Chapter 40: Keith Says Goodbye

Chapter 40: Keith Says Goodbye

In the radar room, Keith Bakersfeld looked at the clock and knew that he should remain on duty for another half-hour. He did not care.

He stood up and looked around. ‘Tevis,’ he said, ‘I’m going. Thank you for trying to help me. Goodbye.’

He walked out of the room for ever, knowing that he should have done this years ago. He felt extremely happy. He had brought Flight Two down safely, and that would be his last job in Air Traffic Control.

He went to the small rest room where he kept his food and his coat. He took the photograph of Natalie out of his pocket, as he had done earlier that night. When he looked at her smiling face, he wanted to cry. He put the photograph back in his pocket. He would never come back to this room again.

It was at that moment he came to a new decision. He was not going back to the,hotel, but home to Natalie. He knew that he would never work again in aviation, and that he would have to live with his memories. He would never be able to forget little Valerie and her death - but he would live. The Redferns were dead. Nothing could change that. But his own family was alive, and he was going to them now.

As he walked to his car, he threw the Nembutal into the snow.