"Over the years the treacherous wind currents surrounding Mt. Cascade have claimed a number of aircraft. Moist marine air flowing in from the Pacific Ocean, after climbing and crossing the 14,000 foot tall, snowcapped, peak, tumbles down the lee side in a tremendous downdraft. Numerous Notices for Airmen have advised avoiding this turbulence at all costs."

When writing these words they had sounded so authoritative, Barker had decided to share the glory by mentioning Jim’s name over the “wire.” This act of kindness also opened up the possibility of a dramatic conclusion, by quoting, just a little bit out of context:

“Jim Fullbright, onetime coordinator of Cascade County Civil Defense, speculated that, “If the mystery aircraft was on an unfiled flight plan, as the lack of records indicate, during the dark, early days of World War II when navigational aids and the use of airways in this area were restricted for defense purposes, what then was the reason for this “secret” mission. Whatever —it was suicide for the pilot to fly a limited performance aircraft so close to the mountain.”

* * *

Both of these articles eventually ended up, via a clipping service, on the desk of a hard-pressed rewrite artist at the Florida headquarters of National Investigator. Bill Wiberly had just had his ass chewed by the managing editor for wasting $64.65 on long distance phone calls to check the facts on a story concerning the alleged sighting of a “Bigfoot,” or Sasquatch, raiding a garbage dump outside Pony, Montana.

Stinging from the rebuke to “stop pretending he was employed by LIFE,” Wiberly glanced at the clock, grabbed the “Incoming” file, and started to work. He wasn’t aware that Jim Fullbright’s career as Director of Civil Defense had consisted of passing out pamphlets on atomic radiation protection at the Cascade County Fair during the McCarthy years of the Cold War. Nor was Wiberly all that excited by the quote of some red-necked sheriff about drug smuggling; in Florida, this was old news. What did have possibilities attracting readers with a front cover blurb was the “Mission Impossible” aspect.

He turned to his battered Underwood and in moments had hacked out: