The Wreckchasers A Novel

By Derek Hart

Steve Corbin has a fascination with airplane crashes. This is not morbid curiosity, but a historical necessity. After leaving the NTSB, Steve, along with his army buddy Devin Wade, start up a company expressly designed to track down and recover the wreckage of airplanes crashed during World War II. What begins as an endeavor of passion, soon leads to intrigue, betrayal, and derring-do, as these intrepid explorers stumble upon more than they bargained for. Throw into the mix the beautiful Melissa Tovari, a mysterious woman with a covert agenda, and you have the makings of an edge-of-your-seat adventure, filled with gun play, plenty of sex, and government meddling. The Wreckchasers isn't just some formula action novel, but delves into the moral and ethical questions surrounding the human elements of lost remains of crew members around the world. So join in with each expedition and discover the intricacies of wreck recoveries, while always keeping a sharp lookout for a shot from the dark.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Derek Hart
• Release date: Jun 12, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370647071

Derek Hart

Derek Hart is the prolific author of 28 action and adventure novels, known for their historical accuracy, while still maintaining a high level of entertainment. Romance is also a vital part of Derek Hart's trademark style and his novels generally appeal to men and women alike. Mr. Hart authored Secret of the Dragon's Eye, his first novel aimed at all age groups, which met with instant success and outstanding reviews. The author has since followed with Secret of the Dragon's Breath, Secret of the Dragon's Claw, Secret of the Dragon's Scales and Secret of the Dragon's Teeth. The final volume of the 6-episode series, Secret of the Dragon's Wings, will be available in November of 2018. He has since started a new series, post-apocalyptic in nature, with Minerva's Shield and Nike's Chariot. The third installment, Apollo's Plague came out in November 2017. Abandoned was published in March 2018 and Game Over premiered in June 2018. List of published books: Secret of the Dragon’s Eye Secret of the Dragon’s Breath Secret of the Dragon’s Claw Secret of the Dragon’s Scales Secret of the Dragon’s Teeth Secret of the Dragon’s Wings Claws of the Raven Danger Cruise Favor for FDR Crooked Cross Factor Tracks of the Predator For Love or Honor Bound Tales of the Yellow Silk Element of Surprise Seas Aflame Ice Flotilla High Altitude Low Opening Tangles of Truth Shadows in Replay Flag of Her Choosing Tidal Trap Dangerous (Poetry) Executive Firepower The CARLA Conspiracy The Wreckchasers Minerva's Shield Nike's Chariot Apollo's Plague Abandoned Game Over Mercury's Wings Before the Dead Walked Books coming soon: The Samuel Clemens Affair Pearl and Topaz By the Moon Darkly Broadmoor Manor Neptune's Trident Operation Sovereign Primary Weapon Saturn's Fire Tails of Thaddeus Enchanted Mesa Eagle Blue Last Guidon Excess Baggage Container Carta Codex Shipwreckers Romeo Tango The 5x5 Gang Desert Salvage

Book preview

To the Everlasting Memory of American Airmen.

They Braved the Storm so We Might have the Sun.

Inscription on a WWII Memorial in Nepomuk, Czechoslovakia

The Wreckchasers

A Novel

by

Derek Hart

All Rights Reserved. Copyright © 2017 Derek Hart

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Published by Derek Hart at Smashwords

This book is available in print at most online retailers.

Cover designed by David M. Burke

This book is dedicated to Chriss Lyon

Foreword

Wreckchasing got its start in Britain where downed planes were commonplace after World War II. Most of the people who sought out crashes were souvenir hunters or salvagers searching for parts. Gradually there developed a sense that wrecks were a vital part of aviation history as memorials to the flyers that lost their lives in distant corners of the nations they served.

Aviation archaeology is primarily the locating and documenting of aircraft crash sites. Wreckchasers focus on the preservation of these sites and the history surrounding the activities that caused them. There are many ways to preserve crash sites and their history. However, a major barrier to protection of these sites is a lack of knowledge on the part of the public.

Aviation archaeology is not necessarily the recovery and restoration of wrecked aircraft. It is possible to have a successful wreck archaeological expedition without anything being recovered; however, no recovery should be attempted without also involving accepted archaeological practices and procedures. Although recoveries preserve the airplane for future generations to see, which is very important, the actual act of recovery destroys critical information and history. All recoveries should involve proper documentation of the site before and during the recovery. Thought should also be given to the placing of a memorial and the display of some of the artifacts in the condition as found. Every attempt should be made to return personal items uncovered at a site to next of kin or family relations.

Do searching, locating, and documenting old aircraft crash sites sound interesting and exciting? This hobby combines knowledge of airplane types, history, military operations and weapons, archaeology, researching, genealogy, hiking, exploring, orienteering, four-wheeling, camping, photography, scuba diving, and even survival skills. It can be a rewarding experience, but has all the potential for danger as well.

Likewise, the complicated issues of ethics and morality enter into wreck archaeology, for without proper documentation and a sense of responsibility, removal of artifacts from a crash site amounts to nothing more than grave robbing. Unscrupulous people exist in every facet of society and, unfortunately, as with any other endeavor, wreckchasing attracts its fair share of questionable behavior and activities.

Still, for the most part, the people who pursue aircraft archeology are solid, law-abiding citizens with a passion for history and discovery.

An Airman's Prayer

John Eastwood, Chaplain

God guard and guide us as we fly

     Through the great spaces of the sky;

Be with us as we take to air

     In morning light and sunshine fair.

Eternal Father, strong to save,

     Give us courage and make us brave;

Protect us whereso’er we go,

     From shell and flak and fire and foe.

Most loved member of our crew.

     Ride with us up in the blue.

Direct our bombs upon the foe

     But shelter those whom Thou dost know.

Keep us together on our way,

     Grant our work success today.

Deliver us from hate and sin,

     And bring us safely down again.

O God, protect us as we fly

     Through lonely ways across the sky.

Acknowledgements

To Chriss Lyon, Researcher and Forensic Genealogist, who proved to be absolutely critical in the accuracy and credibility of this novel. The author acknowledges her superb assistance in editing and critiquing the story before publication.

To AAIR, Aviation Archaeological Investigation and Research, for the tremendous assistance this organization provided while conducting research for this novel. An especially warm word of appreciation goes to Craig Fuller who was instrumental in providing detailed and realistic information regarding Aviation Archaeology. In addition to running AAIR, Craig is currently the Chief Flight Instructor for Mesa Pilot Development at Arizona State University. Mesa Pilot Development is part of Mesa Airlines and provides the flight instruction to students enrolled in ASU’s flight degree program.

To Dr. Devin Schofield, Head of Military Programs, Roger J. C. Thomas, Military Support Officer and Danielle Devlin, Designation Team Leader, all with English Heritage, an organization dedicated to identifying significant historical places, so that particular attention can be given to them, where they are likely to be affected by changes in the surrounding environment. Their assistance regarding aviation archaeology in England and Europe was instrumental.

To John Pike, of Global Security. He provided access to an extensive gallery of crash photos from the airport at Kabul, Afghanistan, one of which was used for the cover art, with his kind permission.

Finally, in memory of Robert Buzz Lenthart, who volunteered his personal experiences of Army Air Corps training during World War 2, while also providing tons of critical research material. Mr. Lenthart passed away in 2011, but the author will always remember how enthusiastically Bob searched for answers to the author’s many questions and he is recognized for making a vital contribution to the final product.

Introduction

Derek Hart’s first visit to an aircraft wreck site had a tremendous impact on his personal awareness and understanding of the era while also providing a profound education. During WWII, over 15,000 military personnel gave their lives in aircraft mishaps within the United States alone. That is more than half of all of the people lost in air combat over Europe during the entire war! While these fatalities were not seen as glamorous as combat deaths, nonetheless they paid the ultimate price for freedom. This was part of the extraordinary human cost of WWII. Many of these everyday heroes have been forgotten and their history lost. The goal of wreck archaeology is to document these incidents in historical context, rather than just record why an airplane crashed, which was often already covered in some official report.

The Wreckchasers is a work of fiction. To protect the identity and privacy of the personnel killed while conducting training flights over the continental United States, as well as the brave souls who lost their lives in combat around the world, all airplane registration numbers, aircraft nicknames, locations of crash sites, and names of the dead crew included in this story have been created solely for this novel. Any resemblance to fact is purely the result of coincidence.

Please, if you ever happen across a crash site, do not disturb such hallowed ground and show reverence for the history and people involved. Resist the temptation to snatch a souvenir and if possible, note the location of the wreckage and report it to Craig Fuller with Aviation Archaeological Investigation and Research at www.aviationarchaeology.com.

Prologue

All Good Things Must End

The image of a wrecked US Air Force C-130 transport flashed up onto the screen.

What do you see here? asked Steve Corbin, a National Transportation Safety Board investigator and instructor.

The new students, sitting in a classroom cluttered with a variety of twisted and broken airplane parts, carefully studied the image. A few hands hesitantly went up.

It looks like he overran the runway, one student responded.

No, Corbin replied, clearly ready for just that sort of response. Describe factually what you see and leave your opinions at home. Your job is to gather the facts. Let the NTSB make the interpretations.

The rest of the hands went down.

No one seemed brave enough to venture another guess.

Corbin decided to help them out. The right side of the forward fuselage has compression buckling. The props are not feathered. There is substantial deformation with crushing. See those people walking around? Have they touched anything? You now have a contaminated investigative area.

For this group of thirty-three aspiring air crash investigators, school had just begun.

In a classroom tucked away on the third floor of a boxy government building on the campus of the Federal Aviation Administration’s Aeronautical Center in Oklahoma City, these people would learn how to sort out the aftermath of aviation’s darker side. The lessons were offered to FAA investigators, airline and military aviation specialists, even new members of the NTSB; just about anyone who would be on a crash scene gathering evidence for an official review could attend.

During this one-week introductory course, which was conducted by the Transportation Safety Institute’s Aviation Safety Division, the students absorbed lectures, viewed slides and videos, read radio transcripts, passed around failed engine parts and broken struts, and examined many cautionary case studies. Then, after five days of classroom work, they divided into teams and ventured into the airplane graveyard; a fenced compound containing the transported remains of a half-dozen real crashes which the students were allowed to investigate.

First, though, they had to learn the proper vernacular and application. That’s what Corbin, a soon-to-be-retired NTSB accident investigator with more than a thousand investigations under his belt, was helping them do. When another image popped up on the screen, Corbin asked the same question and received a better reply.

The nose gear is collapsed and both prop blades are bent, a different student observed.

Good, Corbin said. So what does that tell you?

The prop was rotating on impact.

Correct.

Several hours later, the class had learned the basics. They could spot bowed flanges, shorn bolts, torsion, and ground scars immediately. Learning how to accumulate such details and objectively assess their significance, Corbin informed them, was the first step toward narrowing the possibilities for the cause of the accident. The real answers, after all, were often very far from what first impressions might suggest and usually included multiple failures. So investigators were required to master a comprehensive understanding of what the aircraft and crew had gone through.

Corbin then described some of the analytical tools available. He told his students to always document the crash site with videos, photographs, and grid sketches showing debris distribution lines. Another trick was vector analysis, drawing arrows on the wreckage that showed the direction that forces were being applied.

Emphasis on the big picture was obvious after evaluating the range of the course curriculum. It was a general introduction, and just one of many that investigators took throughout their careers. The classes, which were taught by TSI, NTSB, and FAA staff, as well as aviation industry experts, covered all types of aircraft and gave equal weight to both clinical discussions of aircraft component failures and human error, as well as describing how to work with witnesses, survivors, and family members and what investigators might experience at a crash site.

When you arrive at a bad accident site, I guarantee you won’t sleep that night, Corbin warned. In fact, you might not sleep for days. That’s normal. Don’t worry about it. You need to focus on the investigation, so pay attention to the people you might be able to help in the future.

That advice had been Corbin’s mantra for accident investigations over the past five years. He had often worked at remote and inhospitable sites and with a mind-numbing collection of variables. His rallying cause, however, was to figure out precisely what happened at each accident so the problem could be prevented from happening again.

According to the NTSB, there were roughly 2,000 aviation accidents per year, most involving small general aviation aircraft and about 700 involving fatalities. All were thoroughly investigated, with a variety of team configurations that included airline representatives, if applicable, the aircraft manufacturer, and any part suppliers or airport personnel who might contribute useful records or data.

All this training continuously stressed that accident investigation was a team effort. After a crash was reported, the investigators, led by the investigator-in-charge, broke into groups, each of which gathered evidence about the pilot, the power plant, the aircraft structure, air traffic control, the weather, and any other factors. They interviewed witnesses and began sorting through debris. The students were taught how to account for every component of an aircraft, if for no other reason than to rule it out as a contributing factor.

One of the biggest challenges was determining whether components were damaged before the accident or during it. Among the most thoroughly addressed subjects was fire. Corbin passed around a small charred canister. It was an oxygen container identical to the one that started the fire that brought down ValuJet Flight 592 in the Florida Everglades in May 1996, killing 110 people. This one was used to test whether such a fire could have occurred and its presence silenced the room.

Always suspect the possibility of in-flight fire, Corbin pointed out. When a fire is in the slipstream and fueled by lots of oxygen, such as in an engine, temperatures can exceed 3,000 degrees, whereas on the ground they will usually stay below 2,000 degrees.

The students remained awed and respectful of the evidence as it passed from hand to hand.

Materials leave distinctive signatures when subjected to certain temperatures, Corbin continued. Thus possibly revealing whether the fire occurred in the air or after the crash and where it originated. Rubber hoses, for example, will melt at 400 degrees, aluminum alloys at 1,000 degrees, and stainless steel at 3,100 degrees. Furthermore, when aluminum melts on the ground, it will puddle due to gravity, but when it comes apart in an in-flight fire, it produces the broom straw effect, in which the points where the metal has come apart will look stringy.

Other damage might require closer inspection so Corbin briefed them on metallurgy and how to use it to determine what caused a part to fail. Throughout his lectures, he referred to how atoms were arranged and discussed the various ways parts could change, depending on whether they had been subjected to fatigue, violence, or some other stress. Parts usually failed by overload, because the material could be ductile or brittle and the failure left behind important clues.

Fatigue manifests itself like tide marks in the sand, Corbin said. If a rectangular plate is pulled and compressed thousands of times, beach marks will indicate the direction of crack propagation. When the cracks reach a critical size, you’ll see progressive failure and then instantaneous failure.

The course’s aggressive daily pace was only relieved by short breaks and a rushed lunch, but even while eating there was something to see. Instructors showed videos of airplanes crashing and documentaries about the accident investigation processes. The classroom contained ever-changing exhibits on investigation processes and equipment usage, with examples of component failure, an enormous cut-away of a Teledyne piston engine, and framed, illustrated case studies showing the effects of inexperience, bad luck, aircraft neglect, and poor judgment.

Look for propeller damage that requires a lot of energy, Corbin told them. Are there massive chunks of aluminum torn out of the leading edge of the blade? Is the hub broken?

But what if a propeller is missing? one student asked. Why did it drop off?

How do you find a missing propeller? Corbin pondered for everyone’s benefit. You can’t use FAA tracking radar data, because the propeller is too small, but you can use it to see where the airplane started coming down. That will give you a general idea. It’s then that the insurance adjuster becomes your best friend. Why? Because he has the checkbook. Get him to place an ad and offer a reward. Everyone with four-wheel drive is going to be out looking for that prop.

The other side of crash investigation was, of course, about the victims and the survivors. The more harrowing aspects of crash investigation had to be addressed with care and sensitivity. Though the course shied away from graphic images in the classroom, there was a file of photographs that helped prepare students for what they might see, and they could view them whenever they were brave enough to look.

I was really not prepared for my first crash site, Corbin cautioned the class. "We got a report of an aircraft down, and I drove out, but it was raining so hard we couldn’t see anything. We just started walking around and started discovering wreckage. I saw some people strapped to their seats, which looked just fine, but they were dead. I also saw dismemberment, horrible burns, and even small children.

I felt responsible for what I saw. I looked at the wreckage and thought that in the future people would trust their lives in what I would uncover. I ran on adrenaline for the entire week. I got three hours of sleep each night. When it was over, it was almost a letdown. I started withdrawing into myself and stopped talking to my friends. For those of you who haven’t seen death up close, I hope you never have to, because it changes you for the rest of your life.

The final exam was held in the airplane graveyard where the students finally got to apply what they had learned. Right away, the team confronted a mysterious accident involving a twin-engine Piper Aztec. The airplane crashed inverted in a pasture in Oklahoma, after an engine and a large part of the wing fell off. Inside the wreckage, police found $100,000 in cash, several dozen spotlights and motorcycle batteries.

While one team sifted through the wreckage, another group set about securing the site and talking to witnesses, local police, and gawking locals. As they do for all of the tests conducted in the graveyard, the TSI staff played the roles of many characters, and did their best to challenge the investigators. A friend of one witness revealed that the witness took parts of the wreckage as souvenirs. Corbin pretended to be an off-duty air traffic controller who swore he saw the pilot working on the left engine the previous day. A bogus local sheriff asked if he could keep the $100,000 found in the airplane so his department could buy new squad cars.

Then other amateur actors arrived portraying a television journalist and her camera operator. They promptly began aggressive news coverage. They aimed the camera over the students’ shoulders to videotape their notes and used microphones to eavesdrop on conversations among investigators. In real life, such behavior often caused premature assessments or incorrect information being broadcast to the public.

However, the woman reporter did utter information the students weren’t aware of.

We verified this airplane was flying a known drug route, she stated aloud.

Shortly afterwards the investigation team discovered the registration number on the fuselage was merely made of cut duct tape.

Don’t you think that’s odd? the newscaster wondered.

Yes, that is strange, was the only reply one student could think to say.

Other team members made substantial progress. They noticed some broom-strawing near the left engine, and concluded that an in-flight fire had torn the wing and engine from the fuselage, in spite of the pilot’s efforts to shut off fuel to the engine, as evidenced by switch positions in the smashed cockpit.

Later in the classroom, Corbin gave them the whole story. The pilot had been flying to rendezvous with other aircraft transporting cocaine from Mexico. The spotlights in the baggage compartment were used as runway lights at a secret airfield. While working on the engine the day before, the pilot didn’t tighten the fuel lines sufficiently and leaking fuel ignited on the hot engine.

Accidents like this were particularly frustrating for crash investigators and safety experts, more because the pilot was careless than because he was participating in illegal activities.

The bottom line is that the majority of these things were preventable through training or discipline, Corbin told his class directly. So it’s irritating when people make poor decisions, like taking off in icing conditions or improperly maintaining their airplanes.

The students were no strangers to aviation, but they still came away impressed by the investigation process.

Just remember, there is never a textbook crash site! Corbin announced, ending the class.

It was amazing to see the story unfold in the smallest of details, commented one graduating attendee to another. Mr. Corbin taught me to not form quick opinions. I should sit back, look, listen, and then carefully investigate.

After the graduating class had adjourned, the instructor was surprised to see the NTSB Director waiting outside his classroom. They shook hands warmly and walked side-by-side down the hallway to Corbin’s soon-to-be-vacated office.

So what brings you all the way to Oklahoma City, sir? Steve asked.

I came to see you off, Steve, Director Peter Daniels replied.

Corbin didn’t need reminding. It was his last day with the NTSB and he was quick to admit he would miss working there.

I’m sorry to see you go, Steve, Daniels went on, sensing Corbin’s mood change. I hate to lose you but policy stipulates a time limit of five years for service and no exceptions are made, no matter how effective the investigator.

Corbin smiled sadly. I know that, sir. I knew this day would come, but the years certainly have flown by.

What will you do with yourself now? the Director asked, genuinely interested.

Corbin shrugged, but said, Probably go into business for myself. I’ve been thinking about something associated with the airline industry, though I’m not sure exactly what.

Director Daniels grinned. I’m certain it will be something unusual, knowing your tendency for creativity.

Corbin chuckled. I bet you’re right. And based on my propensity for getting under people’s skin, whatever I choose will most likely get me in trouble, too.

The two men shook hands respectfully.

If you need a reference, Steve, please don’t hesitate to use my name, Daniels said. I would consider it an honor.

Thank you, Director, Corbin said.

They parted company. Once back to his desk, Steve packed up his last remaining personal items and checked voicemail for the last time. Corbin said his goodbyes and made his way to the parking lot.

To his delight, a beautiful woman was impatiently pacing near his car.

Hello, honey, Corbin greeted her. This is a pleasant surprise.

The attractive and shapely blond-haired woman held out her fingers and ceremoniously dangled a set of keys over the open box he was holding. I’m leaving you, Steven. I accepted a modeling gig in LA and I’m on a flight this afternoon.

Corbin didn’t know what to say. Tiffany often affected him that way.

The woman scowled, perhaps expecting something more than just silence. She had secretly hoped that Corbin might at least try to talk her out of it. When he still said nothing, she turned on her heels and marched away.

Good luck? Corbin spoke up finally, long after the woman had driven off. He just stood there, frozen to the spot, wondering what else could go wrong in his life. After all, why hadn’t he tried to stop her?

His cell phone rang.

It was his best friend and sometimes business associate, Devin Wade.

Hey, Corbin answered the call, while balancing the box with his left arm.

Where are you? Wade asked.

In the NTSB parking lot.

Have you got plans tonight? Devin asked hesitantly.

No.

I thought you and Tiffany might go out or something?

Actually, she just dumped me.

I see.

Corbin sighed. I’ll miss her.

No, you won’t, Devin replied abruptly.

Why do you say that? Corbin wondered, hurt in his voice.

Oh, please. She was such a stuck-up, cold-hearted bitch. Besides thinking she was God’s gift to the world, Tiffany had about as much personality as a two-by-four, without the wood.

So tell me how you really felt about her, Corbin said.

There was no immediate response from the other end.

Are you still there?

Maybe, Devin answered. I’m just trying to decide whether we should go to some bar and get shit-faced drunk or go eat some obnoxiously huge steak.

I prefer the fatted calf, Corbin said.

Good. That’s the sensible choice, Wade laughed. We’ll harden our arteries instead of ruining our livers.

An hour later, the two friends met at their favorite steak joint and were ushered to a table. They still ordered beer, but swore to keep their liquid intake to no more than three bottles each. Neither of them had to look at a menu, both ordering identical 16-ounce ribeye steaks, grilled rare, with all the extras, including loaded baked potato and tossed salad with extra ranch dressing.

So, now that you’re unemployed and you’ve lost your girl, what will you do next to screw up your life? Devin asked with a huge grin.

Even though Corbin was depressed about the entire situation, he still managed to find a little humor in Wade’s question. He shrugged and took a big swallow of ice-cold brew.

I think a change of scenery would do us both good, he said finally, after smacking his lips.

Not surprisingly, Devin had been thinking exactly the same thing. He nodded emphatically and suggested, How about further west? Maybe Utah, Arizona, or New Mexico?

Corbin pondered the possibilities.

Their steaks arrived, which temporarily postponed the discussion. After a few bites, however, it was obvious Corbin was seriously contemplating a dramatic change to their lifestyle and surroundings.

Being a crash investigator was too much like being a glorified insurance adjuster, he explained. I want to use all that knowledge to do something really adventurous and exciting.

Oh, God, Devin reacted. Wasn’t getting shot at enough adventure for you?

Corbin shook his head. That was different. I don’t mean combat. We need to find a line of work that keeps us active and outdoors, without bullets flying.

We could become cowboys?

Corbin shook his head.

Ski bums?

Nope.

Prospectors?

This suggestion didn’t solicit an immediate rejection, which surprised Devin completely. You’re not serious?

Well, not in the traditional sense of panning for gold or mining silver, Steve replied. I was thinking more along the lines of recovering lost or abandoned property.

It was Devin’s turn to be intrigued. He stopped what he was doing, a piece of steak dangling before his mouth. Looking at Corbin with a practiced eye, Devin could tell his friend wasn’t kidding. He was also fully aware that there was no way he was going to let Corbin have all the fun, even if that eventually led to financial ruin. It was just the nature of their friendship, tried and true.

Okay, I’m in, Devin said, before finally plopping the slice of meat into his mouth and chewing vigorously.

Corbin was pleased. I thought you might be. Let’s pool our assets, sell our respective houses and write up a business plan. We’ll decide where to base our operation once we know how much funding we’ll need.

Here’s a toast, Devin proposed. To wide open spaces, the spirit of adventure, plenty of sunshine, and…no babes.

In his present mood, Corbin couldn’t think of a rational argument to counter his friend’s choice of words. The clinking sound of beer bottles signified their mutual agreement.

Of course, Corbin couldn’t help but think of Tiffany one more time, remembering how she drove off into the sunset. Yet another beautiful woman had slipped through his fingers like fine grains of sand.

Years later…

Chapter 1

Significant Visitor

It was Saturday morning, early in the month of May.

Steve Corbin was suffering from a splitting headache, the result of not enough sleep and too many beers the night before. In fact, he had visited his favorite local tavern on an empty stomach, which right then didn’t feel too good either. Not even a long hot shower had alleviated the lingering nausea and bloodshot eyes.

In short, he was a mess.

The telephone on his desk vibrated with the most irritating jingling sound which echoed around in his skull.

Go away! he shouted at the phone.

No matter what time of day it was, Corbin hated the sound of a ringing telephone. He stared at the receiver for a long time. Just in time, he remembered to force a smile, which was a habit his father had instilled in him so many years before.

Corbin answered the call.

Good morning, he spoke into the mouthpiece, forcing an inviting and friendly voice. This is Corbin Recovery, Steven Corbin speaking. How may I help you?

Good morning, a pleasant female voice came from the other end. I’m calling from Salt Lake City. Some girlfriends and I were out backpacking near Taos, New Mexico, and we stumbled across what looked like an airplane crash near Mount Baldy. There was a lot of wreckage strewn all over the mountainside, but it looked very old. I made some inquiries here at the University of Utah and your company was recommended by the local authorities.

Corbin snatched a pencil from a nearby holder and said, Well, you’ve done the right thing. Do you think you could locate the crash site again on a map?

I’m pretty sure I could, she replied confidently.

Great. Would it be more convenient for me to meet you in Salt Lake City rather than you driving all the way out here?

There was a pause.

Actually, if you don’t mind, I think I’d rather come to your business location, the woman finally replied. I’m curious to see what you do.

Corbin smiled, in spite of his earlier mood. She sounded genuinely interested. That seemed improbable considering where Corbin Recovery was actually located. Nobody ever had a reason to come to Wendover, Utah, unless as a traveler pulling off Interstate 80 to buy gas or some World War II veteran looking for the old Army air base.

When would you like to visit us? he asked hesitantly.

I would like to make the trip today, if that wouldn’t be too inconvenient? She seemed to be apologizing. It will take a few hours to drive to Wendover.

That would be fine. Who should I be expecting?

Melissa, Melissa Tovari, she replied.

"I’m looking forward to meeting