Chapter 8 - THE RECORDING
Daniel found the original maintenance supervisor in a small town outside Indianapolis.
The man had retired under a different name after the crash. When Vincent's people located him, he refused to speak until Clara Evans agreed to attend the meeting.
The three of them met in a secure office.
The supervisor, Thomas Reed, looked exhausted.
“I told the investigators everything I knew,” he said.
“Your statement was incomplete,” Vincent replied.
Thomas rubbed his forehead.
“Because I was threatened.”
“By whom?”
“Someone from Bellini International. They said my pension would disappear and my daughter would lose her job.”
Vincent placed a photograph on the desk.
Sophia stood beside a ground crew vehicle, taken on the day of the crash.
“Did she speak to you?”
Thomas stared at it.
“Yes.”
“What did she ask?”
“She wanted to know whether the secondary fuel line had been checked.”
“Why?”
“She said Mr. Moretti had requested a private inspection.”
Vincent's jaw tightened.
“I never requested one.”
Thomas nodded.
“I know that now.”
Clara leaned forward.
“What happened after the emergency landing?”
Thomas took a breath.
“The aircraft should have been safe once the engines were shut down. But someone had left a valve open. The fire spread through the rear fuel line.”
“Was that an accident?” Vincent asked.
“No.”
Thomas removed a small recorder from his pocket.
“I made a copy of the maintenance conversation. I was afraid no one would believe me.”
He pressed play.
A man's voice filled the room.
“Make sure the rear system remains compromised. The passenger will be moved before the aircraft is cleared.”
Another voice answered.
“And if she doesn't move?”
“Then the problem takes care of itself.”
Vincent went completely still.
“Who is speaking?”
Thomas looked at him.
“The first voice belongs to Victor Bellini. Sophia's father.”
The second voice was less clear. Daniel replayed it.
Vincent recognized it on the third attempt.
Marissa Cole.
His former executive assistant.
The same woman who had taken Anna's calls from the hospital.
Vincent stood.
“Where is Marissa?”
Daniel checked his tablet.
“She left Bellini International last month. She's currently in Chicago.”
“Bring her in.”
Thomas looked at Vincent.
“There's more.”
He produced a printed maintenance authorization. The document carried Vincent's electronic approval.
But the time stamp showed that it had been signed while he was still in the air.
“Someone used your credentials,” Daniel said.
Vincent stared at the page.
“Who had access?”
“Your executive assistant. Sophia's event coordinator. And one member of the aircraft maintenance team.”
Clara looked at him.
“Someone wanted Anna dead.”
Vincent's hands curled into fists.
“And they wanted me to believe I had caused it by leaving her behind.”
The thought settled into him like ice.
Victor had not merely sabotaged an aircraft. He had used Vincent's decision to abandon Anna as part of a plan. He had known Vincent would take Sophia out first.
He had counted on it.
Vincent looked at Daniel.
“Find Marissa. Find Victor. And make sure the authorities receive a copy of that recording.”
Daniel nodded.
Vincent turned toward Clara.
“Thank you for saving my wife.”
Clara's expression softened, but only slightly.
“Don't thank me yet. You still have to answer for what you did after you left her.”
May you like
Vincent accepted the judgment.
“I know.”
