Chapter 57
Chapter 57
W e touched down amid the media frenzy. News outlets across the West Coast and all of Alaska had sent their people, intent on feeding on what remained of Aaron Ashley. Ashley led his girls aboard Air Force Two, where doctors began seeing to each of them. Each wanted their mother, who was currently in a jet traveling almost twice the speed of sound. Once the girls were settled with medical personnel, Ashley exited the plane and walked inside the hangar to an eerie hush and standing room only. He approached the microphone and stood a moment, gathering either his thoughts or the words he would use to communicate them. But rather than speak, he pointed to a reporter on the front row. “Yes, ma’am?”
Ordinarily, reporters shouted over one another to be heard. Not today. She stood and said, “Sir, how are the girls?”
Ashley nodded. “They’re safe. Long road ahead.”
The reporter again. “And you, sir?”
Ashley considered this. “Better.”
Ashley pointed to a man to his right. The man stepped forward to be heard. “What will you do now?”
“Tell my girls I’m sorry.”
The reporter was quick to respond. “For?”
“Not doing my most important job.”
“Which was?”
Ashley was slow to respond. “Protecting those I love.”
“Sir, with all due respect, I didn’t vote for you, but no one here would accuse you of that.”
Ashley’s pain had surfaced. His face was riddled with it. No one pressed him on this.
Despite several hundred people being crowded into the space, the only noise was the wind outside. Ashley pointed again. The woman motioned to the swelling on his face along with the bandage that now covered stitches. “Unconfirmed reports state you cut the engines at seven thousand feet and glided to a hard landing. Is that true?”
“No. The landing was soft. The impact with the tree line was hard.”
While Ashley was not attempting to be funny, a slight chuckle rippled across the room, allowing some much-needed oxygen to enter.
Ashley pointed again. The reporter seemed hesitant to ask. “Any chance you’d reconsider and accept your party’s nomination?”
Ashley didn’t hesitate. “No.”
A final point. “Sir, do you know who did this?”
“Not yet.”
“Chances are they’re watching this. Any words for them?”
Aaron looked into the camera and paused. Then he spoke one word. “Yes.” With that, he returned to Air Force Two.
Clay stood next to me shaking his head. “That’s a tough man.”
“Yes, he is. And he’s about to get tougher.”
Three seconds later, my phone rang. I stepped into the hallway and accepted the call. “Senator?”
“Are they safe?”
“Yes, sir.”
“All of them?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Do they need medical attention?”
“The doctors are treating them now aboard Air Force Two.”
“Was it bad?”
“Their bodies will heal. Their hearts might take some time.”
He paused, and I could hear his chair squeak. “How’s he doing? ”
“Managing, sir.”
“And Esther?”
“She’s en route.”
Another pause. I offered nothing. Letting him drive the conversation. “I know it’s too soon, but any chance you can get him to push pause on his plans? Maybe agree to a sit-down with me and some other senators? He’s now political royalty. Lightning in a bottle. He’d win in a landslide.”
“I don’t think so, sir. He’s pretty rattled.”
“Looked like the impact was severe.”
How would he know what it looked like? “Yes, sir. It was. He threaded a needle.”
“Nice job, son.”
“We caught a break.”
“Murph?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Bones’d be proud.”
I stared at the phone, considering this. Interesting that he would play the emotional card. “Thank you, sir.”
“I’m putting you up for the Congressional Medal.”
“That’s not necessary, sir.”
“But much deserved. Get ’em home. And if you need anything, you let me know. I’ll move heaven and earth.”
“Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.”
I hung up and stared at the windstorm outside. Was Maynard genuine? Or brazen? What was my deal with Maynard? Was I making this up? Paranoid? Finding fault under every rock or phone call due to my own wounds?
While my mind couldn’t tell, my gut had no doubt.