Nina waited.
Riley’s face reddened.
“Yes.”
The answer slipped out before she understood what she had admitted.
Nina nodded once.
“Exactly.”
Riley immediately tried again.
“That’s not what I meant.”
“What did you mean?”
“I mean if I knew you were here for company business—”
“You knew I was a passenger.”
“That should have been enough.”
Riley stared.
Henry looked toward the passengers filming.
Then toward Jordan.
“Is there footage?”
Jordan looked around the cabin.
“At least ten phones.”
“And aircraft cameras?”
“Galley entrance camera catches most of row two.”
Henry nodded.
“Preserve everything.”
Riley’s breathing became shallow.
“Henry.”
He turned.
“Please.”
She had known him for years.
Served his family twice.
Remembered his wife’s preferred tea.
That history suddenly seemed irrelevant.
“This got out of hand.”
Henry’s expression was grim.
“It appears so.”
“I was trying to enforce cabin policy.”
Jordan said:
“No, you weren’t.”
Riley glared.
Jordan continued.
“You verified her seat.”
“You knew there was no overhead space.”
“You kept escalating.”
“And you touched a passenger after she repeatedly told you not to.”
Riley pointed toward him.
“You’re enjoying this.”
Jordan’s face hardened.
“No.”
“I’m embarrassed.”
That hurt more.
Nina watched.
Her anger had cooled.
Now she wanted information.
“How long have you worked here?”
Riley looked toward her.
“Seventeen years.”
“Any previous complaints?”
Riley said nothing.
Henry’s eyes shifted.
Nina noticed.
“Henry?”
He hesitated.
That was enough.
“How many?”
“I don’t know offhand.”
“You’re chairman.”
“I don’t personally review cabin complaints.”
“Who does?”
“Customer experience and labor relations.”
Nina looked toward Claire.
“Add personnel history to the preservation request.”
Claire nodded.
Riley’s fear became anger again.
“You’re investigating me because I didn’t know you were rich?”
Nina looked at her.
“No.”
“I’m investigating why you thought someone needed to be rich before you treated them properly.”
The sentence landed across the cabin.
A passenger in row three lowered his phone slightly.
Riley crossed her arms.
“I did not discriminate against you.”
Nina considered the claim.
“You checked my boarding pass after I was seated in my assigned seat.”
“Standard verification.”
“Did you check his?”
She pointed toward 1C.
The man raised his hand awkwardly.
“No.”
Riley glared at him.
Nina continued.
“You suggested I belonged in coach.”
“I said people sometimes enter the wrong cabin.”
“You questioned whether the case was mine.”
“I was concerned about security.”
“You pressed your shoe onto it.”