“I don't know.”
Renee waited.
Chloe whispered:
“Maybe because he looked relaxed.”
Renee looked up.
“Explain.”
“He was smiling.”
“He looked comfortable.”
“She looked tense.”
“So you interpreted the relaxed person as safer.”
“I guess.”
“Even though the complaint was that he had repeatedly entered her physical space.”
Chloe cried again.
“Yes.”
“Did you witness any contact?”
“The second time.”
“What did you see?”
“He leaned across.”
“Did his forearm contact her?”
“Yes.”
“And what did you do?”
“I asked if she was injured.”
“Why?”
“I thought if she wasn't hurt, maybe it wasn't serious.”
Renee nodded slowly.
“Did you ask Mr. Halston to apologize?”
“No.”
“Move?”
“No.”
“Change seats?”
“I mentioned there might be another seat.”
“To whom?”
“Ms. Bennett.”
Renee paused.
“So the person reporting the conduct was implicitly the person expected to relocate.”
Chloe closed her eyes.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I don't know.”
The interview continued.
No yelling.
No dramatic accusation.
Just questions.
That was worse.
Facts have a way of making people hear themselves.
Richard’s interview happened the next morning.
He arrived with two attorneys.
Amara did not attend.
That mattered.
Renee handled it.
Richard’s opening statement:
“This has been wildly exaggerated because Ms. Bennett has a conflict and apparently a personal vendetta.”
Renee asked:
“Was there physical contact?”
“Incidental.”
“How many times?”
“I don't know.”
“Did she ask you to stop?”
“I don't remember.”
The video played.
Amara’s voice:
Please give me some room.
Later:
Move your leg.
Later:
Do not do that again.
Later:
You just struck me.
Richard’s attorneys stopped moving.
Renee asked again:
“Did she ask you to stop?”
Richard said:
“Yes.”
“Multiple times?”
“Yes.”
“Did you tell her she was fine after physical contact?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I didn't believe she was injured.”
“Are you medically qualified to determine injury?”
Richard looked irritated.
“No.”
“Did you tell her private aviation might be more suitable if she had difficulty sitting beside other people?”
He sighed.
“Yes.”
“Did you call her difficult?”
“I don't recall.”
Video.
His voice.
I don’t understand why they let difficult passengers make everything uncomfortable for everyone else.
Renee paused the recording.
Richard leaned back.
“This is being stripped of context.”
“What context changes the meaning?”
He had no answer.
Then the contract.
Renee placed Richard’s executive certification before him.
“You signed this?”
“Yes.”
“Read paragraph three.”
Richard stared.
“Out loud?”
“Yes.”
He read:
“Senior vendor representatives are expected to model passenger-respect standards in all interactions occurring aboard Apex Continental-operated services where conduct may reasonably affect confidence in vendor compliance.”
His voice slowed.