Northstar's chief financial officer began with an assurance that the disputed reserve transfers were temporary accounting adjustments. Naomi asked him to identify the clause permitting those transfers. He cited an amendment dated the previous spring.
“Please display the executed amendment,” Claire said.
The CFO looked toward an unseen colleague. “We have a signed PDF.”
“A PDF isn't the question. Who signed on behalf of the lessor?”
The silence that followed lasted long enough for one director to turn off his microphone and speak to someone outside the frame.
Naomi shared the authenticated original. Its restriction on maintenance reserves remained intact. The purported amendment carried a typed authorization line but no corresponding signature from Claire's company.
“We cannot treat this as approved,” the audit chair said.
Martin Kessler finally appeared, joining from an office with the blinds drawn. “I want to caution everyone against drawing conclusions from incomplete documents.”
“Then complete them,” Claire replied. “Show the authorization.”
Kessler avoided the camera. “There were verbal understandings.”
“Not for a change requiring written consent.”
The audit chair moved that the board suspend reliance on the disputed amendment, commission an independent investigation, and notify the affected lenders through counsel. The motion passed without objection. Kessler abstained.
Then Naomi addressed the flight incident. She presented only verified facts: Casey's ticket had been arranged by procurement after Claire's itinerary circulated; Casey had interfered with Claire's seat and broken the document sleeve's seal; a preserved message from a procurement-linked account instructed Casey to delay Claire's arrival. The full communications review remained ongoing.
Kessler's face hardened. “This is an outrageous attempt to connect unrelated events.”
“It may be,” the audit chair said. “That's why an independent investigator will examine it.”
After the meeting, Claire received a request for a private call from Casey. She considered declining, then accepted with Naomi listening.
Casey appeared on screen from a quiet airport lounge. Without the audience of the cabin, she looked younger and exhausted.
“I didn't know what was in the folder,” Casey said immediately.
“Why did you touch it?” Claire asked.
“Martin told me your arrival would disrupt a financing review. He said you were traveling under a special clearance and that I should challenge the seat assignment until operations sorted it out.”
“Did he instruct you to break the seal?”
“No. I thought it was a fake credential pouch. I grabbed it because I was angry.”
Claire watched her without speaking.
“I wanted him to notice me,” Casey admitted. “He said people who took initiative got promoted.”
“Then tell the investigators exactly that,” Claire said. “And give them the messages.”
Casey's eyes filled, though she made no effort to wipe them. “Am I going to lose my job?”
“I don't make that decision,” Claire answered. “But you should understand something. You didn't need his instructions to treat another passenger with basic respect.”
Casey lowered her gaze.
Claire ended the call. Outside the operations suite, Flight 842 had finally departed with a replacement crew briefing and a full cabin. Claire's seat had remained empty.
She did not regret missing the flight. The meeting had reached Dallas without her body ever leaving the airport.