Marcus attended depositions with the same composure he'd brought to everything, measured, precise, documented. Callaway's attorneys tried twice to rattle him. Twice they failed. He had 43 memos and a military bearing and a decade of practice staying level when everything around him was turbulent. The settlement was finalized in February.
Marcus did not hold a press conference. He made a brief statement through Patricia's office confirming the resolution of the civil case, thanked the FAA and NTSB for their work, and said nothing further to the media. The fund for flight 1,147 passengers was established the same week. Patricia had worked with a nonprofit attorney to structure it properly. It wasn't enormous.
Marcus was not a wealthy man and he was rebuilding, but it was real. 14 Families received something. Not enough to undo what had happened. Enough to say, "Someone saw you. Someone was paying attention before the plane went sideways.
Someone cared, Hutchkins called him the day the fund was announced. I saw what you did, Hutchkins said. His voice still had that roughness. But steadier now than the parking lot call months ago. The fund people got hurt, Marcus said.
Yeah. A pause. I've been thinking about that inspection. The one I signed. His voice was careful, controlled.
The voice of a man who had done the interior work and was still doing it. I know it wasn't just me. I know the system made it easy to sign, but I signed it and I'm going to have to live with that. Yes, Marcus said you are. He didn't offer comfort.
That would have been dishonest. But he also said you called from a parking lot on your own. A long pause. I hope so. Hutchkins said it does.
Marcus said that's how things change. One person calling from a parking lot. Hutchkins was quiet for a moment. Then, "Thank you, Reed. Take care of yourself, Earl." Callaway's criminal trial was set for the following autumn.
Marcus would testify. He'd been told to expect three days on the stand. He was ready for it the way he was ready for difficult approaches. Not eagerly, not without respect for the difficulty, but with the knowledge that he had done the preparation. He had the documentation and he knew how to stay steady when the wind was wrong.
In March, Colonel Marsh called again. Mr. Reed, he said, I'm calling with something that falls outside the investigation. Strictly a pause that suggested this was not entirely accurate. Personal, you might say.