"What kind of change?"
"The proposed flight hasn't been authorized for departure."
Charles frowned.
"That's impossible."
"I'm sorry, sir, but we're unable to board your group."
He stared.
"We've arranged everything."
The representative remained polite.
"I'm sure this is inconvenient, but you'll need to contact the party responsible for your booking."
Charles's face reddened.
"Where's Captain Vance?"
The representative hesitated.
"He's currently speaking with flight operations."
Charles took out his phone.
He called Richard.
No answer.
He tried again.
Still nothing.
Then he called Edmund Royce.
The former administrator answered on the second ring.
"Charles."
"What the hell is happening?"
Edmund sounded confused.
"What?"
"The aircraft is here, but the terminal staff won't let us board."
There was a pause.
Then Edmund asked, "Which aircraft?"
Charles stared.
"The Horizon jet."
Edmund went silent.
Charles's voice hardened.
"Don't play games with me."
The former administrator drew a breath.
"Charles, I told Richard there were approval issues."
"Richard said you handled it."
"I didn't authorize a paid passenger flight."
Charles closed his eyes.
A terrible realization began forming.
His arrangements had depended on informal understandings.
Vague assurances.
And the belief that no one with actual authority would examine the details too closely.
Now somebody had.
And Charles was standing outside a private terminal with three guests who believed he'd arranged a legitimate aircraft.
He looked toward the woman beside him.
She was checking her phone.
"Is everything all right?"
Charles forced a smile.
"Small scheduling issue."
She frowned.
"We have a meeting in Palm Beach tonight."
"I know."
He looked toward the terminal.
For the first time, he seemed to understand that he couldn't simply demand entry.
The aircraft belonged to someone else.
And that person had withdrawn permission for the movement.
He tried Richard again.
No answer.
Then a message appeared from his concierge company's office.
Please call immediately. We have received an inquiry regarding the authorization for the Palm Beach flight.
Charles stared at the screen.
His confidence began collapsing.
And inside the aircraft, the woman he'd never met was discovering how many people had treated her property as though it belonged to them.
The chief pilot arrived at Teterboro shortly afterward.