Missing in Flight

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN ANNA

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

A NNA

On the display panel to Anna’s left, COMPANY MSG flashes green.

“We have a new ACARS message from dispatch.” She presses a button on the panel.

The message appears on the screen. If all means of locating infant exhausted, FBI requests land nearest suitable US airport.

Anna’s heart sinks. If they divert, it will ruin her plans for after they land. A ping of guilt rips through her for her selfish motivations, thinking of the distraught mother in the back.

Outside the flight deck windows, the wing strobes suddenly emit white flashes as they enter a cloud layer. At the same time, the airplane bounces in turbulence. Anna is thrown upward and caught by her harness.

“There wasn’t any weather forecast on our route.” Miguel switches on the seat belt sign and fumbles with the weather radar controls.

The radio announces, “Pacific Air 7038, contact Minneapolis center on frequency one three four decimal five five.”

Miguel acknowledges the new frequency and dials it in on the radio control panel. He waits to check in while another aircraft replies to a call from air traffic control.

A woman’s voice cuts in. “Attention all aircraft, SIGMET Alpha three valid until ten hundred Zulu. A line of severe weather extending across Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Northern Michigan, tops to flight level four zero zero. Strong upper-level wind shear and hail to one inch possible.”

The flight attendant call buzzer sounds.

Miguel presses the “Attendant” button on his intercom panel. “This is Miguel.”

Anna checks in with Minneapolis Center on the radio while Miguel listens to the attendant on the other end of the call.

“Okay, thanks,” Miguel says.

He resets his intercom panel back to VHF 1 and turns to Anna. “They’ve checked everywhere, including everyone’s luggage, and haven’t found the baby. And none of the crew or passengers can confirm actually seeing the child aside from a bulge beneath her baby carrier when she boarded.” He sighs into his microphone.

“Even after she laid him in the bassinet?”

Miguel shrugs. “Apparently not.”

It seems strange that no one saw him, but then Anna remembers it’s not a very full flight. The FBI was so quick to want confirmation of the baby being on board. She wonders if that is their protocol or if they know something they aren’t telling them.

Miguel punches the VHF 2 button on his intercom panel. “I’m going to call dispatch.” He presses his transmit button. “Dispatch, Flight 7038.”

A male voice comes over the radio. “Flight 7038, dispatch, go ahead.”

“You can tell the FBI that none of our crew or passengers can confirm ever seeing the infant on board. And per the FBI’s request, the crew has conducted a thorough search of the aircraft, including everyone’s luggage. But there is still no sign of the child.”

“Roger that. Did you see our ACARS message about the FBI’s request for you to divert to the nearest US airport? Due to the deteriorating weather across the Great Lakes, a diversion doesn’t seem feasible.”

“Yes, I agree,” Miguel says. “And with that weather, I don’t see a suitable airport much closer than LaGuardia.”

Especially, Anna thinks, without proof the child is even on board. She stares out the windshield into the darkness.

“You can tell the FBI that landing won’t give us any more places to look. Every part of the aircraft where the infant could be is accessible whether we’re on the ground or not,” Miguel adds.

“Okay, I’ll pass that on,” the dispatcher replies.

The flight attendant buzzer sounds. Anna takes the call.

“This is Anna.”

“Hi, it’s Aubrey. The mother of the missing infant is asking to speak to Miguel about whether we’re going to divert. I didn’t promise anything but told her I would ask. She’s obviously distressed, and I think it would help to calm her down.”

“Okay, hang on.”

Anna turns to the captain after Miguel signs off with dispatch. “Aubrey says the mother of the missing baby is asking to speak with you about when we’re going to land.”

“That’s fine,” Miguel says, meeting her eyes. “If Aubrey can put the mother on the phone, I can talk to her briefly.”

Anna catches the wary look in Miguel’s eyes after she finishes the call and hangs up. As much as she’s been wanting to become captain, she doesn’t envy him tonight. Maybe she’s not as ready for the added responsibility as she thought. She can see the weight of his decision written all over his face.

Anna is blanketed by uneasiness as she imagines the mother in the back. Would she harm another passenger—or the crew—if she’s convinced someone on board abducted her baby?

She hopes that Miguel can calm the mother down. They still have hours to go until they reach LaGuardia.