“Hire another maintenance firm.”
“I don't know who to trust.”
There.
The real problem.
Roy understood.
Once trust breaks inside a technical system, expertise becomes terrifying.
You cannot independently verify what you do not know.
Every credential starts looking like a costume.
Adrienne continued.
“I have nineteen months of invoices from Pace Aero Technical.”
“Seven aircraft in our fleet have used them.”
“Four outside companies I invest in have too.”
“I don't need someone to prosecute anything.”
“I need someone to tell me which technical explanations were legitimate and which were theater.”
Roy closed his eyes.
Fourteen years.
He could feel the trap.
Vindication is seductive.
People imagine it heals.
Mostly it offers a chance to relive old injuries with a better ending.
Roy did not trust himself around that.
“I’ll think.”
Adrienne said:
“I need answer today.”
“Then no.”
“Roy.”
“No.”
He hung up.
At breakfast Hattie watched him.
“You said no to jet lady?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I have jobs.”
“You have three jobs today.”
“Exactly.”
“One is changing a battery.”
“Battery work is honorable.”
She looked skeptical.
“Does jet lady pay more?”
“Yes.”
“How much?”
“None of your business.”
“Then yes.”
Roy pointed spoon.
“School.”
Hattie grinned.
At 8:42, after dropping her off, Roy drove toward a municipal airport where a flight school needed an alternator inspection.
Halfway there, his phone rang.
Danny Morales.
Roy nearly ignored.
Then answered.
“Danny?”
“Mr. Machado.”
“Roy.”
“Sir, I need to talk to you.”
The kid sounded terrified.
Roy pulled into a gas station.
“What happened?”
“They sent us home.”
“Adrienne?”
“Yes.”
“That's good.”
“No.”
Danny breathed.
“Warren called.”
Roy’s stomach tightened.
“What did he say?”
“He said nobody talks to her lawyers.”
“He said our employment agreements prohibit disclosure.”
“Do they?”
“I don't know.”
“Don't guess.”
“Read them.”
Danny’s voice dropped.
“He said if I’m the one who showed her that log, he’ll make sure nobody in aviation hires me.”
Roy went cold.
Not because threat surprised.
Because wording did.
Fourteen years earlier Malcolm Vale had not threatened Roy directly.
He had simply made consequences happen.
Warren had learned to say quiet part out loud.
“Danny.”
“Yes?”
“Do not delete anything.”
“I haven't.”
“Do not forward company files to yourself.”
“Do not alter anything.”
“Do not post online.”