“I’m Mrs. Traynor. Sit right down here”—she pulled out a chair at the table—“and let Polina bring you a nice hot cup of cocoa.”
“Thank you,” she said to Mrs. Traynor, “but I have to go. My grandmother will be wondering where I am.”
“Not even one pancake?” Mrs. Traynor asked.
“No. Really. I have to go home and get ready for school.”
“I’ll tell Mason you stopped by.”
“Thank you.”
Elizabeth Daily Post
Special Edition
UMBRELLA OF DEATH HAS CLOSED
FEB. 11—Just hours after the crash last night of a National Airlines DC-6 into the field behind the Janet Memorial Home, the third such disaster in eight weeks, the Port Authority closed down Newark Airport “pending further investigation,” and Mayor Kirk has promised it will be shut indefinitely. “The chaos, the horror, the terror is over,” he said. “The Umbrella of Death has closed.”
In Washington, E. S. Hensley, director of the Civil Aeronautics Administration’s office of aviation safety, could offer no explanation why three major crashes have occurred in the same place within less than 60 days. “It could just as easily have been San Francisco, Timbuktu, or Saskatchewan,” Hensley said. “Why the Lord let it happen at Elizabeth I cannot guess. There is no earthly reason.”
22
Miri
At school, the boys were excited.
ANGELO VENETTI (waving around the special edition of the paper): No earthly reason. What did I tell you? But they won’t write about the unearthly reasons. They’re scared the aliens will unleash a full attack against us.
PETE WOLF: Yeah, but is it a plot against America or just a plot against our city?
WINKY HERKOVITZ: Either way, we’re in deep shit.
DERISH GRAY: But the mayor says…
WINKY HERKOVITZ: You’re going to believe him?
DERISH GRAY: And Newark Airport is closed.
CHARLEY KAMINSKY: Indefinitely.
ELEANOR: Robo’s father knew what he was doing moving his family out of town. And just in time, too.
SUZANNE: How did Robo’s father know?
ELEANOR: He’s connected.
SUZANNE: To the aliens?
ELEANOR: To the mob.
SUZANNE: This is about the mob?
WINKY HERKOVITZ: Wake up, Little Suzy. Everything is about the mob.
You should know, Miri thought, but she didn’t say so. She was willing to bet the kids at Robo’s new school wouldn’t be talking about the latest crash. They’d probably be talking about the latest show at the Paper Mill Playhouse. She felt like lashing out at all of them. She was sick of their stories. If only she could be sure Uncle Henry was right, that the crashes were accidents. But she’d just read a convincing article in Life magazine, “Making a Case for Interplanetary Saucers,” that made it all seem possible.
Miri turned and walked away. In a minute Eleanor was by her side. “They’re imbeciles,” she said, nodding toward the boys.
“They’re scared but they won’t admit it,” Miri said.
“We’re all scared,” Eleanor said. “Aren’t we?”
Miri nodded. They were all scared.
“I’m still not convinced it isn’t sabotage.” Eleanor said. “But if it is sabotage I believe your uncle will uncover it.”
Miri was glad to hear Eleanor had confidence in Uncle Henry.
At lunchtime, she ducked out of the cafeteria to call Natalie’s house. She’d called last night before she’d gone to sleep, before any of them knew their world would be shattered a third time. There hadn’t been any answer, which made no sense. Even if no one else was home there would still be a babysitter for Fern. This time Mrs. Jones answered. “Osners’ residence. Mrs. Jones speaking.” Miri recognized her voice before she identified herself.
“It’s Miri, Mrs. Jones. Can I speak to Natalie or Mrs. Osner?”
“Everyone is out. I don’t know where.”
“Do you know when they’ll be back?”
“Sorry, I don’t. Try them tonight.” Mrs. Jones hung up first.
She called again before dinner. This time she got Steve. When she asked for Natalie, he said, “She’s not here.”
“Where is she?”
“Visiting relatives.”
“What relatives?”
He didn’t answer.
“Are you telling me the truth?”
“No.”
“Let me talk to your mother.”
“Say please.”
“May I please speak to your mother?”
“Sorry, no can do.” And he hung up.
Then Henry came home with the paper and Miri didn’t call the Osners again.
Elizabeth Daily Post
AIRLINER SMASHES INTO SALEM AVENUE APARTMENTS
Explodes in Yard of Janet Memorial Home Third Crash in 58 Days Brings Closure of Newark Airport
By Henry Ammerman
FEB. 11—Disaster from the sky rained down on Elizabeth for the third time in eight weeks. At 12:20 a.m., a Miami-bound National Airlines four-engine DC-6 taking off from Newark Airport sliced open the roof of a three-story apartment building on Salem Avenue. Spilling fuel as a wing tip ripped off, it set the apartment building ablaze before plunging to the ground and exploding in the playing field of the Janet Memorial Home.