Chapter 2 - The Helicopters Came for Him
The woman crossed Route 9 without noticing that traffic had stopped.
Her navy coat whipped around her knees as the helicopter blades continued turning behind her.
Two security men hurried after her.
Sadi stood frozen beside the coffee machine.
Frank whispered, "What did you do?"
"Nothing!"
"Then why are there helicopters?"
"How would I know?"
The woman reached the diner's front door and pushed it open.
The bell rang.
She didn't look at Frank.
She didn't look at Sadi.
Her eyes found the old man standing beside booth four.
For one long second, she couldn't move.
Then she whispered, "Dad?"
Sadi's mouth fell open.
The old man stood perfectly still.
The woman rushed toward him and threw her arms around his neck.
"Oh, God."
Her voice broke.
"We found you."
The old man's hands rose slowly.
He embraced her.
Sadi watched tears run down the woman's face.
"Six months," she whispered. "Six months, Dad."
The old man closed his eyes.
Then tapped her shoulder twice.
The woman began sobbing.
Behind her, the tall man in the black suit entered the diner.
He was perhaps forty, broad-shouldered, with close-cut dark hair and a thin scar near his temple. He wore an expensive watch and carried himself with the controlled alertness of someone accustomed to danger.
He stopped when he saw the old man.
His expression changed.
"Mr. Wren."
The old man nodded.
The man lowered his head.
"It's good to see you, sir."
Frank stared.
"Wren?"
The woman turned.
Her eyes were red.
"I'm Celia Wren."
She looked around the shabby restaurant.
Then at Sadi.
"Who's been taking care of my father?"
Sadi blinked.
"Your father?"
The woman nodded.
"Gideon Wren."
Frank stumbled backward.
"No."
Sadi looked between them.
"Who's Gideon Wren?"
Frank gripped the counter.
"Jesus Christ."
Celia stepped closer.
"My father founded Wren Air Rescue."
Sadi knew the name.
Everyone in Washington knew it.
Wren Air operated emergency helicopters, medical transportation, and disaster-response aircraft across several states.
Its founder had disappeared from public life after a devastating helicopter crash six months earlier.
The same crash that killed Hannah.
Sadi's stomach dropped.
"Wren Air?"
Celia nodded.
"Yes."
Sadi looked at the old man.
He was watching her.
Those familiar pale eyes suddenly seemed to belong to someone else.
"You're Gideon Wren?"
He nodded once.
She stared.
"You've been sitting here eating Frank's terrible eggs for six months?"
A faint smile touched his mouth.
Tap. Tap.
Sadi almost laughed.
Then she remembered her sister.
Her smile disappeared.
"Hannah worked for your company."
Celia's expression changed.
"Hannah Mercer?"
Sadi nodded.
Celia looked at her father.
The old man lowered his eyes.
The tall man stepped forward.
"My name is Rafael Navarro. I'm leading an independent investigation into the crash."
Sadi folded her arms.
"Investigation?"
He nodded.
"Yes."
"They told us it was mechanical failure."
"That's what the initial report said."
"Then why are you investigating?"
Rafael hesitated.
"Because we have reason to believe the report may be incomplete."
Sadi felt the room tilt.
"What does that mean?"
Before he could answer, a black pickup truck pulled into the parking lot.
Jimmy.
Cole.
Frank made a strangled sound.
"Oh, God."
The two men climbed out.
Jimmy looked toward the helicopters.
His smile disappeared.
Cole stopped beside him.
"What the hell is this?"
They entered the diner.
Jimmy pointed at Frank.
"Money. Now."
Rafael turned.
"Can I help you?"
Jimmy looked him up and down.
"Private business, pal."
He spotted Sadi.
"There she is. The waitress with the coffee pot."
Sadi's stomach tightened.
Celia looked at her.
"What's going on?"
Jimmy stepped toward Sadi.
"Your little performance last week cost us time."
Rafael moved between them.
"Stop right there."
Jimmy laughed.
"Who are you supposed to be?"
Rafael didn't raise his voice.
"Someone asking you to step back."
Cole glanced outside.
Six security officers stood near the helicopters.
One was speaking into a phone.
Jimmy noticed them too.
His confidence faltered.
Then Frank blurted, "They said they'd burn the diner!"
Silence.
Celia turned sharply.
"What?"
Sadi swallowed.
"Frank owes someone money. They threatened him."
Rafael looked at Jimmy.
"Who sent you?"
Jimmy's expression changed.
"Nobody."
"Then leave."
Jimmy stepped backward.
"We'll be seeing you, Frankie."
Rafael shook his head.
"No threats."
Jimmy opened his mouth.
Then noticed that one of the security officers outside had begun recording the encounter.
He turned and left.
Cole followed.
Their truck disappeared down the highway.
Frank sagged against the counter.
Celia looked furious.
"Are you all right?"
Sadi nodded.
"Fine."
Rafael studied her trembling hands.
"You don't look fine."
"I've had a weird morning."
For the first time, he smiled.
"That's understandable."
Gideon moved toward Sadi.
He held out his hand.
She looked at him.
"What?"
He pointed toward her apron.
The coin.
She removed it.
"Your weird little silver dollar?"
He shook his head.
Rafael saw the engraving.
His expression changed immediately.
"Where did you get that?"
"Grandpa gave it to me."
Celia covered her mouth.
"Oh."
Sadi frowned.
"What?"
Rafael took a breath.
"That's a founder's coin. Gideon gave only twelve of them away."
"So?"
"Every person who received one saved somebody's life."
Sadi looked at the old man.
His eyes were wet.
"I just gave you breakfast."
He shook his head.
Then reached into his coat and removed a small notebook.
His handwriting was slow but steady.
He wrote five words.
You gave me a reason.
Sadi stared at the page.
Her throat tightened.
Celia stepped closer.
"After the crash, Dad suffered a stroke. His speech was badly affected."
Sadi looked at Gideon.
He nodded.
"He disappeared from the hospital during recovery," Celia continued. "We knew he was alive, but he refused to come home."
"Why?"
Celia's expression darkened.
"Because he believed someone had lied about the crash."
Gideon tapped the notebook.
Then wrote another sentence.
Hannah knew.
Sadi stopped breathing.
"My sister?"
He nodded.
Sadi gripped the counter.
"What did she know?"
Gideon pointed toward booth four.
Then toward the old wooden seat.
He wrote:
She left something here.
Sadi stared at the booth.
Hannah had sat there countless times.
She always ordered cherry pie.
She always complained about the duct tape covering the torn seat.
And three days before she died, she'd asked Sadi a strange question.
If something happened to me, would you promise to keep Ellie safe?
Sadi had laughed.
She'd told Hannah to stop being dramatic.
Now she looked at the booth.
Rafael followed her gaze.
"What are you thinking?"
Sadi whispered, "My sister fixed that seat."
He frowned.
"What?"
"The duct tape."
She walked toward booth four.
"Hannah repaired it herself."
Gideon rose.
Sadi knelt beside the bench.
Slowly, she peeled back a strip of old gray tape.
Beneath it was a small slit in the leather.
And inside the opening was a thin black envelope.
Her sister's handwriting covered the front.
May you like
For Sadi. If they say it was an accident.
Sadi's knees nearly gave way.
