And she certainly had not approved Gavin Royce's return.
Noelle opened another file.
It contained an activity log showing that the authorization document had been uploaded from a commercial operations workstation.
Then she noticed a second attachment.
A preliminary financing presentation.
The file was marked:
ROYCE CAPITAL — STRATEGIC TRANSITION PLAN.
She opened it.
The first page contained a photograph of Ashford Executive Aviation's fleet.
The second displayed an overview of the company's financial position.
The third described potential restructuring options.
Noelle scrolled.
Then stopped.
Page eleven contained a diagram of the company's ownership structure.
Her controlling shareholding was depicted beneath a holding company.
An arrow extended from it toward a proposed acquisition entity associated with Royce Capital.
Beneath the diagram was a note.
Founder control expected to be transferred following lender enforcement and negotiated recapitalization.
Noelle stared.
For several seconds, she couldn't breathe.
She had seen preliminary financing proposals.
She had discussed potential recapitalization with the board.
But no legitimate agreement had been reached to transfer her controlling shares.
And the document before her described that outcome as though it were already planned.
She looked toward the cabin.
The black leather seats.
The polished tables.
The employees moving carefully through the aisle.
Then back at the screen.
Gavin hadn't been exaggerating entirely.
Someone had been planning to use the company's financial problems to change who controlled Ashford Executive Aviation.
And the plan was moving forward without her approval.
She took a breath.
Then typed a message to Margaret Lin.
We need an emergency board discussion upon landing. Preserve all financing records. Do not execute any new commitment involving Royce Capital until the independent directors have reviewed the authorization history.
She sent it.
Then leaned back.
For a moment, she felt the enormous distance between the luxurious cabin around her and the difficult decisions waiting on the ground.
She had spent eight years building a company where wealth didn't outrank safety.
Now a billionaire she had barred for abusing an employee was trying to obtain financial control of the business.
And somebody inside her own organization was helping him.
Margaret Lin was waiting when Flight 907 landed in California.
She stood inside a private conference room at the terminal, wearing a charcoal-gray suit and carrying a folder thick enough to suggest she hadn't slept during the flight.
Noelle entered with her laptop bag.
Margaret rose.
For a moment, the two women simply looked at each other.