“Good.”
Amara looked toward the mechanic.
“Departure status?”
He blinked.
“Aircraft is ready, ma’am.”
“Amara.”
“Right.”
He swallowed.
“Aircraft is ready.”
“Thank you.”
Collins stepped forward.
“Ms. Sterling, I sincerely apologize.”
Amara looked at him.
“Do you?”
“Yes.”
“Which part?”
He hesitated.
She waited.
“For blocking you.”
Amara's expression cooled.
“Try again.”
“For touching you.”
“And?”
Collins looked around.
Witnesses everywhere.
Humiliation settled over him now.
He swallowed.
“For assuming you weren't authorized.”
“Why did you assume that?”
He looked at her outfit.
Then immediately realized the mistake.
Amara saw.
“Say it.”
“Ms. Sterling—”
“Say it.”
He stared at the ground.
“You didn't look like the passenger I was expecting.”
Amara stepped closer.
“What did the passenger you were expecting look like?”
Collins said nothing.
She waited.
Nina watched.
The mechanic watched.
The driver.
The suited employees.
Everyone.
Finally Collins whispered:
“A man.”
Amara raised one eyebrow.
“Anything else?”
His face reddened.
“Older.”
“And?”
He could not say it.
Amara could have.
She did not.
That mattered.
“Go finish the sentence with your supervisor.”
She turned toward the jet.
Collins said quickly:
“Am I fired?”
Amara stopped.
Looked back.
He appeared almost frightened now.
Not of her.
Of unemployment.
Interesting.
“You're suspended from this ramp effective immediately.”
His face fell.
“Pending independent review.”
He swallowed.
Amara continued.
“I don't decide disciplinary investigations five minutes after somebody makes me angry.”
Collins looked surprised.
“You should be grateful for that.”
Then she boarded.
Nina followed.
Inside, the cabin smelled faintly of new leather and coffee.
Amara placed her handbag on a seat.
Her chief of staff, Marcus Reed, emerged from the rear cabin.
He was forty-two, Black, broad-shouldered, and usually impossible to surprise.
Today he looked close.
“What the hell happened?”
Amara stared.
“You were inside?”
“I was on a satellite call.”
“You didn't hear anything?”
“These walls cost sixty-five million dollars to prevent exactly that.”
Amara almost laughed.
Marcus looked through the window.
Collins remained on the tarmac speaking to another security officer.
“What did he do?”
“Grabbed me.”
Marcus's expression changed instantly.
“Where?”
“Arm.”
“I mean where is he?”
Amara looked at him.
“Marcus.”
“No.”
She smiled faintly.
“There it is.”