Bron-22

Continued from Chapter 21: Bron-21 | ABCtales

Chris returned with more glasses on a tray.

“You know when I ditched the plane in the Pacific – that was a mighty fine piece of actin’ too, by the way, you’d really think she were freezin’ to death in that water. Anyways, ah’m convinced, it warn’t no accident …”

“You got shot down?” said Chris.

“No! Someone tampered with the plane. Was all workin’ fine when I took off from that carrier; only when I was ‘bout two, maybe three miles out, just hit cruise, fuel gauge – that was normal. But then it all started to spit and stutter…  ”

“Sure it wasn’t just an accident?” said Geoff.

“Like I said, plane was absolutely fine when I ran it up. Sweet as a bird. If there’d been a blockage, would have know ‘bout it before I even left the deck. And another thing – when I walked out, a coupla mechanic guys were fiddlin’ about with somethin’ Had no reason to be there…”

“Interesting…did you raise it with anyone?”

“Who didn’t I raise it with? The Accident Board, senators, congressmen, the Vets’ groups. Always the same answer, mechanical failure, possible pilot error. But the kite ended up at the bottom of the deep ocean, so impossible to prove anything. And another thing – like I said, it all happened just a couple of miles from the carrier. They saw it happen. How come it took them 40 minutes to come and fish me out? I’m convinced – someone wanted me dead. Dee-yud.”

“Wow! Really?”

“Most of they guys were fine; but there was a few, just a few, who din’t like the idea of a lady fighter pilot. Reckoned ah showed them up, someways.”

“Enough to want you – dead?”

“Straight up. But I had a friend in the Dumbo Squad – took it upon himself to come look for me. Han’t been detailed to do it, though. Took it upon himself. A friend in need, as they says.”

“Dumbo Squad?”

Catalina flyin’ boats, their job was to fish us out of the drink – when they could. Half the time, they was collectin’ corpses. But he landed right next to me and fished me out, just in the nick of time. Was just on the point of blacking out. Don’t think they reckoned on me comin’ back alive…”

“That’s amazing!” said Chris. “Gives a whole new dimension to the film.”

“It won’t have escaped your notice that, as ah said, I’m not a well woman. Mah days on this Earth are numbered…”

“Don’t say that!”

“I do say that. Haven’t got long to live, I know that for a fact. Doc’s given me a coupla years, maybe less. Faced death many times before, now I’m facin’ it again. No point in frettin ‘bout it, what you can’t change, you can’t change. Anyways, when I learned about your movie, I thought to myself, praps it’s my last best chance to get this whole darned thing properly investigated. That’s why I hopped on that plane to come and see you guys…”

To be continued in Chapter 23