John and Natalie looked at each other in shock then back at their unmasked captor. It was Margaret Cochran! "You're not dead!" Natalie gasped out in shocked amazement. Todd really had been innocent! She really had thought Todd killed the woman.
John looked at Natalie in shock as well. Her mouth was hanging open and she looked ready to pass out. He felt a wave of fear rush through him. This woman was crazy and was holding a gun on Natalie!
Margaret pointed the gun straight at John and said, "Toss your gun over here, Officer." She waved her gun a bit motioning for John to throw his gun on the floor of the plane.
John hesitated a bit then took his gun out and slowly bent over and set it carefully on the floor watching as Margaret kicked it away from him. He tried to stay calm, knowing that any wrong move could get him or Natalie shot. While he would risk his own life there was no way he would risk Natalie. Looking Natalie in the eye he silently pleaded with her not to do anything stupid.
Natalie nodded her understanding and looked over at Todd. He seemed to be either in shock at seeing Margaret alive or trying to figure out how to get out of this alive. If she had to guess it would be the latter. Todd would do anything to save his own neck. As she silently prayed that he kept his mouth shut her hopes were quickly dashed when Todd opened his mouth and started talking.
"So, Peggy you're back. Where have you been?" Todd asked her calmly while inside he was seething and full of hatred for this psycho crazy bitch. 'Well he would kill her this time' he thought to himself. Couldn't be convicted of her murder twice. This one would be free!
"Why Toddy I've been busy having your baby. We'll all be a family soon. We are gonna run away together, you, me, and TJ. We're gonna be so happy together." Margaret babbled on happily. Then looking over at John she said, "Give me the key to the cuffs."
John looked at her wondering what planet she was from. The way she was talking it was like she thought that they were taking a drive and they could just pull over and get out. She really was a first class nutjob. Hoping he could distract her at some point he took the key out of his pocket and threw it to her. He was amazed that she caught it with one hand without the gun even wavering. This was gonna be harder than he thought. She was much steadier with that gun then he had given her credit for.
Natalie watched everything silently, knowing that she couldn't possibly help in this situation. John was good at his job and he would get them out of this. She truly believed that, no matter what had happened between them he was a damned good cop. She just hope what ever he was gonna do he would do it soon. The longer they waited the farther from Llanview they got.
John watched as Margaret walked closer to Todd and leaned over him carefully and started to unlock his cuffs. Todd sat there unmoving and John knew that this wasn't gonna be good. Not good at all. What are you doing Margaret. You're not gonna get away. We're 20,000 feet in the air. There isn't any where for you to go." John said loudly to her hoping to distract her and maybe get an opening or talk her into giving up the gun.
Margaret shook her head and shouted, "Shut up. You're trying to distract me. I'm just here for my man." She finished unlocking his cuffs and handed him the key to his ankle shackles. "Go ahead my love. We are going to get out of here together." She said with a sickly sweet expression on her face.
Todd unlocked his shackles and stretched his legs for the first time in what seemed like hours. He stood up slowly so he wouldn't provoke Margaret. "Ok Peggy now what?"
Margaret looked at him and asked with a smirk, "How are you at skydiving?" Taking out the parachutes she tossed one at Todd. She opened the door and the alarms on the plane started going off like crazy. Natalie put her hands over her ears because the noise was so loud. She couldn't believe Margaret was alive let alone crazy enough to attempt to jump out of the plane.
That's when John made his move he lunged at her and the gun went off. Natalie screamed in panic when she heard the gun blast. "John!"
As John struggled with Margaret Todd was trying to get the gun that Margaret dropped. "Todd you have to help me!" Margaret shouted and with one final lunge she broke free of John and went for the gun.
Natalie saw this and screamed "JOHN!" John whipped his head around towards Natalie to see why she was yelling and she saw what he didn't. Margaret grabbed the gun and was aiming it at John then Todd calmly shoved her out the door of the plane.
She dropped the gun and clutched the side of the plane her body dangling outside. Looking at Todd with wide eyes and said, "How could you? I loved you!"
John rushed to her pushing Todd aside and grabbed for Margaret. He was shocked when she simply stared at Todd not even trying to reach for his hand. Natalie ran over also trying to help, while she hated Margaret she didn't want her to die.
But Margaret just kept starting at Todd. Then most shocking of all she said, "I love you Todd. Spencer has little T.J. Take care of him." Then she just simply let go and disappearing into the afternoon sun screaming, "I'll always love you Todd!"
John and Natalie looked at each other in shock while Todd started laughing. Natalie walked over to Todd and slapped him in the face. "How can you laugh? A woman just died!"
Todd reeled back from the force of the blow and put a hand to his cheek. Looking at John he could see that arrogant detective holding back a grin as he looked at Natalie. "Oh come on tell me you saw that coming?" He said rubbing his still smarting cheek.
John looked at Natalie then back at Todd and decided not to interfere. He closed the door of the plane silently saying a prayer for Margaret. When he shut the door he heard it, the mad beeping from the cockpit and the pilot shouting for help. John ran to the front of the plane and jumped in the other seat. "What's wrong," he shouted.
"The bullet knocked out the helm control. We're gonna crash!" The pilot shouted back at him frantically trying to keep the plane in the air.