"Then send someone with me."
"Already doing it."
Forty-five minutes later, Malcolm stood outside apartment 306.
Sandra had sent former federal investigator Marcus Bell.
Marcus was fifty, broad-shouldered, silent, and unimpressed by wealth.
"Stay behind me if something feels wrong," Marcus said.
"I'm not twelve."
"Then don't behave like you're twelve."
Malcolm knocked.
No response.
He knocked again.
"Andrea Cole?"
Nothing.
Marcus looked at the doorframe.
"No forced entry."
Malcolm knocked harder.
"Ms. Cole, my name is Malcolm Reed. I'm chairman of Northstar Airways."
A sound came from inside.
Very small.
Something falling.
Marcus raised a hand.
"Someone's in there."
Malcolm stepped back.
The lock clicked.
The door opened three inches.
A woman looked through the gap.
Early fifties.
Dark hair streaked with gray.
Thin face.
Sharp eyes.
"Who?"
"Malcolm Reed."
She stared at him.
Then at Marcus.
"You shouldn't be here."
Malcolm replied, "I've heard that twice today."
Her eyes shifted.
"Leave."
"Captain Steven Parker refused to operate Flight 418 because I was sitting in seat 1A."
Andrea's expression changed.
Only slightly.
Malcolm continued.
"Denise Carter filed a complaint against him nine years ago."
The door opened another inch.
"Denise?"
"She's safe."
Andrea closed her eyes.
Then whispered, "Is she still flying?"
"Yes."
A strange smile appeared.
"She always loved the sky."
Malcolm waited.
Andrea looked down the hallway.
Then opened the door.
"Five minutes."
Inside, the apartment was almost empty.
No family photos.
No decorations.
One couch.
One table.
Two chairs.
Stacks of boxes lined the far wall.
Malcolm noticed all of them were labeled by year.
"What's in those?" he asked.
Andrea did not answer.
She sat.
"You control Northstar now?"
"Yes."
"How much?"
"Enough."
"That's not a number."
"Fifty-eight percent voting control."
Andrea laughed softly.
"Then Richard must hate you."
"Why?"
"Because before you arrived, he thought Northstar belonged to him."
Malcolm sat opposite her.
"Tell me what happened."
Andrea stared at him.
"No."
"You've hidden for six years."
"Correct."
"Northstar has paid your rent."
Her face went blank.
"Who told you?"
"I found it."
"Then stop finding things."
"Why?"
Andrea looked toward Marcus.
"Is he security?"
"Independent investigator."
"Independent from Northstar?"
"Yes."
Some tension left her shoulders.
Not much.
Malcolm continued.
"Did Richard Vale threaten you?"
Andrea said nothing.
"Did he force you to resign?"
Nothing.
"Were you fired?"
Her eyes lifted.
"All three."
Malcolm frowned.
"Explain."
"I filed a formal complaint. They offered a settlement. I refused. Richard told me I'd never work in aviation again."
"Then?"
"HR terminated me."
"Why does the company say you resigned?"
"Because two days later they offered a new settlement."
"For silence?"
"For disappearance."
Marcus finally spoke.
"What does that mean?"
Andrea looked at him.
"They gave me money. A small apartment. Medical coverage. In exchange, I vanished."
"Why accept?"
Andrea's face hardened.
"Because somebody followed my daughter home from school."
Malcolm's body went still.
"Who?"
"I never found out."
"Did Vale know?"
"He mentioned her school the next morning."
Marcus leaned forward.
"Exact words."
Andrea's eyes went distant.
"He said, 'Children deserve stability, Andrea. It would be tragic if your choices disrupted hers.'"
Malcolm felt anger rise.
Controlled.
Cold.
"What evidence did you have?"
Andrea looked toward the boxes.