“The login came from a registered crew device.”
The flight attendant’s posture stiffened.
“Every crew tablet is registered.”
“This one is assigned to you.”
The chef inhaled sharply.
She did not look at him.
“My device was in the galley.
Anyone could have taken it.”
“Then give it to me.”
A pause followed.
“It contains confidential safety records.”
“It belongs to my company.”
“I need authorization from aviation operations.”
“You have it.”
Alexander held out his hand.
She remained motionless.
His voice dropped.
“Give me the tablet.”
She walked toward the galley with controlled, measured steps.
For one second, I thought she would comply.
Then I noticed her thumb moving beneath the edge of her jacket.
“She has something in her pocket,” I said.
The flight attendant spun around.
“It’s my phone.”
Alexander moved between her and the galley.
“Place it on the table.”
She stared at him.
The polished confidence vanished from her face, replaced by something raw and desperate.
“Sir, you don’t understand what she’s doing.”
“I understand that you accused her before the case was opened, knew the emergency token was missing, called the remaining device a duplicate, and are now refusing to surrender company equipment.”
“She’s distracting you.”
“From what?”
The flight attendant’s hand tightened inside her pocket.
The tablet chimed again.
Alexander glanced at the screen.
“A transfer request has been initiated.”
“How much?” I asked.
“Forty-eight million dollars.”
The number made my mouth go dry.
The flight attendant lunged toward the briefcase.
Alexander caught her wrist before she reached it.
Her other hand came out of her pocket holding a slim black device identical to the one beneath the false panel.
The missing token.
She tried to drop it into a glass of water on the table.
I moved without thinking.
Years of catching bottles, toys, and falling cups before they struck the floor had trained my hands faster than fear.
I snatched the water away.
The token hit the wooden table and spun between us.
Alexander released her wrist only after the chef stepped forward to block the aisle.
The flight attendant’s breathing became shallow.
“It’s not what you think.”
Alexander looked at the second token.
“What do I think?”
She glanced toward the locked cockpit door.
“You think I planned this.”
“Didn’t you?”
