Even at thirty-three, she was still Marcus’s girl to men who remembered him.
“Yes.”
“I wondered when someone would come.”
Naomi’s pulse changed.
“You sent the tag?”
“No.”
She looked toward Ethan across the room.
“Do you know who did?”
“No.”
“Do you know Bay 14?”
A long breath.
“Yes.”
Naomi activated the recorder with his permission.
“What happened there?”
Voss did not answer immediately.
Then:
“We were told to find a heat source.”
“On aircraft 742?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
“Forward electronics bay.”
“Did you?”
“Yes.”
Naomi gripped her pen.
“What caused it?”
“We didn’t know.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“It’s the only honest one.”
He continued.
“A harness bundle was running hotter than expected.”
“Not enough to trip protection.”
“Enough to discolor insulation.”
“Did you replace it?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“We were told it had already been evaluated.”
“By who?”
“Manufacturer support.”
“Documentation?”
“Wasn’t given to us.”
Naomi looked toward Ethan.
He shook his head.
Keep going.
“Did you recommend grounding?”
“Yes.”
“What happened?”
“We were told to perform thermal wrapping and monitor.”
Naomi went still.
“Thermal wrapping?”
“Temporary protection.”
“On wiring you believed was overheating?”
“Yes.”
“Who gave that instruction?”
Voss’s voice lowered.
“Victor Hale.”
Naomi closed her eyes.
Again.
Same name.
Different fault.
“Did my father know?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did you meet him?”
“No.”
“Was the work entered into aircraft maintenance records?”
There was silence.
Naomi already knew.
“No.”
Her stomach turned.
“Why?”
“Bay 14 work orders were held separately.”
“For what legitimate reason?”
Voss laughed bitterly.
“You sound like Marcus.”
Naomi said nothing.
He continued.
“The official explanation was manufacturer confidentiality.”
“The practical reason?”