Brenda did not respond.
Maya walked down the jet bridge.
Behind her, the man chuckled.
“Some people need everything explained.”
Maya kept walking.
She had endured worse.
Much worse.
A gate agent double-checking identification was irritating.
Not a crisis.
She boarded.
Flight attendant Chloe Bennett greeted passengers at Door 1L.
“Welcome aboard.”
Maya showed the boarding pass.
“Two-A.”
“Right this way.”
No hesitation.
Good.
Seat 2A sat beside the window.
Large.
Dark teal leather.
Maya stowed her tote under the ottoman.
Her coat remained draped over her shoulders.
She wore an olive-green designer dress beneath it, elegant without being flashy.
The ivory boucle jacket had been chosen because New York would be colder than Seattle.
Her hair was pinned into a high bun.
She removed her phone.
Three messages.
Marcus:
Board asking whether announcement can move to 10:30.
Elaine:
Do not answer. We need regulatory confirmation first.
Then Marcus again:
Also please avoid becoming a headline before lunch.
Maya smiled.
She replied:
No promises.
The man from the gate entered.
Of course.
Seat 2B.
He stopped beside Maya.
“You.”
Maya looked up.
“Apparently.”
He placed his bag overhead.
Then sat.
“My name is Richard Hayes.”
Maya had not asked.
“Maya.”
He nodded.
“Washington?”
She looked at him.
“How do you know?”
“I heard the gate agent.”
Of course.
He fastened his seat belt.
“Business in New York?”
“Yes.”
“What field?”
“Aviation.”
Richard smiled.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“I work in finance.”
Maya looked out the window.
That explained less than he apparently believed.
Richard continued:
“Commercial aviation?”
“Among other things.”
“Interesting.”
He waited.
Maya did not reciprocate.
Richard supplied more anyway.
“I advise institutional clients.”
“Mostly transportation.”
Maya glanced at him.
“What firm?”
“Harrison & Lowe.”
She knew it.
Mid-sized investment bank.
Good restructuring group.
Their aviation desk had tried to join the Northstar transaction.
Vanguard declined.
Richard smiled.
“You know us?”
“Yes.”
That pleased him.
“We were involved in a pretty major airline deal recently.”
Maya almost laughed.
Were you?
He continued.
“Confidential.”
“Of course.”
“Northstar.”
Now she did smile.
Richard interpreted it as interest.
“Big transaction.”
“So I’ve heard.”
“My group advised one of the financing parties.”
That might even be true.
Deals of this size involved armies.
Richard leaned closer.
“Rumor is a private-equity shop took control.”
Maya nodded.
“Rumors travel fast.”
“Vanguard Aero.”
“Yes.”
“You know them?”
“A little.”
Richard laughed.
“They’re aggressive.”
“I've heard.”
“Founder is supposedly some thirty-something woman.”
Maya turned.
“Supposedly?”
“I don’t know.”