“I didn’t look. I promise.” Grinning, I shut the door, and turn to find two officials in the room.
Using my mother’s British accent, I point to the hall. “The lady is currently indisposed. Could you gentlemen kindly wait outside?”
One reaches into his wallet, flips it open, and flashes his ID. “National Transportation Safety Board. We have a few questions we’d like to ask Ms. Manuel.”
I jab at the letters on the front of his jacket. “Thank you, Captain Obvious, but I asked if you could give the woman some privacy to return to her bed.”
They refuse to budge so I step between them, clamp a bicep in each hand, and walk them backwards to the nurses station. “These two would like to speak to the patient in room five twelve but she’s in the loo. Could you make sure they stay put until she’s decent?”
The three women and one man cluck their tongues until the men hang their heads in shame. This gives me sufficient time to return to Landy’s bathroom door and knock. Realizing she needs better coverage, I remove my shirt and slip it through the crack.
“Thank you.” Her lips part and as her eyes lift to mine, electricity snaps.
What is it about this girl? She brings out my inner caveman. If those two guys hadn’t backed off, I might’ve resorted to threats or even violence.
A few minutes later, I help her into bed and as I slip my black suit coat over my bare chest, the Feds enter again accompanied by a hospital official wearing a nametag. “You must allow these men to talk to the pilot.”
“Certainly.” I shake their hands. “I’m Dashiell Montclair, the helicopter’s owner.”
“Can you wait outside, sir?”
“I’d prefer to stay, or if you’d rather, I can call my attorney.” My brows raise while the two share a glance.
Finally, the older one purses his lips. “No, it won’t be necessary.”
I plump the pillow behind Landy’s back and help her to sit, noticing the new lines by her mouth. She should’ve insisted on more pain killers.
Standing at the foot of her bed, the gray-haired NTSB investigator with deep circles under his eyes asks, “Mind if I record our conversation?”
She shakes her head. “No, go ahead.”
He pushes a button and holds out his phone. “Explain the flight as best as you can recall.”
“I don’t remember much. Everything seemed fine. I did a thorough safety check. Nothing was amiss. Ready to go, I alerted the control tower and as I ascended, the cabin started to shake. I wanted to turn back but we had already lost altitude. Then, the bird began to spin so I let up on the throttle and tried to find an empty spot in the busy harbor to crash. That’s all I remember.”
“Were there any alarms or indications prior to the shaking?”
“I’m not sure.” As her brows crease, I want to remind her but clamp my mouth shut. I’m not sure how they would perceive her forgetting such an important detail.
“Are you on any medications?” This guy doesn’t pull his punches, but Landy handles him fine.
“Right now? Yes. Ask my doctor.”
“I mean the day of the flight or the night before.”
“No. nothing.”
I don’t like their tone or their implications. “Hey, she didn’t exhib-”
“Not talking to you.” The asshole puts a palm to my face, but his eyes stay focused on Landy. “What about alcohol?”
“No. Why?” As her white-knuckled fingers wrap around the bedrails, the large man leans over her feet.
“What about pot? Medical marijuana?” At the younger guy’s insinuations, her cheeks turn bright red and her chin juts out.
“Hell, no. What are you guys trying to pull?”
The more experienced of the two glares at the other and turns to Landy. “These are basic questions, ma’am. Don’t take offense. We have to ask them.”
