee.
When River turned to her, she said, “You need to sit down. You don’t look good.” She led her to sit on the edge of the bed, then sat next to her.
She stared into River’s eyes. “How can you be sure all the bodies are gone?”
“Because I’ve seen it before, and it’s the laws of physics. They will find some personal effects, like clothing or maybe jewelry, but it’s not much. They’ll have to do DNA testing to determine the identities of the remains.”
“I don’t even know what she looks like now. I probably wouldn’t have been able to identify her body anyway.”
Tears slowly ran down Dee’s cheeks, and she sensed herself sliding down the pit of despair into darkness again. She struggled to breathe, then felt warmth across her shoulders. It was River’s arm holding onto her, holding her from descending into nothingness.
She felt the muscles in River’s strong arm flex against her back. Hang on, hang on.
Waves of grief crashed into her, trying to dislodge her from River’s grasp. She clung to River’s waist as the sobs came. She lost track of time. When she was finally able to raise her head, she was dizzy and thirsty, and saw the wet, tear-stained front of River’s shirt. She was mortified.
“I’m so sorry about your shirt.” She tried to get up, but River held her firmly.
“It’s just a tee shirt, and it’s all right. Can you breathe?” Her voice was soothing.
Dee sat up. “Yes. I’m fine. I’m sorry I’m such a mess.”
River released her shoulders and held her hand. “It’s not a problem, and I understand what you’re going through.”
“How can you possibly know what I’m going through? You’ve worked a lot of aircraft crashes and are used to people being vaporized, but you’ve never had your sister taken from you in an instant.”
“You’re right, I don’t know what that’s like, but I do understand about sudden loss, because my mother died in a plane crash thirty-one years ago.”
Dee’s anger turned into stunned silence.
* * *
River dreaded this conversation, but she knew it was necessary for Dee. She hated telling this story because it brought back the pain as if the crash had happened yesterday. But letting Dee know she wasn’t alone in her grief was more important. Dee was sinking into depression and needed a lifeline to hold on to. She grabbed some tissues, took a deep breath, and began. “My mom and I were passengers on United flight 232, the DC-10 that crash-landed in Sioux City, Iowa, in 1989. I was thirteen, and my mom and dad had just gotten a divorce. We lived in Denver with my grandparents, and I was going to Chicago to spend my first summer with my dad, but I didn’t want to fly by myself, so I begged my mom to come with me.”
River got up from the bed, walked around the room, drank some water, then continued.
“I’d been on airplanes before with no problems, but that day I was really nervous. It was bumpy at the beginning of the flight, like it always is out of Denver. Then it was smooth, and I was just reading my book, when I heard this loud boom. The plane lurched, then slowly turned, and we thought everything was fine. But then we saw the flight attendants move quickly up and down the aisles and knew something was very wrong. The plane almost went upside down, then leveled out and slowly rolled back and forth. They told us it would be a very rough landing, and I remember them yelling, ‘Brace! Brace! Brace!’ at us. I was holding on to my mom’s hand as hard as I could.”
