Chapter 16: A Hallway Offer

Victoria's POV

The courthouse hallway in Auburn had one long bench, a drinking fountain and a pale green wall.

By 8:40 on Monday morning it was full of flight jackets.

Nobody had asked them to come.

The crew chief stood at the end with his arms folded.

Next to him were four pilots, two medics and a mechanic who had brought his lunch.

Jude stood at my shoulder in a clean shirt.

Twice that morning I had caught myself looking at his hands and remembering the window glass.

Both times he had looked back at me.

The doors to the courtroom were shut, and Gran's lawyer was inside setting out his folders.

Beck came up the hall at 8:50 with his own lawyer and with Phyllis.

She wore the cream cardigan.

She would not meet my eyes, and I noticed that, and I kept it.

"Vic," Beck said. "You look tired."

"I flew all night."

"I heard." He smiled at Jude. "How's the leg?"

"Which leg?" Jude said.

"The hiker's. It was on the dispatch log."

"He'll walk."

Beck's lawyer cleared his throat.

He was a polished man in a gray suit.

He turned a little, so the whole bench could hear him.

"Ms. Riordan, before we go in, my client would like to make an offer in good faith."

"In the hallway," I said.

"In the open, where everyone can see how reasonable it is." He lifted a single page.

"Mr. Hollenbeck withdraws this morning's motion and stays chief executive through the state's decision."

"And me?"

"You sign a standstill, and you cancel your request for any statement at the Dinner."

"And?"

"And the Hollenbeck family pays you one million dollars, to compensate you for the difficult weeks you have had."

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