Page 106 of Final Approach

“No. I have one more box to go through, but I’ll take it with me. I want to visit my mother’s grave before it gets dark, then I’ll headover to see my father to confront him with everything and see what he has to say about it all.”

He hesitated. “Then at least let me go to your mother’s grave with you?”

This time it was she who paused, then gave a slow nod. “Yeah, I’d like that, but I need to have a conversation with her, so don’t think that’s weird, okay?”

“Not at all. I won’t even listen. I’ll just be there if you need me. Come on, I’ll follow you, then you can go to your dad’s.”

Thirty minutes later, she sat on her mother’s grave, fingers tracing the letters of her mother’s name.Rachel M.Duncan. Mother and Wife. Missed forever. Loved for eternity.

Andrew stood about five yards away, giving her the privacy she so obviously wanted. He had to look away, the scene almost too much for his heart to handle. When he looked back, she was on her knees, arms wrapped around her middle, forehead touching the headstone, tears dripping into the snow. Her shoulders shook with silent sobs. And he couldn’t stay away another second. He went to her and wrapped her in his arms.

And heard her whispering.

“I’m sorry, Mom. I love you. I miss you. I need you. But mostly I’m sorry, Mom. So very sorry. I’m apologizing like you wanted me to. I wish I could take it all back. I’m so sorry.”

“She knows, Kristine. She knows.”

“I’m sorry, Mom,” she said again, then turned her face into his chest and wept.

He had no idea how much time passed while he held her, but she finally stirred, kept her face turned from his, and used her mittens to wipe her face. She sniffed, and he dug a napkin from his coat pocket. “It’s clean. I think.”

She gave a strangled laugh and blew her nose, then tucked the wad into her own pocket. “Thanks.”

“You okay?”

“Yeah.” She looked up. “Sorry you had to witness that.”

“It’s okay. I’m glad I was here.”

She smiled. “I am too.” The smile slipped from her lips and she said, “Now I have to go see my dad.”

“I can come with you to that too.”

“No. Thanks for the offer, but this is something I have to do myself.”

He didn’t like it but could see she was serious. Resolute. She was going to face this demon by herself. Fight this battle alone. He nodded. “Okay, but I want to pray with you before you go.”

“I’d love that.”

TWENTY-THREE

Kristine sat in her car in her father’s driveway and sucked down a shaky breath while her knuckles turned white with her grip on the steering wheel. Was she really going to do this? All the evidence ran through her head in a matter of seconds. Circumstantial evidence, but it all added up. The names cinched it for her. It was the only way everything made sense. Yes, she had a few questions, but those didn’t matter in the grand scheme of things.

She knew what she knew.

Even if she didn’t want to know it.

She glanced at the stack of folders on the seat beside her. Her father’s cases. She’d gone through the last box after her breakdown on her mother’s grave and now knew the connection between Marcus Brown, Erik Leary, Colleen Pearson, and the man who hijacked her mother’s plane. She knew the person behind her own plane’s hijacking. At least she thought she did.

What would happen if she was completely wrong?

She’d ruin everything.

Say words she could never take back. Again.

She wasn’t wrong. She wanted to be, but she wasn’t.

Was she?