Emily tapped the boarding pass with one finger.
“I've seen this kind of thing before.”
Monica looked down at the ticket.
“What kind?”
“Printed passes. Altered information. Wrong formatting.”
“Did you verify the code?”
Emily paused.
“I don't need to.”
Monica's expression barely changed.
“That isn't verification.”
Emily leaned slightly forward.
“I work here.”
“And?”
“And I know when something isn't right.”
Monica took a slow breath.
“Then use the scanner.”
Emily glanced toward the equipment.
For a moment, she seemed uncomfortable.
Then she shook her head.
“There's no point.”
Monica's eyebrows lifted.
“No point?”
“You don't have the appearance of someone traveling business class.”
The words hung between them.
Emily realized how they sounded.
But instead of correcting herself, she crossed her arms.
Monica looked at her quietly.
Then she glanced down at her own coat.
“My appearance?”
Emily shrugged.
“You understand what I'm saying.”
Monica nodded slowly.
“I do.”
Emily picked up the ticket again.
“Let's not make this harder than it needs to be.”
Monica's voice remained low.
“You already did.”
Emily's jaw tightened.
Neither woman moved.
The tension between them had become unmistakable.
And Monica still hadn't explained who she was.