'Til Death by Carol J. Perry

Author:Carol J. Perry [Perry, Carol J]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kensington Books
Published: 2022-01-13T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 25

I made it back to the station in record time—with camcorder safely stashed in the hobo. I’d said a quick “see ya later” to Martell, making sure he left the house ahead of me, and watched in my rearview mirror until the Lincoln had pulled away from the curb. Mr. Doan seemed happy to get his camera back and I was relieved to turn it over to him. Through the glass wall of my office I saw that Scott’s desk was still empty. I was reasonably sure that he’d be getting the Pirate’s Island assignment as soon as he got back to the station. Good for him.

With Aunt Ibby’s carefully researched Pirate’s Island lore safely stored, it occurred to me that it would be a good idea for me to pay more attention to the rugged land across from the island—the place where my parents had died. I’d never looked up any of the newspaper accounts of the accident and Aunt Ibby had carefully avoided the subject all my life. And why wouldn’t she? My reaction to what I’d seen in my shoe had been terrifying to me, but also to my aunt. I knew they’d both died instantly—a blessing, considering the violence of the crash—and that the event had been caused by “pilot error”—whatever that means. I’d never felt it necessary to inquire further into the details of their deaths. I still didn’t—but if we were going to actually stand at that site, place a memorial token at that spot, I needed to know more about what had happened that sad day to the small yellow plane and the two most important people in my life.

The search didn’t take long. Both Maine and Massachusetts papers had covered the tragic story. I simply referenced the archives, typed in the date of the crash and each of their names. A microfiche copy of the Maine Times-Record popped up immediately. It gave the date and the time of day. It said that a Piper J-3 was destroyed during a collision with terrain and a post-impact fire. Witnesses reported that the small yellow airplane was on initial climb out after departing from a grass runway on a Ruby Light Island. So that was its name before it was Pirate’s Island? At approximately 250 feet, according to witnesses, the airplane banked sharply and descended into the terrain. Both people on board were fatally injured.

I looked away from the screen. This wasn’t going to be easy. I skipped over some meteorological information. The airplane wreckage path followed a magnetic heading of approximately 125 degrees, I read. What did that mean? From the first ground scar mark to the location where the engine came to rest was measured at 29 feet four inches. I could visualize that distance. The plane must have tumbled, I thought. I read on. The wingspan of a standard J-3 Cub is listed at 35 feet, two inches. The fuselage was buckled over approximately 90 degrees toward the right side of the airplane.

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