“SkyLuxe Aviation.”
Simone nodded.
There it was.
The old name.
Technically still valid until midnight.
Legally irrelevant to what had happened at 9:02 that morning.
Caroline stepped closer to the stairs.
“You need to return to the terminal.”
Simone looked behind her.
A black executive SUV remained parked fifty yards away.
Its driver, Marcus, had gotten out.
He was not approaching.
Good.
Simone had told him not to.
She wanted to know what happened when nobody on the ramp believed anyone important was watching.
That was part of the reason she had arrived dressed as herself.
Not in the navy suit people expected.
Not with counsel.
Not with the acquisition team.
Not with the twenty-person executive delegation waiting in another terminal suite.
Just Simone.
Her clothes.
Her bag.
Her folder.
Her face.
She had not planned to make the boarding process a test.
But she had learned long ago that organizations test themselves when they think nobody is testing them.
Caroline said, “The owner is arriving shortly.”
Simone nearly smiled.
“I know.”
“You know him?”
“Him?”
Caroline paused.
“Yes.”
Simone looked toward Claire.
The younger attendant’s expression had gone from discomfort to confusion.
Simone asked:
“Who told you the owner was a man?”
Caroline stared.
“Nobody.”
“That sounded like somebody.”
Caroline’s cheeks colored.
“It was a figure of speech.”
“No.”
“It was an assumption.”
The younger attendant looked down.
Caroline’s patience broke slightly.
“Fine.”
“I assumed.”
“That still does not give you access.”
Simone nodded.
“True.”
Caroline seemed surprised that Simone agreed.
Then Simone continued.
“My ownership would.”
Caroline laughed.
Actually laughed.
Not a loud one.
A short exhale.
But unmistakable.
Simone looked at her.
Caroline stopped.
“You own this aircraft?”
“Yes.”
The silence afterward was almost pleasant.
Claire looked toward the open jet door.
Caroline stared at Simone.
Then smiled.
This time with disbelief.
“Ma’am.”
There it was again.
Simone let the word sit.
Caroline continued.
“This aircraft is registered to Cobalt Crest Holdings.”
“Yes.”
“That company is controlled by SkyLuxe’s principal shareholder.”
“No longer.”
Caroline’s face changed.
“Excuse me?”
Simone looked at her watch.
“Ownership transferred at nine-oh-two this morning.”
Claire’s eyes widened.
Caroline folded her arms again.
“That is not the information our crew received.”
“Apparently.”
“We were told the current owner was arriving with a corporate group.”
“That was true.”
Simone looked toward her SUV.
“The corporate group is here.”