“Here we go.”
Nina removed her phone.
Called one number.
The line answered on the first ring.
A woman’s voice:
“Nina?”
“Claire.”
“Yes?”
“Seal compromise.”
Silence.
“Physical?”
“Yes.”
“Case opened?”
“No.”
“Custody lost?”
“No.”
“Source?”
Nina looked at Riley.
“Airline personnel.”
Claire’s voice changed.
“Do you want me to trigger suspension?”
Nina did not answer immediately.
She looked around the cabin.
Thirty faces.
Phones.
Jordan.
Riley.
The torn silver strip lying near the seat rail.
Months of negotiations.
Thousands of staff members.
Pilots.
Ground crews.
Mechanics.
Gate agents.
People who had never met Riley.
People whose jobs might eventually be affected by the acquisition.
Nina had promised herself she would never make a billion-dollar decision from anger.
So she did not.
She made it from procedure.
“Yes.”
Claire exhaled.
“Confirm.”
“Freeze the closing.”
Riley crossed her arms.
“Closing what?”
Nina ignored her.
Claire replied:
“Authority verified.”
“Transfer suspension initiated.”
“Board and escrow notifications in ninety seconds.”
“Do you want emergency counsel to the aircraft?”
“Yes.”
“Chairman?”
“Yes.”
Claire paused.
“Nina.”
“What?”
“Are you safe?”
Nina looked at Riley.
Then Jordan.
“Yes.”
“Good.”
The call ended.
Riley smirked.
“That dramatic enough for everyone?”
Nobody laughed.
Jordan looked uneasy.
“What did you just freeze?”
Nina placed the phone inside her handbag.
“A transaction.”
“What transaction?”
Before she answered, movement appeared at the aircraft door.
The gate agent stepped inside.
Behind her came three people moving much faster than airport etiquette normally allowed.
First was Henry Wallace, chairman of Meridian Atlantic Airways.
Sixty-three.
Silver hair.
Dark overcoat still wet from the rain.
Behind him came airline general counsel David Lin and Carter Meridian counsel Claire Donovan.
An airport operations director followed.
Henry Wallace saw Nina.
Then the silver case.
Then Riley.
He stopped.
For several seconds nobody spoke.
Riley’s confidence faltered.
Henry stepped farther into the cabin.
“Ms. Carter.”
Every passenger who had been filming looked toward Nina.
Riley stared.
Henry’s eyes moved toward the damaged clasp.
His face changed.
“What happened to the case?”