George’s briefcase was recovered.
Voss and his accomplice were arrested.
Dalton was charged with unauthorized access, conspiracy, and accepting payment to misuse airport credentials.
Olivia gave a statement to airport police.
It took nearly three hours.
By the time she finished, the evening rush had ended.
The terminal was quieter.
Most shops had closed.
She sat on a bench near Gate B with her backpack at her feet.
Her body finally began to shake.
Officer Reyes brought her a cup of hot chocolate.
“You did well.”
Olivia held the cup with both hands.
“I was terrified.”
“That is normal.”
“I almost lost the drive.”
“But you didn’t.”
Olivia looked toward the rain-covered windows.
“What happens to my job?”
Reyes sat beside her.
“That decision belongs to airport management.”
“They suspended me.”
“Dalton suspended you.”
“He was my supervisor.”
“He is now in custody.”
Olivia took a sip.
“I still left my assigned area.”
Reyes looked at her.
“Yes.”
Olivia waited.
“You left it to help a man who might have died.”
The airport chief operating officer approached.
Evelyn Shaw no longer looked like the distant executive from the employee training video.
She looked tired.
She sat across from Olivia.
“Mr. Harrison is awake.”
Olivia straightened.
“Is he okay?”
“He underwent a procedure. The doctors expect him to recover.”
Olivia exhaled.
“He asked about you.”
“What did you tell him?”
“The truth.”
Evelyn placed Olivia’s employee badge on the bench.
“The suspension has been canceled.”
Olivia picked it up.
“Am I fired?”
“No.”
She looked surprised.
Evelyn continued.
“However, we need to discuss your employment.”
Olivia’s stomach tightened again.
“You violated instructions from a supervisor.”
“Yes.”
“You entered a restricted cargo operation.”
“Officer Reyes brought me.”
“I know.”
“You recovered confidential property.”
“I caught it before it fell.”
Evelyn almost smiled.
“Ms. Carter, you seem determined to describe every brave thing you did as an accident.”
Olivia looked down.
“I don’t want special treatment because Mr. Harrison is powerful.”
“Neither does he.”
“Then what happens?”
Evelyn folded her hands.
“Tomorrow morning, the airport board will review Mr. Harrison’s research center proposal.”
Olivia did not understand why that involved her.
“He requested that you attend.”
“I clean floors.”
“Tonight you also exposed a security breach, assisted airport police, and reminded every executive in this building what responsibility looks like.”
Olivia shook her head.
“I can’t speak at a board meeting.”
“You can tell them what happened.”
“What if I say the wrong thing?”
Evelyn looked toward the terminal.
“People with expensive titles say the wrong thing every day.”
Olivia smiled despite herself.
Her phone rang.
It was her mother.
Olivia answered.
“Mom?”
“Where are you? We saw the airport on the news.”
Olivia looked at Evelyn.
“What did the news say?”
“That an employee stopped a theft. Noah thinks it was you.”
Olivia closed her eyes.
“It’s complicated.”
“Are you safe?”
“Yes.”
“Are you still employed?”
Olivia looked at the badge in her hand.
“I think so.”
Her mother began crying softly.
Olivia’s chest tightened.
“I’m coming home.”
Evelyn stopped her gently.
“There is one more thing.”
Olivia waited.
“Mr. Harrison wants to speak with you tonight.”
“At the hospital?”
“Yes.”
Olivia hesitated.
Her mother heard the conversation.
“Go,” Lisa said through the phone.
“Mom, the landlord—”
“We will deal with him tomorrow.”
“You always say that.”
“And tomorrow we will.”
Olivia looked toward the glass doors.
The rain had finally begun to slow.
She agreed to visit George.
At the hospital, he looked smaller than he had in the terminal.
His overcoat and burgundy sweater were gone.
He wore a hospital gown, and wires connected him to a heart monitor.
The vintage briefcase rested on a chair near the bed.
George smiled when she entered.
“You found it.”
“Airport police found it.”
“I was told you caught the drive.”
“It almost fell.”
“But it didn’t.”
Olivia stood near the door.
“How are you feeling?”
“Embarrassed.”
“Why?”
“I spent years designing safety systems and failed to notice my own heart.”
She smiled faintly.
George pointed to the chair.
“Please sit.”
Olivia sat.
For a few moments, neither spoke.
Then George looked at her badge.
“They returned it.”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
“I don’t want you forcing them to keep me.”
His eyebrows lifted.
“Why do you think I would?”