‘Oh, Maya.’ Frank put a hand on her shoulder. ‘You didn’t do all of that damage.’ Because he remembered it too, the personal accounts from crew members who were devastated, past patients saved by the air ambulance who condemned such an act by a despicable individual or group of lowlifes.
‘But it happened because of me. People died and it was my fault.’
‘What? That’s not true,’ said Nadia.
‘It is,’ Maya sobbed.
‘It wasn’t your fault,’ Nadia reminded her firmly.
Maya was so ashamed, distraught at her part in such a terrible thing. She’d read about the events of that night in the newspaper, how the rescue teams weren’t there in time to save the young boy who’d fallen into the river and his father who’d jumped in after him.
‘Maya,’ Nadia persisted. ‘Listen to me. Nobody could’ve saved that father and son. The son died instantly after a blow to the head, the dad reached his body but couldn’t bring him back to shore, the current was too strong. He drowned. He was gone soon after the emergency call came through. The newspapers detailed the whole story. The helicopter wouldn’t have made any difference, do you hear me?’
Maya locked eyes with Frank, then Nadia. ‘Really?’
‘Yes, really.’ Frank shook his head. ‘The media like to sensationalise and headlines about vandals tends to sell papers.’
Maya put her head in her hands, a sense of relief flooding through her insides, although it wouldn’t change the fact that a father and son had died that night. And that was a tragedy no matter whether her actions had played a part or not. But all this time, she’d thought it was her. She’d thought that if only she hadn’t broken into the helicopter that night then that little boy and his dad would be alive right now. The shame had been almost too much to bear at times, it had eaten away at her, she’dnever forgiven herself and she’d made it her life’s mission to get to every emergency call she could, to save as many lives as humanly possible, even if it meant flying when conditions were risky.
Nadia rubbed Maya’s shoulders. ‘Why tell us now?’ She had one eye out of the window. They all had to get back to the open day soon, carry on as if nothing was out of the ordinary.
‘It was time.’ She didn’t need to say the rest, that the man who helped her that night was Conrad, that he’d held this over her for years. At least not yet, anyway.
‘I never forgot about any of the things I did back then,’ she said. ‘But knowing the helicopter wouldn’t have changed the outcome is a comfort in some ways.’ Maya wiped her eyes with the tissue Nadia passed her. ‘I never forgot the broken window at the pub, the boat, the way the landlord and landlady felt victimised and left as a result.’
‘They didn’t leave because of that,’ said Frank. ‘Petra and Steve left the pub and the town due to stress all right, but their stress was because their son was ill and they wanted to move to be closer to him. They didn’t make that well known; their son had mental health issues and they were private people when it came to family. As far as I know, they’re still happy and living in the West Country where they run a beautiful little old pub.’
‘You kept that all to yourself, Maya,’ Nadia said, as though it pained her personally. ‘That must’ve been incredibly hard. But it wasn’t you who broke the window or set fire to the boat, and the damage here was all an accident. You didn’t mean harm; there were extenuating circumstances.’
‘You’re making excuses for me,’ Maya smiled. ‘It’s kind of you. And I want you both to know that I paid back all the cash I stole and then some by way of anonymous donations as soon as I got sorted.’
Frank put a hand on her arm and gave it a squeeze. ‘You have a good heart, don’t ever doubt that.’
When one of the blue crew members rapped on the window for Nadia, she gave Maya one last hug and left her to it.
‘Was it you who made the anonymous donation for the window repair at the pub?’ Frank asked.
‘No, I was going to, but it was already done before I got the chance.’ She shrugged. ‘I’ve no idea by who.’ She watched Frank. He was building up to say something else, she could tell. ‘Frank, just say it.’
He nodded at her ability to read him like a book. ‘I have a feeling Conrad knew all about the trouble you got into back then. It was likely him who didn’t fill you in on the details that would’ve told you the lives lost weren’t down to the helicopter being unavailable. And… I wouldn’t mind betting he’s held that night over you ever since.’
One look gave him the answer and he wrapped her in his arms yet again, muttering a few choice words about her ex-husband. ‘I’m glad you told us. And I’m glad he no longer has that hold.’
‘Me too, Frank, me too.’
She pulled away and was about to excuse herself to get back to the open day when she saw a peculiar look pass across Frank’s face as his gaze passed over her head.
‘What is it?’ She turned to see for herself.
He said quietly, ‘The side window is open.’
There was a small window at the side of the kitchen which opened onto an internal hallway. Maya didn’t see the significance but when she stood on tiptoes to see what Frank had, she did.
Her dad was sitting on one of the chairs right outside the kitchen.
Which meant he’d heard it all.
39
