Then disappeared.
Caroline looked toward Simone.
Something uncertain appeared.
Simone said:
“That was fast.”
Caroline did not answer.
Thirty seconds.
Forty.
Then the radio crackled.
A different male voice.
Older.
“Caroline.”
She straightened.
“Captain.”
Simone looked toward the aircraft door.
Captain Graham Porter stepped into view.
Fifty-two.
White pilot shirt.
Four gold stripes.
Silver-brown hair.
He held a thick leather folder.
Simone had met him once over video.
He had not met her in person.
But unlike Caroline, he had clearly read the acquisition briefing.
Graham descended two steps.
Saw Simone.
Stopped.
His eyes widened.
“Oh.”
Caroline turned.
“Captain?”
Graham descended faster.
He reached the tarmac.
“Ms. Bennett.”
Caroline looked at Simone.
Then Graham.
The captain came to a stop.
“Ms. Bennett, I apologize.”
Simone glanced at Caroline.
“For?”
Graham hesitated.
Good.
He did not invent.
“I was told you had arrived.”
“By whom?”
“Flight operations.”
“When?”
“Thirty seconds ago.”
“Before that?”
“I received the ownership-transfer packet this morning.”
He lifted the leather folder.
Caroline stared.
Graham looked at her.
“Caroline.”
Her face lost color.
He continued.
“Ms. Bennett is the beneficial owner of Cobalt Crest Holdings.”
Claire’s mouth opened slightly.
Graham added:
“And as of nine-oh-two this morning, Cobalt Crest owns this aircraft.”
Nobody moved.
A service truck rolled past in the distance.
Caroline looked at Simone again.
Not at the hat now.
Not the boots.
Not the neckline.
At her face.
“Ms. Bennett.”
The title arrived immediately.
Simone hated how predictable that was.
Caroline swallowed.
“I was not notified.”
Simone nodded.
“That’s becoming clear.”
“I was following procedure.”
“Which procedure?”
The question hit harder than accusation.
Caroline opened her mouth.
Closed it.
Simone continued.
“Show me.”
“What?”
“The procedure that requires a crewmember to reject ownership-transfer documents without contacting legal, dispatch, flight operations, captain, or management until after the passenger insists.”
Caroline’s face tightened.
“I did contact operations.”
“After how many minutes?”
“I don’t know.”
“Eight.”
Claire looked toward Simone.