Letting Go of the Past
Chapter One
Striding down the airport corridor pilot Malcolm Rich carried his flight bag, a garment bag with two suits, plus an extra carry-on with a couple of casual clothing changes. He'd asked for the New York run, one more flight for his paycheck to offset the week's time off he'd be losing for the trial. He, as well Ms. Pratt had been subpoenaed, and would be giving testimony against flight attendant Stephanie Bradford. He hoped his testimony wouldn't take more than one day, but this was a hijacking and terrorism trial and it was anybody's guess how long it might take. He turned the events of that flight over in his mind again, wondering, analyzing yet again every detail he could recall.
Was there anything Carson had said that should have tipped him off?
He'd trusted the sky marshal implicitly, and had been duped completely. If the explosion hadn't killed the son-of-a-bitch, he would have done so with his bare hands. The bastard had threatened his passengers, and set up a loving parent to take the fall, when it was Carson and his accomplices that had murdered Pratt's husband. And to find out that one of his trusted crew was in on it. Malcolm had worked off and on with Stephanie Bradford for almost a year, he couldn't believed she'd fooled them all.
Although Ms. Bradford willingly gave up the rest of the conspirators, the Federal Prosecuter was having no part of plea bargaining. The stand against all forms of terrorism was now absolute, no bargains and no excuses accepted. She was to be made an example. The trial by jury would determine how many things she would be convicted of, for the list was long. Accomplice to air terrorism, accomplice to hijacking and the kidnapping of Julia Pratt, child endangerment, and the reckless endangerment of more than 400 passengers and crew aboard that flight, one count for each soul aboard his plane.
Malcolm arrived at the gate, checked in with the personnel at the departure gate and headed on to the cockpit. Even as he ran the pre-flight checklist the conversation with Kyle Pratt ran through his mind again, for probably the millionth time… It had been almost nine months since that flight marred his perfect flight record, but it wasn't his fault any more than it had been hers…
Flashback:
""…..He struggled from deep down to find his voice as he looked down at the woman, holding her still unconscious daughter in her arms, holding her child tenderly. "She looks like you.."
"Yeah, there's a little bit of her dad in there too." She gave him a half-smile.
He managed to return it, before tearing his gaze from hers to stare down at the floor, overwhelmed by another wave of guilt. "I'm sorry." he swore, before returning his gaze to hers.
She nodded a silent acceptance, not a trace of accusation in her eyes, but it could never make up for what had almost happened to her child. That beautiful little girl. It was his flight, his responsibility. He should have made the search personally…""
There was knock on the door to the cockpit. "Come in," he called over his shoulder.
"Captain Rich? You need anything to drink before takeoff? Coffee, water?" asked the flight attendant.
He smiled, recognizing the voice, "You got subpoenaed too I take it?" he queried, not even turning his head from the checklist.
"Yes sir, might as well get paid to get there."
"My thoughts exactly, nothing for now Fiona, maybe later."
"Yessir." The door closed behind the young woman and Malcolm returned to the preflight check...
