Melissa would just smile and shake her head. “I’d rather believe in people and be wrong once in a while than stop believing altogether.”

The neighborhood children would wave enthusiastically whenever they saw her walking her golden retriever, Max, down the tree-lined street.

“Can Max come play with us?” little Emma from next door would call out, her pigtails bouncing as she ran across her lawn.

Her husband, Robert, often marveled at how she never seemed to run out of energy for others. He was her anchor, a calm and steady presence who had supported her through 28 years of marriage. Where she was warmth and motion, he was patience and quiet strength.

“You need a break,” Robert had told her three weeks ago, wrapping his arms around her waist as she reviewed case files at their kitchen table. “When’s the last time we actually went somewhere, Mel? Just the two of us?”

She’d looked up at him, realizing he was right. “It’s been too long, hasn’t it?”

“Way too long,” he’d agreed. “Let’s go somewhere warm. Somewhere with beaches and no courtrooms.”

That conversation had led them to Mexico, to a beautiful resort where Melissa had finally allowed herself to disconnect from the weight of her work. For ten glorious days, she’d walked on beaches at sunset, swam in crystal-clear water, and laughed more freely than she had in months.

Now, sitting in seat 12B on their flight home, Melissa felt refreshed and ready to return to her life. She glanced over at Robert, who was already absorbed in a paperback thriller, his reading glasses perched on the bridge of his nose.

“Glad we went?” she asked, squeezing his hand.

He looked up and smiled. “Best decision we’ve made in a long time. Though I’m pretty sure you’re already thinking about all the cases waiting for you back home.”

The plane began to taxi toward the runway, and passengers settled into their seats.

Flight attendants moved through the cabin, checking seat belts and overhead compartments. Everything felt normal. Melissa closed her eyes, already mentally planning the week.

Then the pilot’s voice came through the speakers.

“Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. This is your captain speaking. We’re currently second in line for takeoff, and we’re looking at smooth skies ahead. Flight time to Dallas should be about three hours and 15 minutes. We’ll be cruising at an altitude of 35,000 feet, and the weather looks beautiful all the way home.”

That voice.

Her heart began to pound against her ribs as she sat perfectly still, straining to hear every word. It couldn’t be. After 20 years, how could she possibly recognize someone’s voice? But something deep in her chest told her she wasn’t wrong.

“We appreciate you flying with us today, and we’ll do everything we can to make this a comfortable flight. Sit back, relax, and we’ll have you on the ground before you know it. This is Captain Evan. Thanks for choosing us.”

The name hit her hard. Her hand tightened around the armrest, her knuckles going white.

“Mel?” Robert’s voice seemed to come from very far away. “Honey, what’s wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

She turned to face him. “Robert, I think I know who the pilot is.”

He lowered his book, concern creasing his forehead. “What do you mean? How could you possibly know the pilot?”

Robert studied her face. In nearly three decades together, he’d learned to read every expression, and he knew that something had shaken her deeply.

“Are you sure?” he asked gently.

“No,” she admitted as her mind raced. “But I think so. I really think so.”

She sat back in her seat as the plane lifted into the sky, her vacation calm now completely shattered. All she could think about was a terrified 16-year-old boy standing in her courtroom, his whole future hanging in the balance. She’d made a choice that day, a choice she’d wondered about countless times over the years.

Perhaps she was about to find out now.

The three-hour flight felt like an eternity.

Melissa tried to read, tried to sleep, and tried to focus on anything other than the voice that kept echoing in her mind. But it was impossible. Every time the pilot announced turbulence or their descent, her heart would leap.

“What do you want to do?” Robert asked gently.

Melissa took a deep breath. “I need to wait. I need to know if it’s really him.”

“Then we’ll wait,” he said, making no move to stand.

“Is everything okay? Do you need any assistance?”

“We’re fine,” Melissa said, finding her voice. “I just need to speak with the captain for a moment, if that’s possible.”

The flight attendant smiled. “Of course. You can wait near the cockpit door. Captain Evan usually comes out to say goodbye to passengers, anyway.”