Page 11 of Final Approach
No hesitation, no blinking, nothing. Either this man did not know the name Marcus Brown or he was an excellent liar. Kristine had no idea which was true.
Andrew nodded. “He’s the man who hijacked the plane we were on this morning.”
Now the man blinked. “And that was terrifying, but I still don’t understand why I’m here.” His eyes widened and he gaped for a fraction of a second. “Wait. Surely you don’t think I had something to do with that.”
“We’re not sure. You were seated in 29C and the hijacker identified you as an accomplice of the man who hired him.”
“An accomp—what?” Mr. Leary sputtered and finally managed, “Why would he say that? That’s not true!” He shuddered. “I thought we were going todie. I would never ... no.” He shook his head. “Please tell me you don’t believe that,” he whispered.
Nathan sighed. “Look, we’re just in the initial stages of the investigation and you were specifically identified by the hijacker as someone involved.”
“But I wasn’t. At all.”
Kristine found herself believing Mr. Erik Leary even while she cautioned herself to be careful. Some people were excellent liars.
“I don’t understand why he would do that.” He raked a hand overhis head. “I don’t know what to tell you. If you’re going to arrest me, do it and let me call my lawyer. Otherwise, I’d like to go home. It’s been a day to say the least and I just want to be with my family. The family I wasn’t sure I was going to see again this side of heaven.”
“Was that your original seat? Or was it changed?”
“It was my original seat.”
“Did you make the reservation online? Through a travel agent? Phone call?”
“Um, online.”
“What devices did you have with you?”
The man scratched his nose. “Um, my laptop, my iPad, and my phone.”
Kristine, Nathan, and Andrew exchanged glances, then Andrew nodded. “We have no evidence to hold you so you’re free to go, but if you think of anything, even if it’s so small you think it’s not important, will you get in touch with us?” He slid his card across the table.
Mr. Leary nodded. “Of course.”
Nathan led him out of the room and Andrew looked at her. “We’ll do our due diligence, but my gut says he wasn’t involved.”
“My gut agrees with yours, but I’ve also run into some really good liars. Once we eliminate him based on solid evidence, then I’ll trust my gut.”
“Same.”
Kristine pursed her lips. “If he made that reservation online and chose that seat, how did the person organizing this whole thing decide to choose that particular seat? And why? There’s no way he could have known who would be sitting there. Could he?”
“Not unless he—or she—has access to the booking system.”
Now that was a thought.
Agents were questioning the other passengers one by one, asking if any of them switched from their original seats and why, but no other suspects had come to light. And no software security breaches had been reported.
Andrew sighed and shook his head. “Someone went to a lot oftrouble to try and send that plane somewhere else. The question is, why?”
HANK GALLAGHERfinally texted him back while he was studying the crime board they’d set up in the office. At the top of the pyramid was Marcus Brown. A dry-erase marker line connected him to Erik Leary. Another line led to the big question mark labeled “mastermind.”
Other agents were delving into Brown’s and Leary’s backgrounds and bank accounts. They questioned friends and family and went through every bit of passengers’ cell phone footage. And more.
For now, Andrew and Nathan would focus on the Serpentine Network. Dread pooled in his belly at the thought of having to revisit those dark days and face the guilt that he managed to dodge except when he slept. Finally, he pulled in a ragged breath and looked at the text once more.
I can FaceTime in 30.
Asking Hank to make contact put the man at risk—and himself as well as he was still persona non grata with the Serpentine Network. The sting he’d been a part of had left more than one gang member dead. Including the leader’s son. If they ever found out where he was, he was a dead man. Not that they knew who he was or would even recognize him if they saw him. But Andrew didn’t feel like he had a choice. Not if he was going to do his job like he needed to.God,I need your help. I thoughtI’d put the past behind me,but if I’m this torn up about talking to Hank again,Ican see we’ve got some work to do. Pleasehelp me deal with this,keep me from delving intoplaces I don’t need to go.He paused. Orif I do need to go there,then meet methere.His throat was tight and tears had pooled without him realizing it.
