“Management didn’t want certain problems automatically triggering aircraft-out-of-service rules.”
Ethan muttered something under his breath.
Naomi asked:
“Were you part of hiding defects?”
Voss inhaled.
“Yes.”
The honesty stunned her.
He continued.
“I told myself temporary inspection work wasn’t the same as falsifying records.”
“Then?”
“After the accident, I knew better.”
“Why didn’t you come forward?”
“I tried.”
Naomi sat straighter.
“When?”
“Three days after.”
“To who?”
“Company legal.”
Ethan looked shocked.
“What did they say?”
“That the electrical fire resulted from the crash sequence.”
“That my observation was irrelevant.”
“Did you contact federal investigators?”
“Yes.”
“Then why isn’t your statement in the report?”
Voss became quiet.
“I withdrew it.”
Naomi’s anger returned.
“Why?”
“They threatened my license.”
“Who?”
“Not directly.”
“Don’t do that.”
“What?”
“Don’t hide behind passive language.”
A long silence.
Then Voss said:
“Victor Hale told me if I went outside the company with undocumented work, the company would say I performed unauthorized maintenance.”
Naomi felt cold.
“And did you?”
“Technically.”
“Because he told you to.”
“Yes.”
“But nothing in writing.”
“Correct.”
“So if you spoke, he could blame you.”
“Yes.”
Naomi closed her eyes.
“What changed now?”
“I’m seventy-eight.”
“That isn’t an answer.”
“It is.”
His voice cracked slightly.
“I spent twenty-four years believing silence protected my wife and children.”
“My wife died last year.”
“My children are grown.”
“And every time I saw your father’s name, I knew I had helped bury part of what happened.”
Naomi said nothing.
Voss continued.
“I didn’t send the tag.”
“But whoever did probably knows I kept copies.”
“What copies?”
“Thermal images.”
Naomi stood so fast the chair rolled backward.
“You have them?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
“In a bank box.”
Ethan was already reaching for his phone.
Naomi asked:
“Why didn’t you tell investigators that?”
“I told you.”
“I was afraid.”
For the first time, Naomi heard not cowardice alone.
Age.
Regret.
A man who had spent twenty-four years living beside one decision.