Then at her.
“Oh my God.”
Everyone looked toward him.
He turned the phone away instinctively.
Too late.
Thomas noticed.
“What?”
Richard whispered:
“She’s Maya Washington.”
Thomas looked at Maya.
Then back.
“Who?”
Richard’s voice became barely audible.
“Vanguard Aero.”
The captain stared.
Maya said:
“You should make the call.”
Thomas shook his head.
“No.”
Denial.
Not rational.
Emotional.
“You think you can intimidate crew by pretending to own the company?”
Maya almost felt sorry for him.
Almost.
“Captain, I have not asked you to change any legitimate safety decision.”
“You threatened arrest.”
“You physically removed my clothing.”
“You should involve counsel.”
Thomas turned toward Chloe.
“Where are the police?”
She held the interphone.
“Coming.”
“Good.”
Then the boarding door opened wider.
Not police.
Elaine Porter appeared first.
Vanguard’s general counsel.
Behind her came Marcus Cole, chief operating officer.
Then David Lang, Northstar Atlantic’s acting chief executive.
All three had been in the acquisition meeting three hours earlier.
Marcus saw Maya standing in the aisle.
Saw Thomas.
Saw the jacket across the seat.
His face changed.
Elaine saw the phones.
She closed her eyes briefly.
So much for avoiding headlines.
David Lang spoke first.
“Captain Arrington.”
Thomas turned.
Recognition.
Relief.
“Mr. Lang.”
The acting CEO walked forward.
“What is happening?”
Thomas immediately began:
“This passenger created a disturbance and refused removal.”
David looked past him.
“Maya?”
The captain froze.
One word.
Same effect as a gunshot.
Maya answered:
“Good morning, David.”
The cabin became utterly silent.
Elaine stepped into the aisle.
She carried a leather document binder.
Marcus followed.
His expression was somewhere between fury and disbelief.
He looked at Maya.
“You lasted less than ninety minutes.”
She almost smiled.
“I tried.”
Thomas stared between them.
David said:
“Captain, step away from Ms. Washington.”
The captain did not move.
“Sir, she refused a direct instruction.”
David’s voice hardened.
“Step away.”
Thomas stepped back.
Slowly.
Elaine retrieved Maya’s ivory jacket.
She inspected it.
Then handed it over.
Maya draped it over her arm rather than putting it back on.
Elaine turned toward Thomas.
“For clarity, Captain, did you physically remove this jacket from Ms. Washington?”
Thomas swallowed.
“I needed her to leave.”
“That was not my question.”
Melissa answered quietly.
“Yes.”
Thomas looked toward her.
Betrayal flashed across his face.
Elaine noticed.
Everything.
David addressed the cabin.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I apologize for the delay.”
No one cared about the delay anymore.
He turned back to Thomas.
“This is Maya Washington.”
Thomas said nothing.
David continued:
“Founder and chief executive of Vanguard Aero Holdings.”
The captain’s face became pale.
Marcus opened the binder.
David continued:
“At 6:40 Pacific time today, Vanguard completed its acquisition of fifty-eight percent of Northstar Atlantic Airways.”
The words moved through the cabin in waves.
Passengers whispered.
Richard closed his eyes.
Maya remained still.
David said: